RETRO-Mod: Jeep intermediate steering shaft

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HotRodPC

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Does this give more of a feel of the road? Like a go cart, all metal connections, know what I mean? It's not something that would cause fatigue on long trips is it? Or is it nice and smooth? I would figured some vibrations and bumps would be felt more with this setup.


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No, there is still a rubber dampner. It's just at the top of the shaft instead of a rag joint at the gear box. No fatigue at all. Just seems much smoother more than anything, and maybe a bit tighter. I drove it again tonight. The thing is, there is a noticeable difference, and if the difference is noticeable at all, then it's a big difference.

All Done !!!

THIS....

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Is Now THIS....

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rscustomrods

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You guys Rock! Thanks Hot Rod for all the details. I want to tackle it this weekend, but I said that last weekend too:)
 

smurph20

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<~~Will be looking at work for a Jeep with the steering shaft still in it since i get a very nice discount lol. I guess it pays to be working at a salvage yard and be loved by the boss for my speed and abiliaty to do my job lol.
 

HotRodPC

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Been like 3 weeks now. I haven't driven the truck much, but for the several times I have, it's been here around town running errands with lots of turns and parking lot maneuvering. The shaft seems to be doing just fine. I am certiainly able to tell a difference between the 84 C20 without the mod yet, and the 85 K1500 with the mod. I don't really put alot into that though. 1 being 2wd and 1 being 4wd, that in itself makes a difference, so I feel it's an unfair comparison. Although, you'd expect the 4x4 to be worse than the 2wd, but NO, the K1500 is certainly more smooth, steady and more reactive to the steering wheel.
 

HotRodPC

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Finally got around to getting these other shafts separated. Took a bit of doing, but I got'r done. Now time to clean in solvent and prep for paint to mak'em purdy !!!
 

smurph20

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When doing the mod do yo uhave to cut the jeep shaft down. The one i got from work when completely collasped is still about 2 inches to long im thinking i need to cut about three inches off the ends maybe less.
 

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When doing the mod do yo uhave to cut the jeep shaft down. The one i got from work when completely collasped is still about 2 inches to long im thinking i need to cut about three inches off the ends maybe less.

Then you've got the wrong Jip shaft. But, as long as the ends are correct, as in the D shape to connect to the column, splined to connect to the steering box, then cutting off the inner shaft shouldn't be a problem. I would consider cutting off at least double that. Reason being, you want the shaft to be able to collapse or shrink in a frontal collision or the steering wheel could potentially hang you, or come back and stab you in the adams apple. I know a guy who died in an older Dodge Power Wagon that way. The steering wheel was almost touching the roof of the truck.
 

smurph20

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Hmmm it came out of a xj heep thought that was the right one lol it is d shaped on one end and splined on the other. Oh well ill make it work.
 

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You'll have to excuse the lack of pics. I forgot to put the SD card in my camera and I can't find the cord. :shitsweak: I'll put them up if i find the cord.

!!!This will not work on pre-77 trucks (correct me here if i am wrong) with the splined column shaft!!! You can however, put a newer column in it without much effort I think.


Don't have the $300 for a Borgeson shaft? Don't want to SPEND $300 for basically the same thing? This is your answer for less than $20 usually. I got mine for $5.

Difficulty level: 3-5 (1-10, 10 being most difficult.)

What you will need:

*Steering shaft
*torch or cutoff tool
*beer (optional)
*sockets, wrenches, prybar and stuff.
-11mm 12 point and 15mm 6 point for the original steering shaft
-13mm 6 point for the Jeep shaft
-15mm 6 point, 10mm 6 point, pick, phillips screwdriver, prybar for the square steering column
-AH, you might take a full compliment of things for the Jeep steering column, I can't remember what it takes and the last two I got them from had the columns already removed.

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First off, we need to head to the junkyard and get a steering shaft. You can get one off a 1988-96 JEEP CHEROKEE (squarebody style, not a grand Cherokee, and it has to be from that time period.) that hasn't been wrecked in the front or anything like that.

This is the Jeep shaft next to my S10 shaft, which is basically the same as a squarebody shaft.
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If you can't find one with the column or steering box removed, you're gonna have to take the column or box out yourself since the jeep shafts don't collapse easily. You will probably need the pry bar to take the intermediate shaft off the box or column. Keep the bolts because you will need them.

Next you can get to work installing it in your square. Start by removing your old shaft.

On my 1981, I had to remove the damned steering column because 1) I don't have a torch and didn't want to go to work to get one, plus not everyone has one. You may not have to remove your column and 2) the intermediate shaft had to be taken off with a BFH.

There's a 11mm 12 point bolt holding the shaft to the steering box.

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And a 15mm nut holding the shaft to the column. There's a bolt in there with a squared shoulder and it will want to turn as well. hold it somehow while taking the nut off.

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If the shaft doesn't collapse, then you will need to loosen the steering column, there's 2 15mm nuts holding it up under the dash and 2 15mm nuts holding a plate at the end next to the fire wall under the hood.

Once it's out of the way, you can start modifying the Jeep shaft to fit. You can 1) take a torch and heat up two pieces of plastic that are inside attached to the lower part of the shaft and slide the larger shaft off the smaller one. Or you can 2) carefully cut off a section of the larger shaft (DO NOT CUT OFF THE SMALLER SHAFT AT ALL) about 3/4" from the end. I made 2 cross cuts and then cut carefully around not hitting the smaller shaft to expose one of the plastic inserts. Once that is done, you can usually get the larger shaft off the smaller shaft with a BFH and thus exposing the other plastic insert that needs to be removed.

Now you should be able to slip the larger shaft back on the smaller one with relative ease.

This is a good time to start putting the steering column back in and hook everything up. I had my entire column out and managed to plug something in wrong and my truck refused to start...:rofl:

You will probably have to open up the ends of the Jeep shaft slightly to slip them over the splines of the steering box as well as the end of the steering column. I used a large flat screwdriver for this and they slid on easily.

For the bolts, you can either 1) use the original bolts from the GM shaft and drill a hole in the end of the Jeep shaft that bolts to the column, or 2) you can use the original bolt from the Jeep shaft in the original place and let it cut new threads into the side of the column.

Install the Jeep bolt in the steering box end of the shaft.

And then clean up, put tools away and enjoy tighter steering. You WILL need to have the steering aligned as your wheel will be way off.

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I apologize if this gets confusing without the pics, I tried to be as straightforward as possible. Ask me if you need help and I'll do my best to try to resolve any issues you may have.
I did this same mod on mine about 2 years ago . Petersons four wheel and offroad had a tech mod with the same set up . worked great.
 

HotRodPC

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Hmmm it came out of a xj heep thought that was the right one lol it is d shaped on one end and splined on the other. Oh well ill make it work.

That's why, the XJ shaft is longer. Supposed to use a shaft out of a Cherokee. the boxy shaped heep. So yeah, just cut the shaft that slides into the bigger a bit and call it good.
 

bucket

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That's why, the XJ shaft is longer. Supposed to use a shaft out of a Cherokee. the boxy shaped heep. So yeah, just cut the shaft that slides into the bigger a bit and call it good.

The XJ is the little boxy Cherokee.
 

HotRodPC

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The XJ is the little boxy Cherokee.

Ohhh OK. The guy at PAP told me XJ was the Wrangler type shape. So then you have the right shaft Smurph. Have you heated it up and got it to collapse yet? One you do that, it has plenty of adjustment to get it in. It's actually much easier to do the install than it is to remove the shafts, and even harder to get them to collapse. Lots of heat. You might have to heat it with a propane torch for as long as 5 minutes and melt the powder coating off the shaft even.
 

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