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Awesome laps, I enjoyed watching. Can you document the Grant wheel install with some photos? I just bought a Grant steering wheel and a 3196 hub kit for my '57 Chevy Truck project. It has a '97 F-Body steering column and I don't like that it appears I'm gonna have to re-clock my steering to get the new steering wheel straight.
I'm particularly interested in what position your plastic horn contact tube sits at when you pull the old wheel.
Thanks, Nolan
Oh, What is Lightning PB?
Car looks so weird without a spoiler haha. Rear end reminds me of a mixture between an RX-7 and a Ford Probe.
Will do! I think the clockspring has to get snipped and the plastic column surround shortened, but I'll have to figure out what that all means when it's apart lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by JOATMON
And my personal best at Lightning was a 1:16.55 last year with less power, a worse tire compound, too much tire on the wheel, and old SLP Bilsteins. I haven't been able to crack 16s at all this year.
Hahaha yeah it looks painfully 90s like an overgrown Sunfire.Quote:
Originally Posted by Z28pr0jekt
I did a Grant install in my 94, with the 3rd Gen “kit” (3196). Clock spring assembly had to be removed, but the steering column collar didn’t need to be modified beyond maybe just a touch of sandpaper. The collar was a slightly larger diameter than the Grant “cap” that goes between the steering wheel and the collar. I just used a black marker on the edge of the collar so the slight difference wasn't noticeable. Steering wheel was correctly clocked. Horn worked fine. Shaun may know how it went together. He replaced the “kit” with a quick-release hub. Also noted the original kit was “loose” (after being there 20 years), so maybe a bit of thread locker is a good idea.
Also used a Grant billet spacer to move the wheel a bit closer to the driver. I think the spacer cost almost as much as the steering wheel.
Attachment 40504
Yes! Sunfire is actually the perfect fit, forgot about those.Quote:
Originally Posted by Catmaigne
Thanks Fred, I'm beginning to think my problem lies in where I clocked the whole column when I put it in the truck. I cut off all the stock mounting, amputated about 6 inches off the length and welded the floor mounting plate to the column. No biggie, just have to re-adjust the alignment which isn't even locked down yet. It's still under construction.
Nolan
Got the wheel on in no time. I think it took maybe an hour total including disassembly? I was pleasantly surprised.
I also used the Grant 3196 install kit. Some pics from that.
Horn wire has to be assembled like this.
Attachment 40506
Then I installed the horn wire into it's little push/twist connector and put the Grant wheel adapter on top. The white plastic horn socket wasn't lined up great with the slot on the adapter, but there was enough wiggle to get the adapter on such that the wheel would be straight.
Also, the splines on the adapter aren't the tightest and the adapter is made of some kind of pot metal like diecast zinc. I guess I can't complain considering it was $30.
Attachment 40507
Notice that in the previous picture I was pulling the horn wire to the side. The wire is sitting in a little channel so it won't get pinched between the beauty cap and the adapter when routed through the outlet hole on the cap. Pictured below is how it should be assembled (see the horn wire pulled through) and then the wheel or any 3-to-5 or 6 bolt wheel adapter would go on top. But....
I needed to do some trimming first. The beauty cap is too long and touches the plastic column housing. Rather than trim the column, I decided to go at the beauty cap with some tin snips and took off around 3/16" from the bottom. You can see it is a little frayed in the pic, but I later filed the edge and went over it with some paint marker.
Attachment 40508
Last thing you have to do is bolt the whole thing together and plug the horn wire into the center tang on the back of the horn button. Just as a note, I pulled the airbag and clockspring wires out from the bottom of the column at some point.
Attachment 40509
So, how does the $60 Grant wheel feel? Cheap but effective lol. The wheel is way harder and dampens much less than the stocker which is definitely a good thing for track driving. The wheel feels closer to my torso than before so I already ordered a Grant 4001 to move the wheel back 1". I already tilted my seat back as well, but my elbows were still too bent and would smack the seat bolsters.
Also, I drove the car for the first time since putting the Momo seat in and gotdam, it feels like I'm driving a wooden rollercoaster now. I'm going to need a removable seat pad for those 4hr+ racetrack trips.
Thanks for the photos of your installation. I'm gonna have to re-adjust my steering to get my new wheel straight. The horn contact slot is different on the '57 steering wheel and I clocked the whole steering column slightly different than stock.
1957 wheel is 18"!!! I picked a 15" wheel. Also showing off my new Dakota Digital Instrument cluster if you want a look.
Thanks again.
Attachment 40510Attachment 40511Attachment 40512
I'm not sure if the 3 bolt pattern is symmetrical or not, but you might be able to drill a new horn wire hole and reclock the wheel that way if it helps. That cluster looks sweet!Quote:
Originally Posted by JOATMON
I built a lightweight battery holder for the PC680 out of some aluminum flat stock and L channels. Right now it is held to the rad support with a lag bolt, but I need to pick up a rivnut tool to do it right.
Attachment 40515
The 1" Grant adapter showed up and alas.... there was no horn provision. The horn button is too small and won't ground through the 5-bolt wheel anyway, so I ended up chopping the top flange of the 2" adapter off and sandwiching it between the new adapter and the wheel. I had to sand all of the black paint off of the new adapter to get a good connection, but it works.
The product engineering over at Grant SUCKS!!! I could not find a plug-and-play solution but that might be because all of their product info is confusing and scattered.
Attachment 40516
Anyway, my elbows have a little more room now, but I still won't be able to drive with hands at 9 and 3 o'clock. Maybe I need to fab up some pedal spacers.