lifted150

so i want to get rid of the junk steering shaft, an i cant afford the borgeson at 170+ lol. I did fine a thread where a guy built one with out welding using 2 shafts from a 89-91 Dakota 4wd an ordering a dd shaft from jegs, but i wanted you ask you guys a few questions first, he built the first an kept the rag joint at the top but the second he built he got rid of the rag joint, i want to know how he attached it to the column?? here is the pic of the first one he built this pic is a stock 78-79 dodge shaft next to the new double joint shaft he built an this pic is it mounted but dose not show it mounted on the column side

TVLynn

Make a 3/8" spacer to replace the rag !!

lifted150

hey man no need to be angry i just asked a simple qustion.. how do i go about making the spacer?? i cant see where it could be bolted on?

bremereric

TVLynn was not getting angry...that's what that rubber joint is called in the first photo. A rag joint. You can also go to flaming river and check out their steering options.

TVLynn

The rag joint is just a fabric reinforced disk. about 3" in diameter. measure for the bolt holes. Bolt it together with bolts and thread locker. The user name is because I work on TV's

lifted150

my bad TVlynn, lol, am i better off with building the shaft like the first pic or the one in the second pic? my brain is kind of slow LOL, i cant seem to understand how the end will bolt to the column??

BuckNeccid

From what I'm seeing there, he has a steering shaft clamp on both ends of the shaft (inside the red circles, the white arrow shows where the tightening bolt goes) Looks like he puts one clamp on the end of the rod coming out of the steering column, and the other on the steering box

lifted150

ya the bottom is a 36 spline shaft from a Dakota same as the old dodges, i see what your saying i think he has a rod coming out an runs a grade 8 bolt threw it to hold it on?? or is there splines on the steering column that runs to the joint?? might just be easier to build the first one lol

lifted150

ok was at a buddy to day an found a whole ford steering column even had the steering shaft still mounted so i brought it home took the steering shaft off of it an fits on a spare dodge steering box i got so here are a few pics of ideas on how i want to build it tell me what ya think, if it will work or no. pic 1 pic 2 pic 3 pic 4

PK1

Can I ask why do you want to remove the Rag Joint? They absorb the vibrations transmitted back thru the steering from the wheels from reaching the steering wheel. In a With a 4x4 and over sized tires the vibration is amplified. There's no tone in this folks, is there something in the design above that handles this or is vibration not an issue in this application? I leave them in for street and dirt. For the track I make the spacer like suggested above.

I like your work. Looks good!