RETRO-Mod: Jeep intermediate steering shaft

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SquareRoot

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I'm twenty seven pages deep into this thread trying to figure out the purpose.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all this mod does is eliminates/reduces the slack in the steering by replacing easily wearing out "rag joint" with a Jeep shaft that has some integrated rubber dampener integrated in the steering wheel end?

I took for granted that these trucks have "approximate direction selector" instead of the steering wheel, do you say that these trucks can have sharp handling?

Is the dampener necessary? I can see how soft is the rubber in my rag joint, it easily "bottoms out", what would happen if it was replaced by something solid like a U joint?
Replacing it with a u joint is exactly what the jeep shaft does. Carry on.
 

Camar068

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Replacing it with a u joint is exactly what the jeep shaft does. Carry on.
These aren't the rag joints we're looking for....move along....move along.
 

mibars

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mibars

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Did the mod, ended up buying a different one than linked above. Steering is so much more precise now!
Some notes:
-These plastic inserts holding both halves together are most likely PTFE/Teflon. It emits highly toxic fumes when heated. Do it outside and mind the wind direction.
-After removing those inserts you may end up with little bit of slop between parts, as I did. A one good hammer smack on the tube part to close it a little was enough to remove it.
-You don't need to remove both nuts holding steering shaft from a firewall, you can leave the one under brake booster and just spread the bracket a bit.
 

SquareRoot

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I drilled a 3/8 hole thru one side of the outer sleeve then welded a 5/16 nut over the hole. Assemble shafts and screw in a 5/16 x 1 inch bolt with a jam nut. Tighten just enough to eliminate the slop. Never had to mess with it since.
 

plugugly

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whats the difference in later jeeps? 97 and up?

edit: called borgeson. The earlier is 1" DD and the later is splined.
 
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