Steering Joint Swap

[Jester]

Has anyone replaced the tulip shaped socket on the steering shaft with a normal u-joint?

Picture from Warthog's thread about rebuilding it.



Rather than rebuilding it, I would like to just replace it.

[Chumley]

I'm not sure on these units, but the vehicles that I've worked on with a similar style steering joint you can only rebuild it. The alternative is to replace the whole shaft and joint assembly with a new one. Hopefully someone else will have some better info on it.

[BigWheelBob]

Actually spicer offers splined yokes to match most spline counts, and the best theing about the spicer parts are the replacable u joints. If you need help with part numbers, give me the spline count, and measure the diameter of the splines with a caliper.

[Jester]

Actually spicer offers splined yokes to match most spline counts, and the best theing about the spicer parts are the replacable u joints. If you need help with part numbers, give me the spline count, and measure the diameter of the splines with a caliper.

No splines on the one side. Just two "pins". My only guess on replacement is cutting it at the pins then welding/pinning a u-joint on.

[Kaiserjeeps]

If you plan on wheeling the truck, be sure to put something back in that will telescope like that part does. Having a solid shaft will pull and push on the column and mess up the lower bearing in the process. There is also a possiblilty of floor pan cracking depending on how tight your column is bolted down. You need some provision for the flexing.

[Jester]

If you plan on wheeling the truck, be sure to put something back in that will telescope like that part does. Having a solid shaft will pull and push on the column and mess up the lower bearing in the process. There is also a possiblilty of floor pan cracking depending on how tight your column is bolted down. You need some provision for the flexing.

Good call. Did not think of that

[ryanroo]

somewhere in my build thread is how i set mine up. has weld on u-joints and a new shaft. no flex room, but i will deal with that if it proves an issue

Ryan

[Jester]

somewhere in my build thread is how i set mine up. has weld on u-joints and a new shaft. no flex room, but i will deal with that if it proves an issue

Ryan

Dang Ryan - been thru your thread 100 times. Should have known there would be a pic in there somewhere

[Jester]

Here it is...



How did you connect on the column side? Weld it?

[ryanroo]

yeah, i wrapped a cold water soaked rag around the shaft and welded in three stiches to try and keep the shaft from heating up to much and melting anything farther up the column. i didn't take it apart so i really didn't know what was up there that i could ruin and didn't want to risk it.

the u joints i used where from Sweet Mfg. in Kalamazoo MI. one was a 3/4" blank hole on bothe sides, and the othere was blank on one side and had the slines and set screw for the steering box. i am not sure what the part numbers are though. i just used 3/4" .156" wall tubing for the shaft

also my thinking for not using a slip shaft is that they always end up getting sloppy and making noise. the steering shaft in the column has some movement so i am hoping that i will not see any issues.

Ryan