keywestjack
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2008
- Messages
- 258
I think I saw it some where here, but cant find it. I want to replace my steering rag joint with a better alternative. Is there a universal joint that I can use?
They are universal, in every auto part shop (check offroading stores) and all over ebay (search "steering u joints").I think I saw it some where here, but cant find it. I want to replace my steering rag joint with a better alternative. Is there a universal joint that I can use?
thank you, I think I will follow your lead. Do you know the end measurement(s) of the coupler. I was looking at this one: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fla-fr1734
A frequent poster over the last many years has been Jim O'Shea. He has posted on this forum, CF, and also the NCRS forum. He has a lot of reference material on corvettefaq.com. He is long since retired, but was previously a Saginaw GM employee who was responsible for much of the design and development of the C2/C3 power steering and also steering wheel columns.
To summarize a lot of his reference material, because of potential liability problems with failed steering system, GM pumped a large amount of money into what appears to be, by modern standards, an archaic and now, low technology steering system. Nevertheless, the C2/C3 system is, at least way with GM specification parts, is EXTREMELY reliable. The "rag joint," a kinder phrase is "flexible joint" is very reliable and has redundancy failure modes to prevent a complete failure of steering control. I doubt that the manufacturer's of the U-Joint you show would have spent anything more than a tiny fraction of what GM spent on their "rag joint" to ensure reliability.
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Just an anecdote. I good long term friend of mine has spent over $50,000 on his 67 BB coupe on technology improvements. He spent $5000 for a custom stainless steel header system for his BB. The header guy wanted him to get rid of his stock PS steering system, since the steering gear assembly interfered with the headers. So he bought a rack and pinion power steering assembly that is a popular advertised replacement for the stock PS steering assembly. He had steering problems. He bought the non-power steering version of the rack and pinion...no improvement. He has oversteer problems with his customised set up. I've heard all the many many details of his steering problems. I've decided to stick with plain jane OEM power steering...including that "rag joint" until I feel safe to change. For a BB, Hooker Headers will clear the stock steering assembly. (Well, they sometimes need a little hammer dent.)
Borgeson supplies GM with those u-joints e.g. Astro vans and full size vans are an awesome place to harvest those if you don't want to spend the money. So I'm not sure where you're coming from.
GM used the rag joints to keep vibrations from the driver - at the expense of driver feedback.