Weird steering mod... kind of

[Axle]

Years ago I got a dorman rag joint to repair the broken joint in my Nova, did not look very well engineered at all. I junked the dorman metal bits 'n bolts and put the dorman rag in my original hardware. That worked out and is still in service.

Trying to remember, but I think the dorman rag joint assembly did not provide a fail-safe that if the rag broke it would interlock the metal components when you turned the wheel.

As for why its there: noise and vibration isolation, and it can tolerate a bit of misallignment since it is flexible.

Alex.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Axle

Years ago I got a dorman rag joint to repair the broken joint in my Nova, did not look very well engineered at all. I junked the dorman metal bits 'n bolts and put the dorman rag in my original hardware. That worked out and is still in service.

Trying to remember, but I think the dorman rag joint assembly did not provide a fail-safe that if the rag broke it would interlock the metal components when you turned the wheel.

As for why its there: noise and vibration isolation, and it can tolerate a bit of misallignment since it is flexible.

Alex.

My FAQ article (referenced above) shows me using Dorman parts to repair a rag joint. It retained all of the fail safe as GM designed it. They must have updated the part in recent years.

[Skunksmash]

Originally Posted by 1774btcrew

The upper u joint on these does have some sort of rubber dampener where it goes over the shaft. So I am sure this absorbs some of the vibrations. I know this as I considered just shortening this shaft instead of collapsing it some.

Hmm... that makes me think that people would be a lot better off buying a brand new one to do that mod, instead of getting a used one. The rubber is inside the sleeve right? No telling how wore out it is, if you get one from the junkyard.

Even if the junkyard one doesn't have bad rubber yet, its still going to wear out a lot sooner than a brand new one. Cause you know they put plenty of miles on most of those old Jeeps before they finally made it to the junkyard. I'm a firm believer that some parts, you just don't buy from the junkyard. Fender, yes. Window glass, yes. Seat, yes. Power window motor? No.

[1774btcrew]

I have installed a few and friends have too and I haven't noticed any issues with any of them.

[Jonboy]

The Jeep part is discontinued from Chrysler. You would have to use an aftermarket version.

[C10wip]

Originally Posted by Skunksmash

Hmm... that makes me think that people would be a lot better off buying a brand new one to do that mod, instead of getting a used one. The rubber is inside the sleeve right? No telling how wore out it is, if you get one from the junkyard.

Even if the junkyard one doesn't have bad rubber yet, its still going to wear out a lot sooner than a brand new one. Cause you know they put plenty of miles on most of those old Jeeps before they finally made it to the junkyard. I'm a firm believer that some parts, you just don't buy from the junkyard. Fender, yes. Window glass, yes. Seat, yes. Power window motor? No.

I got one from a junkyard recently and the rubber was hosed; I had asked if it was OK to just tack it together and it has been done, so that's what I did.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=610301

[1774btcrew]

Originally Posted by C10wip

I got one from a junkyard recently and the rubber was hosed; I had asked if it was OK to just tack it together and it has been done, so that's what I did.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=610301

I am glad to hear they are fine to tack at the u joint. I actually wanted to shorten it at one of the u joints instead of collapsing it.

[C10wip]

OK, just so we're 100% on the same page, here's the "after" picture. I only did it on one side.