whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

Hi guys. Just curious if any of you have used this or have heard anything about it? It's a replacement steering shaft upgrade that gets rid of the factory rag joint set up. Looks to be decent and the feedback from people on it is mostly pretty good on his auction. I just don't want to buy junk. For 50$ it may be worth trying though!

Heres a link to the auction so you can see what I'm talking about.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Steer...Q5fAccessories

ls1fiend

I was looking at a rag joint eliminator a while back. Vetruck mentioned that the one most people are using doesn't extend or contract and could eventually cause problems but this one is telescoping. For $50 I don't think it would be a bad investment. I'm a little weary of everything from ebay though.

1ADan

iTrader: (4)

looks interesting to me as well. waiting for responses

86blackiroc

iTrader: (12)

Should be a great upgrade. BUT, it looks like it's just a slightly modified shaft from a common Jeep XJ (Cherokee) that you can get at any junkyard. I installed one in my '91 S-10 pickup.

It only required a slight notch in the end of the steering column, and an alignment to get the steering wheel centered again.

$50 still ain't bad, since you don't have to drive to the junkyard, pull the part, and then modify the shaft to make it collapsible.

ls1fiend

So still no news? :/ I don't want to be the guinea pig.

86blackiroc

iTrader: (12)

You wouldn't be. Read my post

ls1fiend

I'm just worried about that unit being made of thin material and flexing. I'm going to a manual gear box soon because of my header situation and becasuse it takes no power from the motor. Its a bit tougher to turn a manual gear box than a power one and I don't want a thin steering shaft warping on me.

86blackiroc

iTrader: (12)

It's a factory Jeep part, so the quality is good and the seller apparently does all the work to prepare it for you. There's nothing light duty about it, it's a popular part to be used in 80's GM full-size 4x4 trucks.

stielow775

If not perfectly aligned your box is going to leak. I wouldnt recommend it. As long as your rag joint is tight and suspension tight your fine.

My 5 cents.


Matt

Duts87ss

iTrader: (10)

I did the Jeep steering shaft mod on my Monte and would never go back now. I thought the F-body shafts were a bit shorter than the ones on G-bodies; so, it may not be a direct bolt in like it was for me.

86blackiroc

iTrader: (12)

1. A misaligned shaft WILL NOT cause a leak.

2. The shaft has NOTHING to do with the alignment... that comes from the box and column, which aren't being relocated.

86blackiroc

iTrader: (12)

It depends. The shaft is not designed to slip, the two halves are held in place with a heavy duty plastic. You can melt it all out and separate the two halves, grease it and then slide it back together. This makes it a slip shaft that will fit about any length. Or you can heat up the plastic just enough to let the shaft slip, then move it to the correct length. When it cools down, it will no longer move again.

whitedevilTA

iTrader: (8)

I e-mailed him asking how it attached as opposed to the factory piece also about the finish it came in (looks blue in the auction) and this is what he said....

"The shaft attachs clamp style just like the factory steering box end. The hole on the steering column is not used. It comes gloss black.

Thanks
James"

I may end up getting it to try it, but i'm curious now....if the hole is not used on the column end, how the heck does it attach and stay in place??

Also, I'm assuming you just take the old one off and put this in place with no re-allignment needed? (as in it attaches with the gear box and column end in the same position as factory) Would be a shame since my steering is all new and I'd hate to mess with it now.

86blackiroc

iTrader: (12)

You slide the shaft onto the column, then mark where the bolt hole is (it clamps on just like the steering box end). Slide it back off, then notch the column with a die grinder or dremel, where you marked it at. Slide it back on and bolt it up.

Or if you are careful, you can slide it on, then run a drill bit through the bolt hole. Just don't get into the threads on the other side.

Usually the steering wheel will be a little off afterward. Just need to take to an alignment shop and have them center the wheel.

84 1LE

iTrader: (9)

Looks like he stole my idea..Ive seen that auction before, but i did mine some 5-6 years ago.There's a thread floating around somewhere here.Anyway, you can do that mod with an Astro van steering shaft (just the U-joints), plus the 3rd gens original shaft (shortend a bit).On the big end astro Van uses a coupler with the bolt on the outside of the DD end.It will fit/work on the 3rd gen, but the OEM piece has a pass thru design for the DD shaft.I swapped that coupler for a 4th gen piece.Since the fourth gen has the same design as our 3rd gens.Here's a pic of mine.Cost me $6 for the astro van piece & 5 fingers on the 4th gen,.Plus about 2 hours time.Its collapseable & have had zero issues with it.

Another upgrade you can do, is take the bearing on the end of the Astro Van steering tube (firewall).The 3rd gen only uses a plastic busing.Its a direct fit too.

Duts87ss

iTrader: (10)

The Jeep shaft clamps on to the steering column; no need for the thru-bolt any longer.

86blackiroc

iTrader: (12)

GM updated the design, I believe they only sell the bearing type now. I did that on my S-10 too.

FlyDoc

looks like ends that you could get from a tractor supply, and throw on some welds. may or not be able to save money, defiantly home made, I would be skeptical.

I would use something from like Idit, the last thing you want is that thing breaking!