Best source for steering shaft

[Jesus_man]

Can ya tell I am working on my bronco feverishly?

Time to replace the old rag joint. The lower u-joint is not only shot, but also welded to the shaft.

So I need a shaft with a Single D 3/4" spline on top and a 13/16" splined round on the bottom.

I've seen a few online. But trying to find the best price. I wouldn't mind going collapsible if it's not too much more.

J.D.

[Entourage]

I got my collapsable/adjustable at Wild Horses.

[Jesus_man]

Thanks Chad, looks like Tom's is a little cheaper than WH for the same thing. I was just getting ready to post that barring any other ideas, I'll probably order from Tom's. Yikes another $200 I wasn't planning to spend.

[Justin]

I made mine. I had a 76'-'77 lower shaft. I got a piece of 1" or 3/4" double D bar that slid perfectly into the upper part, then threw a Flaming river joint on the lower part. Cost me about $120 total, including a little to have a slot machined into the bar for the spring.

[Entourage]

I was shocked they are so expensive. Only good thing is they are built with the ends you request and install in 60 seconds.

[Jesus_man]

Justin, I only have a single D on top and a round on bottom. Did you see any Single D tubing? If my u-joint at the bottom was in good condition I'd consider building one, but since it's bad as well, by the time I buy a new one, some tubing and a few hours of my time, I'll probably have spent just as much as buying new.

Tom's said I'd have to drill a 5/16" hole into my column shaft just to be sure it stayed on, and then it'd install in a snap.

So I guess I'll call Tom's tomorrow. Anyone ever get a CCB discount there? I'll certainly ask.

[Justin]

I got mine for $20 at On Track Performance off Santa Fe. They had it in stock, so maybe give them a call.

[Jesus_man]

Apparently I have an odd-ball column shaft being Single D (just my luck). On Track recommends replacing that shaft with a 3/4" smooth bore as they don't have the ability to deal with Single D. That just adds too much to the cost of the parts. They said I'm looking at $300.

[Justin]

Youch, that's crazy. I'm wondering if a PO of your truck put in something custom. Sounds like a WH (or Tom's or whatever) lower is probably the best band for the buck.

[Entourage]

I think mine was a single D on one end - I would call Wild Horses.

[Jesus_man]

Called WH. Lance believes my upper shaft was ground down by someone along the way. So it should be 3/4" round. Either way, they are about $25 more than Toms or BC's, so I will go with one of the later. Toms runs a bolt thru the column shaft, which I like. I have heard of the set screw coming loose and you can imagine what havoc that could wreak is your steering shaft falls off...

J.D.

[Entourage]

If you order today, you may have it by the weekend :)

[Jesus_man]

You know, it might be a headache to assemble, but I would think a nice spring inside the collapsible shafts would also insure they didn't fall off. hmmmm

[Justin]

I don't know how the vendor's lowers are, but the stock shaft has the spring. That's where I got the idea for mine. It's just a little leaf spring about 2 inches long. The shaft won't fall out without it, assuming it's correctly sized, but it'll give a little extra security and maybe tighten up a tiny amount of slop. Was your truck manual originally, or did it come with power steering? It sounds like yours may have had a solid 3/4" steering shaft that went all the way from the wheel to the steering box. If someone converted it to power, they could well have cut the shaft off and installed a lower with a rag joint, which would account for the weird connection on the shaft.

[Rox Crusher]

I recently bought a Flaming River lower from Wild Horses and it had the little spring in it.

It tightens up the fit which reduces wear long term.

[Jesus_man]

I ordered from BC's yesterday. It's shipping, but I haven't checked when it'll arrive.

Anyway, this setup has two set screws with jam nuts on each end. I'll have to cut it to length, but aside from that, it should be bolt-on.

I saw the little leaf spring on one of the pictures I was looking at, but I don't recall where. I was actually speaking of a coil spring inside the larger shaft between the small shaft and the u-joint. But it may wear on the joint too as there isn't anything to stop that spring unless you put a small bolt in there...

[Booger]

You also might use a drill and dimple the shaft before you run the set screw down, that way the set screw has something to seat into.

[Jesus_man]

Booger, that's a good idea! I did see that on the WH site.

Anyway, BC's instructions don't link to anything, and I don't see any in the box.

But based on this from their site:


I have 17 1/4" between shafts now, so I need my total length of the shafts to be 14 1/4". I assume I need to cut the equal amount off both shafts to get to that 14 1/4"?