cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

Just an FYI. I don't know if anyone has done this before so I thought I'd pass this along. I made a u joint steering shaft for my car this week with $10 worth of junkyard parts and about 1 hour of time. I got a steering shaft from and astro van and 1 from a 4th gen F-body from my local junkyard for $10(I pulled them myself, bring your propane/map torch and a prybar). The 4th gen shaft has a u-joint shaft that is rivited to the rag joint but the connection to the rack is different from our cars, and the u -joint at the back where it connects to the column is the same as our cars but the front part of this shaft is too short. I drilled the rivets out and removed the 4th gen u-joint from the rag joint and then tapped the u-joint bearings out of the front part of the joint. I then did the same thing to the astro van shaft and combined the front half u-joint from the astro(the part that connects to the steering box) with the back half of the 4th gen u-joint and bolted it to the front half of my third gen steering shaft(after removing the rag joint). I then combined the front section of the astro van rear u-joint(the half nearest to the column) with the back half of the fourth gen u-joint(the part that bolts to the steering column) because it is the same as on our cars. I had to shorten the female section of the sliding shaft(the part from the third gen shaft) about an inch and a half to give it enough room to slide in enough to get it on the column. Like I said it cost me $10 and took about an hour to make and instal. It also lines up perfectly(its not off by 45 degrees).

It was posted along time ago. I have a shaft sitting on my best but havent got to it yet.

I use u-joints and yokes on both ends from an Astro van. Welded the third gen shaft to the yokes and bolted it in.

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

marker. steering shaft coupler :totopic: :thanks:

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

Why did you weld them on? I have a U-joint shaft out of a Safari, and I just bolted it right in. No muss, no fuss.

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

The post is from several years ago, and more recently members have discovered both the Jeep and Astro Van shafts. Both of which can be seen below:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ing-shaft.html

I'm unfamiliar with the Safari shaft. Can I assume from what you say that the Safari shaft not only has u-joints at both ends but requires no modification? A pic or two would be great.

JamesC

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

The Safari is just the GMC version of the Astro. Mine fit right in with no modifications necessary.

Here's two pictures, one of the column U-joint and one of the steering box U-joint; sorry I couldn't get them both in the same shot.

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

What year Safari is that from? So just to clarify, the connection at the steering box using the same spline count and design, and there's 2 U-joints that required absolutely no modifications to fit?

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

I think the Safari I got mine from was a '99, but I don't think it matters; I heard about this upgrade on this board, so I just asked my buddy at my favorite junkyard for the newest Astro/Safari to pick from.

Yes, the splines will match up on the steering box, and the steering column side will just slide onto your existing steering column shaft (unless your car is different than mine; I'm still using the factory steering column).

The shaft is much longer than you will need on an F-body, but it will slide in (with room to spare) and fit your car.
Trust me, it works great. I pity those folks who buy billet Borgeson joints.

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

The Astro Van shaft, which some members have used (to include me), is not a direct bolt-in. The upper U-joint has to be removed, reclocked 90 degrees, and rewelded. Pics in the link I provide above.

JamesC

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

Is there any way you can get the part number from it? Something doesn't add up. Like James mentioned, all the astro van steering shaft retrofits require you to re clock the U-join or you're steering will be 90* off. Makes me wonder if there was a specific model that got a different shaft. If you can get that part number then I can run the number at my dealership to find out the specific application.

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

i just got a shaft out of a 97 astro. it was just as u guys said. thank u. i havent done any thing else yet . i will try to document and film every thing to post and help this thread as it has helped me.... there were three othere astro vans there that had it too

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Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

Now just clean it up. And do a nice plate job chrome or yellow zink. And ya have a nice looking part....

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

Cool someone on another site just suggested this to me. I came across this doing some research into the project. So bowdayshush keep us updated on how this goes and how the car feels in the end result!

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

So the 97 Astro Van steering shaft is a direct install? No re-clocking needed?

Re: cheap, easy, u-joint steering shaft
 

No, it needs to be reclocked. I run a Cherokee shaft, out of the boxy Cherokees. No reclock needed, just a little grinding on the output shaft for the pinch bolt to clear.

While you are in the Astro, grab the bearing out of the bottom of the output shaft. A direct swap for the bushing in the bottom of our steering shafts.