Steering Column Joints

[RedTruck]

Is there a replacement for the attached shaft? This would be from an '84 manual transmission. The joint boot was ripped and there's some grit in there. It looks like a nonserviceable joint. Also, does anyone know how to get these two shafts separated? When you pull them all the way apart there is a recess with some sort of key that moves. I'm guessing this is how, but what do you need to do?

Thanks for any help or comentary.


Paul

 

[towcat]

paul-
save yourself the grief and find a intermeadiate shaft off a OBS truck.
instead of the trunion joint there's a mini u-joint and a synthetic rubber rag joint on the other end. they almost never wear out unless installed on a F450.

 

[RedTruck]

Thanks Calvin,

I'll see what I can find.

Paul

 

[diesel4me2]

if you have the coin for it , i would recommend a borgeson.
put one on and i love it.

 

[icanfixall]

Inside that circled slip joint there is a flat spring and a plastic keeper. Usually the spring breaks. Mine did and I had way to much wheel play... Wrecking yard parts that fit in my pocket fixed it... Cost was the $2.00 entry fee... But do as Calvin suggested... The entire slip joint and rag joint cane be found in wrecked trucks everywhere... Watch it though... They are not all the same so be slective in what you buy..

 

[RedTruck]

Chris,

I thought about the borgeson unit. I thought you had one and I'm pretty sure Rob has one.

Thanks.

Paul

 

[RedTruck]

Inside that circled slip joint there is a flat spring and a plastic keeper.

How do you get it apart Gary? I thought it looked like a spring, but I tried to compress it and couldn't get it to budge.

I'll likely go with Calvin's idea,but I'm really curious how to get it apart.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[1Turbo10]

I just rebuilt mine, new rag joint from NAPA universal unit off the rack,Worked perfect.
The shaft just pulls apart with a good heave ho. Mine was good so I just cleaned and lubed it.
As far as the boot,I found a perfect fit cv joint boot at Honda for an ATV that slid over the outside witha nice tite seal. I paid ariund $13.00 I think. Steering was as tight as can be and my cc now drives awesome. Hope this helps.

 

[RedTruck]

Thank you for that. I'll give it a shot.

Paul

 

[RLDSL]

Chris,

I thought about the borgeson unit. I thought you had one and I'm pretty sure Rob has one.

Thanks.

Paul

I have one of those Borgeson shafts and those things are worth every penny Nice tight steering and no more worries about a rag joint deterriorating from oil /steering fluid/diesel contamination.

 

[HammerDown]

Question...at that slip joint, didn't I read that some suggested to simply drill through it and lock it together with a low-grade bolt thus eliminating any looseness ???

 

[RLDSL]

Question...at that slip joint, didn't I read that some suggested to simply drill through it and lock it together with a low-grade bolt thus eliminating any looseness ???

Err, then what happens when the cab mounts flex??? You've got X hundred pounds of cab attempting to bounce up and down , and one bolt trying to tell it no

 

[sassyrel]

Question...at that slip joint, didn't I read that some suggested to simply drill through it and lock it together with a low-grade bolt thus eliminating any looseness ???

DONT do that--when the cab flexes--that joint expands and contracts--put a bolt in there--and things will be breaking--at the most inopportune time--and death could result from no steering connection--

 

[icanfixall]

Yes... Drilling the shaft and installing a larger diameter bolt to take upthe shaft slop was posted but... That was for a differant issue. These shafts need to have the slip joint for safety mostly... If you ever need that joint to slip... Like in a serious accident... Well think about that steering wheel coming at your check in a hurry. Sure would be nice to have an air bag wouldn't it... And I'm not talking about the wife ridding in the seat next to you either..... I know how some minds are thinking...

 

[franklin2]

I was wondering also how this slip joint system works.

I was on vacation trip with my truck and a slide in camper, and I had the bottom steering box seal blow out. I went to the parts store and got a rebuilt box and rented the tools to change it out at the campground, but when I couldn't get one of the hydraulic lines loose on the box, I decided to go down the road and find someplace to change the box out for me. I always do my own work, so this was a new experience for me.

Needless to say, they didn't do a very good job, but I was in no situation to complain. One of the first things I noticed was a lot of slop in the steering wheel. I found it to be in this slip joint you guys are talking about, and while I was watching them work on my truck from the doorway, I saw when they took the box out, they just ****** the slip joint apart and took the lower part out with the box.

To get through the rest of the trip, I flattened a piece of metal and jammed it up in the slip shaft to take the play out, but was wondering how it really was supposed to work. What I am getting from the above posts is there are probably a couple of pieces missing that probably fell out when they pulled it apart.

I am not exactly sure how I am going to fix this permanently, but apparently Ford is not going to be any help with any small pieces correct? I am assuming the new shaft you are talking about is like the one they sell at LMC? If so, I am not spending $360+ on a steering shaft.