RETRO-Mod: Jeep intermediate steering shaft

[Kapdin]

Hey gents, i seem to have a problems with this mod, i put mine in and worked great but now the upper parts of the shaft wants to migrate upward wich then comes out of its notch (Ill make a pic i you guys don't follow me) and makes steering this beast even tuffer, all i doo is grab a screw driver and pry it back down into its notch and works great again. Id asume thats wat the 2 plastic pices did was stop them from movin away from each other. Should i just "tape" them together, it doesn't take any force at all to move it back and forth.

 

[89Suburban]

Hey gents, i seem to have a problems with this mod, i put mine in and worked great but now the upper parts of the shaft wants to migrate upward wich then comes out of its notch (Ill make a pic i you guys don't follow me) and makes steering this beast even tuffer, all i doo is grab a screw driver and pry it back down into its notch and works great again. Id asume thats wat the 2 plastic pices did was stop them from movin away from each other. Should i just "tape" them together, it doesn't take any force at all to move it back and forth.

I don't read you there buddy, something loose and sliding apart on you?


HR, is the RTV holding up well?

 

[HotRodPC]

Yeah the RTV is doing well, but it's purpose isnt to glue to shafts together. The purpose of the RTV is just help keep any slop between the 2 shafts limited and keep junk from get up in between the 2 shafts. I'd say the RTV is totally optional and since it couldn't hurt I did it. Not even sure it makes a difference but I know no junk can get up into the shafts this way.

I'm trying to udnerstand his problem. Almost sounds as if it's binding up when he turns, and when this happens maybe it's pusshing the steering wheel back to him, pushing the primary column shaft out? I'd suspect and check out the D hook up at the column. You might even want to grind a notch in the D porton of the primary shaft for the bolt on the Jeep Intermediate Shaft to clear and not throw the shaft off angle. That would be the only thing I can think of. Or, the steering box shaft is actually pushing out of the steer box which can happen when it's worn out,but that is to extremes when that happens and you'd usually notice other problems first.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

My buddy had the same problem with the shaft on his Syclone...We ended up welding the pieces together so it wouldn't move.

 

[Kapdin]

yea sorry guys, a pic and you would get it, tomorow ill snap one. This is a very rough diagarm if it helps

 

[HotRodPC]

yea sorry guys, a pic and you would get it, tomorow ill snap one. This is a very rough diagarm if it helps

Oh I get it. So you're saying it's moving in the dampner area? That is weird.

Now I think I'd do something different than weld it though. By welding it, you're compromising the safety feature of the shaft to be able to slide in itself in a hard frontal collision. What I have heard of guys doing is driiling a hole thru both pieces of shaft where you want the length. Then use a plastic rivet or thin aluminum rivet in that hole. Reason being, the rivets will hold the shafts still and from moving, BUT not so strong that the plastic or aluminum won't give up in a frontal collision and you still get the safety feature of the shaft collapsing. Of course in this Jeep shaft, you do still have the some space, what is it? About 2 inches or so that the shaft can move? Then the U Joints are strong side to side for working the gear box, but they are are weak front to back why you can't pry on them cuz they'll break with little force. As long those U joints will break, then you should be fine and the steer shaft be able to break and get out the way without having the whole shaft come thru the cab and stab you in the chest, or go up at the same angle and stab you in your neck.

 

[Kapdin]

If i weld the upper part by the u-joint the shaft can still collaps in the middle tho. And if wat you say about the u-joint that can still break.

 

[Kapdin]

So this is wat it should look like and does work good.

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This is wat it does after a while.

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Then it does this side to side, talk about some slop in the steering lol.

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[89Suburban]

Oh **** dude!

 

[HotRodPC]

So this is wat it should look like and does work good.

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This is wat it does after a while.

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Then it does this side to side, talk about some slop in the steering lol.

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WTH? Why is it doing that I wonder? Yes you can run a tack weld on the part to keep it down low, then the 2 pcs are still able to colapse. I'm stumped on that one.

 

[Kapdin]

yea, no idea but as long as you guys agree ima just weld that part.

 

[dirtroadoutlaw]

WTH? Why is it doing that I wonder? Yes you can run a tack weld on the part to keep it down low, then the 2 pcs are still able to colapse. I'm stumped on that one.

I can clear this up. The bushing has come un-bonded for a lack of better terms. Many folks weld that part anyways then slide a "washer" up from the other end and weld that up too which completely does away with any dampening of vibration & such. The shaft is still collapsible after doing so.

This is a popular but inexpensive way to strengthen the connection between the driver and the road but this issue is just one of those things that can come up.

If comfort is not an issue, then there are steering shaft parts with universals and such available from Summit & all. A "slip" can be achieved by using a splined shaft to avoid getting maimed by the steering wheel during a collision.

I used the xj shaft because I'm cheap. The piece-by-piece bits are expensive.

 

[HotRodPC]

I like that idea too. It would seem to me it would be just as easy to put the shaft where you want it, drill a small hole thru both pieces then hit the hole with a thin a aluminum rivet that will break away in a collision. Kinda like a sheer rivet. I wonder if there is such a thing as a plastic or nylon bolt and nut? That would work too. This way you still have the dampening feature too. I just wonder why his is doing this. I've never heard of anyone else having this issue.

 

[89Suburban]

I like that idea too. It would seem to me it would be just as easy to put the shaft where you want it, drill a small hole thru both pieces then hit the hole with a thin a aluminum rivet that will break away in a collision. Kinda like a sheer rivet. I wonder if there is such a thing as a plastic or nylon bolt and nut? That would work too. This way you still have the dampening feature too. I just wonder why his is doing this. I've never heard of anyone else having this issue.

Maybe some heat got to it?

 

[smurph20]

Or maybe it was involved in a hard crash while still in the Jip