Steering Rag Joint

[DieselChemist]

What is involved with replacing the rag joint. The truck has a looseness in the steering, and from reading everything this is the first thing to check or replace.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

I disagree - the rag joint is the last thing I would suspect of looseness. By their nature they are very durable and when they fail (usually from rot) they will tear apart completely and the vehicle would be almost undriveable.

Get the front wheels up in the air and check your ball joints and tie rod ends for play. ANY visible play in any of these parts indicates an excessively worn component.

Also check the gearbox and wheel bearings for excessive play, both of those can be adjusted for small amounts of play. (Tightening out large amounts of play in bearings may result in failure due to un-even wear of the rollers, and tightening large amounts of gearbox play may result in binding).

 

[f-two-fiddy]

If it is the rag joint, get the newer intermidiate shaft with the rubber joint. You can get them off 90's trucks, and swap into the 80's rigs.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

The death of the rag joint is due to it's location, down low, where it stays oil-soaked.

I recently replaced my shaft with a Borgeson.

When I removed the factory shaft, it was so dangerously worn-out that it is a miracle I could still steer the truck.

That rag joint had considerable play and slop, without being torn; it was simply shot.

It could rock about 1/4-inch, back and forth, between the metal stops.

The knuckle joint, at the top end, was little better.

No more rag joints for me.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

What is involved with replacing the rag joint. The truck has a looseness in the steering, and from reading everything this is the first thing to check or replace.

I also go along with Mr ROBOTO.

There are about a zillion wear points in the Ford front end, either 2wd, or independent 4wd.

After a truck gets a little age on it, a little slop here, and a little slop there, and pretty soon you have to HERD it down the road, like a drunk cow.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

A drunk cow... Yea I met her at a party once. (I'm going to hell for sure now ).

 

[Dsl_Dog_Treat]

After a truck gets a little age on it, a little slop here, and a little slop there, and pretty soon you have to HERD it down the road, like a drunk cow.

Gots to remember that the next time shooting down the construction ladden highway inches away from an 18 wheeler and the concrete barricades doing 70mph fighting the slop.

 

[oldmisterbill]

Gots to remember that the next time shooting down the construction ladden highway inches away from an 18 wheeler and the concrete barricades doing 70mph fighting the slop.

Just a quick 2 bits. That bought memories back to me.Fighting the truck and trailer all day playing the wheel back and forth to keep it between the lanes.Had play in the steering box and a worn rag joint.So I replaced the steering box and rag joint.-Much better but still scary between concrete barriers,and when being blown off by big trucks. Usually I was alone when looking for play in my steering (remember my truck is very low mileage ).I had help one day and was determined to find the slop in my steering,everything looked good ( I am fussy about ball joints tie rods etc.) Well I stumbled on it the intermediate shaft between the rag joint and the steering colum was worn out at the slip part of the shaft where it would collapse if in an accident.(kind of a telescoping joint) Had to leave for the northeast that day so I had to do a quick unreccomended repair,Welded it so there was no play.What a difference I could thread a needle with the whole unit,without being nervous.That was my last trip in July 2005 I wouldnt reccomend driving like that as the steering colum will not collapse and in an accident the drivwer could be hurting big time.The old girl hardley ever runs (sometimes I think I shouls sell it but have hopes that maybe some day I can fix her up a bit.We spent many days and nights working,sleeping together)any where now and I am waiting for another shaft from towcat.Any way I bet there are more of your trucks out there with play in the same place. Long 2 bits huh?

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

That little bit of "collapsability" is not enough to keep the column from burying in the seat-back, which is one more reason why I NEVER wear a seat-belt.

 

[DieselChemist]

Thanks, last time I had the truck off the ground ( a month ago, after all this started, actually the truck has always been this way) I checked the ball joints and tie rod ends and they seemed okay. Where else should I check?

 

[Agnem]

That little bit of "collapsability" is not enough to keep the column from burying in the seat-back, which is one more reason why I NEVER wear a seat-belt.

I'm sure your choice to not wear a seat belt is already decided in your mind, but I think statistically the odds of being ejected are greater than the odds of being shishcabobed.

 

[payableondeath6]

FWIW I had some slop in my steering when I bought my truck and the previous owner said he'd replaced the tie rods. I assumed it was the rag joint and just went to Advanced Auto Parts and bought a new one ($30 for the nice complete unit), then when I finally got a chance to crawl in there and take a look around I found that the rag joint wasn't the cause of the slop, even with the PS pump leaking, but it was coming from the gear box, an easy adjustment of the gear box and a trip to take the new rag joint back and my steering is a LOT better, not perfect but a lot better. Just my two cents.

 

[ttman4]

I'm sure your choice to not wear a seat belt is already decided in your mind, but I think statistically the odds of being ejected are greater than the odds of being shishcabobed.

Ditto on that one!!
Took years for me but I finally decided I'd rather they used a fork & spoon to dig me out'a the seat than to wipe me up off the pavement with paper towels.
Remember, isn't it "Bounty" that's the Great little picker-upper.....

And as Old Mister Bill says, that slip joint will in fact cause road slop more than you think.