- Joined
- Jun 8, 2010
- Messages
- 2,145
I started with the shaft off a 1990 f250. I got started on it, but realized I need to be taking pics. Luckily, thus a REALLY complicated process. The splines on my stock ps box (and I'd bet the manual boxes too) is 13/16" - 36 spline. So I ordered the appropriate u joint for that configuration (30 bux at eBay.). For the top, I learned that some steering columns had splined lower ends with 3/4-36 splines. The shaft was a hair too short so I was going to need to use a piece of 3/4 shaft to slide in the big end and weld to a u joint. So I'd planned to get a splined u joint (both ends) and use the end of the original shaft where the rag joint unbolted and revealed 3/4-36 splines. Well, I finally got this u joint in the mail (another $30 eBay), and they sent me the wrong one. BUT THIS WAS BETTER. So here's some pics.
Original shaft with worn out joints on both ends. Rag joint had already been removed so I barely stuck it back on in case some noobie (like nyles or shamu) had never seen one.
And then some pics of how bad the rag joint was.
Here's the new shaft after I'd cut the ends off and already installed the new lower I joint. BTW, i slid the joint on the shaft and drilled a small pilot hole marking a place I could drill a larger hole for the set screw to seat into and lock the joint in place a little better.
The new DD end of the lower joint in place of the f250 rag joint.
And the cut on the upper end of the f250 shaft.
Here's how I cut the rag joint flange off the bottom end of my steering column. I wasn't sure if id Donald splines here or not.
Note that before I started taking pics I had already started cutting the "branded" end off this shaft.
The new upper u joint.
I just now received notice from eBay that this i joint had been delivered and it seems I ordered the correct u joint but didn't know it. I had intended for both ends to be splines the same. One end is round to slip on a 3/4 shaft. This allowed allowed me to use the splines end where I was afraid I would need to weld onto a round shaft out of the steering column.
Instead the round end went over a piece of the old 3/4 shaft welded into the new shaft's upper end, which I had planned on using the splines portion of the old shaft on. Instead the splines went on the bottom of the column and the round end welded on the lower shaft. You can see below how much too short the shaft was after I cut it off.
The finished PERFECT weld...
And final installation.
I can only imagine what this thing is going to drive like without the slop of that old rag joint... when the little girl wakes up from her nap in a little while, we'll go find out!
And OCBR is only a few days away so you can guess how much better I'll drive on the trails with that super sensitive steering at such high speeds!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Original shaft with worn out joints on both ends. Rag joint had already been removed so I barely stuck it back on in case some noobie (like nyles or shamu) had never seen one.
And then some pics of how bad the rag joint was.
Here's the new shaft after I'd cut the ends off and already installed the new lower I joint. BTW, i slid the joint on the shaft and drilled a small pilot hole marking a place I could drill a larger hole for the set screw to seat into and lock the joint in place a little better.
The new DD end of the lower joint in place of the f250 rag joint.
And the cut on the upper end of the f250 shaft.
Here's how I cut the rag joint flange off the bottom end of my steering column. I wasn't sure if id Donald splines here or not.
Note that before I started taking pics I had already started cutting the "branded" end off this shaft.
The new upper u joint.
I just now received notice from eBay that this i joint had been delivered and it seems I ordered the correct u joint but didn't know it. I had intended for both ends to be splines the same. One end is round to slip on a 3/4 shaft. This allowed allowed me to use the splines end where I was afraid I would need to weld onto a round shaft out of the steering column.
Instead the round end went over a piece of the old 3/4 shaft welded into the new shaft's upper end, which I had planned on using the splines portion of the old shaft on. Instead the splines went on the bottom of the column and the round end welded on the lower shaft. You can see below how much too short the shaft was after I cut it off.
The finished PERFECT weld...
And final installation.
I can only imagine what this thing is going to drive like without the slop of that old rag joint... when the little girl wakes up from her nap in a little while, we'll go find out!
And OCBR is only a few days away so you can guess how much better I'll drive on the trails with that super sensitive steering at such high speeds!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
:-*;D
