Maybe I'm missing something here (as I haven't looked at the one on my car yet), but are the splines on the steering box keyed so that the coupling will only fit on there one way? If so, then having to rotate the upper coupling 90* makes sense.

 

Yes, they are splines w/ a flat side.Which u-joint you rotate is your choice, i guess.I alighned the lower piece to the steering box.

 

I bought two units, one from each, a 97 Astro and one from a 02 Safari. From what I can see both of them are clocked the same. The Astro version actually has a larger (more material) upper joint. While on the safari version the upper/lower joints look identical, with exception to the Double D on the upper joint for mounting it to the steering column.
Secondly the Astro version seems to extend an extra 2 inches (or so) more than the Safari version. Im not certain any of this matters at all or if there would be any concerns about deflection at all with the longer steering shaft. (I doubt it would matter.)

 

Pics?

 

Ill see if I can get some. My adapter for my phone is MIA to connect it to my computer but I will see if I can find it.

 

Ok here you go: All of the photos show the upper rag joint as the 02 GMC Safari unit and the bottom is the Astro.

This one shows the difference in size between the upper mounts (where the Double D is located)


This one shows the joints as short as they can go.


This one shows both joints to their full extension.


Note: both of these joints are in stock unmodified form. Both clocked in the same way.

 

I still prefer the 4th gen upper DD joint, as it uses a pass thru bolt like our 3rd gens.Not an outer clamp bolt like the Astro.

 

you wont have any probelms with the clamp style, if my truck with 12.5 wide 35"s can hold it im pretty sure a thirdgen can as well.

 

A couple vids that may clear some questions up. Not the most direct to the point with info but it's helpful none the less.

Astro Steering Bearing

Steering Shaft Options

 

I actually went back to the yard and got a 4th gen f-body steering shaft and installed the end on the astro shaft that I bought. That way I didnt have to modify the steering column.

 

I used the 4th gen upper joint too.



Here is the joint on the Safari shaft.

 

^ thank you. I'm very much a visual person, so that video helps dramatically. Descriptions just don't do me much good, heh.

 

thats a great post right there, someone sticky those videos!

now if someone can find me any astro van shafts, bearing, and a 4th gen upper.

 

If ya can't hit the wrecking yards I'd suggest hitting up MC87SS.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/engi...t-upgrade.html
He's sold a bunch of these things on montecarloss.com, maliburacing.com, gbodyforum.com, and s10forum.com.
He get's compliments on his work and he ships pretty fast.

You'll have to do just a little grinding with his though. I think some of these guys are grinding off way more than they need to. I read about one guy who just slammed the bolt through with a hammer then he could easily take the bolt out and put it back in by hand. This is speculation on my part though as I haven't done the mod yet.

The following is INCORRECT info that I reposted. Someone tried this kit and found that the plastic piece works but the bearing doesn't.
Also from someone else's post it seems the whole bearing assembly is available new from Ebay, Amazon etc. as a Jeep part under Crown PT# 4487696K.
Someone tried this kit and found that the plastic piece works but the bearing doesn't.

That forth gen bearing retainer in the vid looks nice to me. I'd go with that if I could find one.

 

I'm in the same boat so I slapped them up there.
And renewed my **** subscription

 

its mostly just that most of the yards around me are either not around me lol, turned into scrap yards and not pick and pulls, or just completely trashed and people destroy **** out of fun and ignorance.

 

Thread revival, approaching 10 years with mine & still good as the day i built it.

 

Some of the yards around me won't let you into them either.
If people wouldn't destroy the parts around them that they don't need the situation would be better.

 

mc doesnt have anything so if anyone has the bearing, astro shaft and 4th gen yoke/couple/sleeve whatever at a decent pirce let me know please.

 

Sorry that's.. kind of my fault on that one O_O

 

nice going! haha

 

Yea if ya want one you better be quick.
From what I've seen he has a partial list of people before he has them in his hands.
Best bet is to watch for him to post on one of his for sale threads on the G-Body sites I mentioned.
He usually mentions he'll be getting some soon, that's when you PM him and get on the list.

 

he doesnt deal with the 4th gen yoke though

 

I may have the 4th gen piece & few other parts, like the bearing.Ill check when once Im home.

 

if you have all the stuff please let me know

 

Here's what i have.

 

4th gen yoke, and astro bearing?

 

Yes that is what those are.

 

Here's a thought for you.

My town has a couple companies that specialize in supplying bearings to local shops.
Often times OEM machines are equipped with bearings that don't have the code on them. That way you don't know what the bearing is and you order from that company again using part numbers from out of the manufacturers parts book. Those numbers still don't tell you what the bearing code is. It's either that or the bearings are supplied to the companies in bulk and are not labled as a cost cutter. You know .01% cheaper per bearing lol.

Very often the companies that the machines came from had HUGE mark ups on the bearings. I remember one of them was a very strange looking $250.00 bearing. We took that down to the bearing shop and left it with them for about a week. They came up with the same exact bearing for $25 bucks! To top it off they can usually come up with a higher quality bearing for a lot less money. At times they can't find a match and you're stuck paying the inflated price, PLUS SHIPPING!!!

Once I get a bearing I'll take it down there and see if they can match it up to something and tell me what the code is. That way I can post the numbers and we can get nice new bearings for cheap.
Two problems here.

1. I don't know if they deal with private citizens
2. I don't have a bearing

 

Can't believe I didn't post the little vid that shows the fourth gen bearing retainer/collar.
This vid isn't so much to show the bearing but to show the nice little collar. It just covers the bearing a little more and looks cleaner overall.

 

i wonder if this that bearing will work on my truck i think that and a thirdgen ahve the same column.

 

Just purchased 4487696K off of ebay, the plastic bushing fits perfect, but the bearing is tight on the shaft. Not able to start in on the column by hand. Has any one installed this bearing kit on a thirdgen? Is there a way to get it on the column shaft?

 

Yes, the jeep bearing works if you file or dermel the entire keyed area of the lower shaft. I would recommend if you are going to do the bearing upgrade/replacement, be prepared to spend time dremeling the entire keyed area so you don’t have to use a mallet to force the bearing on. I wish I would have waited until I went to work to made a go/no-go gauge out of metal, because I rushed the dremeling and used a mallet be force it on. Bad idea, because it damaged the bearing and loosened it up. My sockets did not bear on it well so I was not only on the center of the bear. It still works but it is not as tight as I hoped. Actually, I do not think it is any tighter then the original bushing I removed. Maybe that is why the engineers did not use a bearing in the first place, because of the process used to form the keyed part of the lower shaft. Plan to go to work and ask one of my friends if there is a good material to shim the bushing and the outer metal of the steering column to tighten it up.

 

FYI, this was the bearing on a 99 Astro van... quite different than the earlier versions I see you guys found. There was no metal ring or clip, and the plastic holder is about 3 inches tall.

The intermediate shaft looks the same as the photos posted from other years though.

 

Were you able to pop the bushing out or something and put the bearing in place of the old bushing? like take the bushing out of the plastic outer retaining ring and put the metal bearing in its place?? I did not know that were was a difference in years and when i went to the scrap yard today i found exactly what you found.
were you able to put the bearing to use after getting it out of the gray plastic housing??

 

How tough to swap? My local pick a part has 5 Astros and a handful of 4th gens

What's the expected cost at wrecking yard?

thanks