We have a 76 L8000 single axle dump. It's mainly used on site, but kept street legal for when it needs to go for fuel, or to another site. Here's the issue--50% of our drivers who are licensed to drive it don't fit between the seat and the steering wheel. We'd like to find a smaller one. (Steering wheel, not driver, necessarily.) It measures 20" in diameter. 16" would be a whole lot better. The power steering is real good, so the extra diameter isn't really a factor in that respect. Before we start taking things apart and measuring shaft diameters and counting splines, I thought I'd see if anybody here has any idea if the factory ever built one with a smaller wheel, or if something from another model might fit right up. Somebody suggested a wheel from a pickup of similar age might fit. Suggestions?
I don't think you will find a 16", there are some but rarely see them. * https://www.vanderhaags.com/detailview.php?manufacturer=ford&model=l8000&inventorytype=steering-wheel&wcf=parentmodel
I knew some brothers years ago who ran L8000 and L9000 dump trucks. All of the brothers were, let's say, large enough to create a wind shadow large enough for 2-3 normal size men ... Their solution to the problem you're facing was to remove the seat back and wrap an Ace bandage around their stomach where the steering wheel rubbed... Not really an elegant solution but they weren't really elegant folks... Might be something to consider if you can't find a smaller steering wheel.
Maybe? Might even get insurance to pay for it.
I know the later 9000's were available with tilt column. I think the base cabs are the same, so maybe a junkyard cruise for a tilt column is in order. It gives a lot more room between seat and wheel. The dashes are probably a little different at the bottom where the tilt comes up into the bottom of the dash, so you may have to do some modifications there, or swap dash. Here's a picture of a tilt tele column on a ford interior. You could compare it to what yours looks like. https://www.vanderhaags.com/detailview.php?part=25849275
Those tilts take a whole different mounting cage to dash, so if you go that route you'll want that plus the entire lower shaft including the Rzeppa joint.
Thanks for the useful replies, guys. And to CM for the other one. I kinda figured that something used that would fit right up would either be as common as dirt, or made of unobtanium. One junkyard said that *if* they had anything, they wouldn't separate the wheel from the column--you'd have to buy the whole assembly. That's more effort and expense than can be justified. New, aftermarket, is under consideration.