Steering bell to u-joint

[Jonathan_Cole]

I'm considering replacing the bell joint on my 66 with a 3/4-36-3/4dd u-joint. What do you do with the t that's in the shaft? Press it out or leave it in and grind it flush?

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[thegreatjustino]

I pressed mine out. However, I also put a second joint in the center of the shaft due to installing a body lift at the same time. With two u-joints, I had to shorten the one piece shaft in order to account for the extra length of the two u-joints.

Some of your decision will likely depend on how you're connecting the U-joint to the shaft. DD end, drill a hole through both, or somehow using a splined coupling. If drilling a hole, I'd think pressing it out would make the most sense because your hole is already in the shaft and you'd only need to drill the u-joint. If going DD, grinding the pin flush when grinding the two flats would seem to make the most sense. Just my $0.02

 

[DirtDonk]

Is this factory manual steering still? Or a later power box?

 

[Jonathan_Cole]

Manual steering

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[thegreatjustino]

Is this factory manual steering still? Or a later power box?

What power steering box uses a steering bell?

 

[pocketlock]

Personally, I just cut the T at the end off since I needed to shorten it at least that amount to fit the new universal joint at the end. Ground my DD end into it and slapped it all together. I still need to take it apart and shorten it just a little more, but for now it will be fine. I ordered my universal joint on amazon to try and save a few bucks vs what some of the vendors were charging. Feels good so far, but we'll have to see how it feels on the trails.

 

[DirtDonk]

What power steering box uses a steering bell?

One that was swapped in and hacked together with the original parts.
The 3/4 x 36 versus the 13/16 x 36 not withstanding.

 

[sprdv1]

What power steering box uses a steering bell?

it's a CA thing right justin LOL

 

[DirtDonk]

Nope. Some other non-bronco Ford’s do use the bell/tulip joint with power steering. But I’m pretty sure Justin‘s comment was pointing out that when Broncos went to power steering, they got rid of the bell, and went to a U joint plus a rag joint.
Although, I suppose it’s possible that some late 72 or early 73 broncos still had the bell, every one I remember seeing had the later style U-joints.
At the same time Ford changed the input spline shaft from the common 3/4 x 36 to the unique-to-Broncos 13/16 x 36 shaft.
Possibly as a restriction to keep people from retrofitting?
Seems like the kind of stuff Ford likes to do.

 

[Pa PITT]

PocketLock that's sounds like what I did.. about 20 years ago. I think my worst moment was that new U-JOINT Cost like $75.00+ even then. I remember thinking I had to work 2 weeks just to afford that Joint .