steering u-joint ?'s

[GM Muscle]

I've got a small issue with my camaro and did a search but didnt yeild any black and white results.

I have a stock 69 column-non tilt, floor shift. Im using an IROC steering box and half height aluminum subframe bushings. I put a lsx in it with 1' set back mounts and hooker headers. the headers run close to the rag joint and i dont like the the idea of heat on rubber. on top of that the rag joint is already in a weird stretch/ bind from the raised subframe.

My question is, what U-joint can i/should i use? i would like to eliminate the rag joint all together. i am not a creature of comfort and i dont mind doing a little fab work if i have to.

Any part numbers or suggestions to help me surpass this obsticle?
:willy:

[speedjohnston]

Go to woodward steering and they have tons of universal combinations with weld on, bolt on, and all different splines. I just got another u-joint from them yesterday.
http://www.woodwardsteering.com/images/steering%20universal%20joints.pdf

[Roadbuster]

I used borgeson (http://www.borgeson.com/) ujoints in my GTO. A isolating one on the steering box to a collapsable DD shaft and a regular Ujoint on the column.

Jon

[JRouche]

My opinion is rag joints are not needed when you have proper U-joints in place. The rag joint serves double duty. For a small displacement of the steering shafts and for vibration reduction.

I decided to toss the rag joint in favor for some new U-joints and a vibration reducer from Borgeson. JR

http://www.borgeson.com/vibrationreducers.html

[Vegas69]

Rag joints are designed for factory applications where the steering shaft needs to get longer since they don't have solid body bushings. It also dampens as said. I'm sure you have solid body bushing so change over to a borgeson joint. I have solid motor mounts and body mounts and the steering is great with very little vibration.

[GM Muscle]

Thanks for the help guys. Yes I'm all solid (motor and body). The steering box input shaft is pretty close the bottom of the column. I'm assuming the collar the rag joint bolted to on the column will come off the expose the splines?

[GM Muscle]

ok, so i removed the rag joint collar. the problem is that the splined end of the steering shaft was flaired to hold the collar on!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/brantleyb/7f7d50ab.jpg
:willy: so can i just cut off the flaired portion and use the straight part thats left (maybe 1/2 and inch) or should i disassemble the lower part of the column and use a weld in a splined insert? i would really like to use a ujoint and be done but i want whats going to work best.

[GM Muscle]

ok.. i said #^&* it and went deeper.. looks like i may be able to find a d shaft and run it down in the steering tube and use a few plug welds to secure it. then i can still use the factory bearings and i can also use a cheaper u-joint. what do you guys think?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/brantleyb/b6735935.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/brantleyb/cebefc2a.jpg

then i have to figure out how all this goes back together:faint:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/brantleyb/c6078cc8.jpg

[Rybar]

That is quite strange why yours is flared.

I had the same problem, header tube was hitting the rag joint so I installed a Borgeson U-joint:

Borgeson U-joint 13/16"-36 spline & 1"-48 spline

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d125/Rybar/ETP%20head%20swap/CopyofPicture029.jpg

[GM Muscle]

:mad: that was my original plan but this flair business is really cramping my style..

[speedjohnston]

Did you check the woodward site out? They also have weld on couplings. maybe you can trim a little off that flared end and put a weld on coupling over it? You can allways try calling him and asking if he has something that will help you out.

[GM Muscle]

I did consider that. We have a local smileys performance(speedway) so I figured if I got a little bit of dd shaft I could put it in about 6 inches into the stock shaft and use plug welds. Similar option to Woodward but cheaper and parts are pretty much in house( no wait). I like the idea too because the column will still remain it's "collapse" feature if I ever nail something head on.
I'll keep this updated that way there's at least a reference for the next guy. Thanks for the help guys

[LM7_67]

That is quite strange why yours is flared.

I had the same problem, header tube was hitting the rag joint so I installed a Borgeson U-joint:

Borgeson U-joint 13/16"-36 spline & 1"-48 spline

Is that the size needed to replace a stock rag joint on a first gen?

[Rybar]

Is that the size needed to replace a stock rag joint on a first gen?

That's the size I needed, I would definately measure yours first as I am not sure if mine is stock or not.