Hello Gents,

I need to replace my torn rag joint, but can’t find the answers in extensive forum searches & am hoping someone can offer advice.

It’s a ‘66 sting ray, telescoping column, no power steering. But, the steering box is right against that header, so I’d rather not unbolt & try moving either of those, nor do I want to go loosening the entire steering column @ the firewall, just so I can spread apart the steering column shafts enough to remove/replace the entire rag joint assembly.




Which leaves me (I think) 2 options; replace just the rag disc, or preferably, replace the front coupler half with a preassembled & riveted one like this from Lares;

My questions are; is there usually enough space between the ends of each steering column shaft to slip out the entire front coupler half, & enough space to reinsert this Lares unit? I am doubtful that there’s enough space.

And if there isn’t enough space, I’ll need to remove all 4 rivets/posts & install a new rag disc kit, like this one from Zip Corvette.

Or is there a better rag kit with 4 threaded mount rivets/posts that’ll install correctly with the stock ‘66 front & rear coupler halves? I know 4 threaded posts/nuts isn’t optimal, but I’ll chassis paint-mark & red loctite those nuts & be rechecking them regularly.

Last question, is it advisable to use a small angle grinder to grind off those 4 stock rivet heads..am I missing a better removal option?

I don’t have an air hammer, & cant get a bench press down in there, so I’m hoping someone’s been down this road & can say if there’s enough space for that Lares unit, or not, & if not, is that Zip kit a decent choice that’ll work with my stock coupler halves?

Cost isn’t the issue, I’d just prefer not to unbolt headers just so I can unbolt the steering box, or unbolt the entire steering column at the firewall. I also hope to order the right part the first time. And thanks for reading all this & for any advice..& sorry for writing War & Peace here, just trying to be clear & precise.

 

It is pretty easy to loosen the steering column and slide it up into the car to remove the rag joint

 

I agree it is very easy to remove the steering column and it is the best way to do this installation. Where did you find a telescopic steering column replacement rug joint for a 66? The last time I looked they were impossible to find and if you found one they were around $400 for a perfect one.

 

ZIP does have replacement parts, but I guess they won't pass NCRS muster. They look perfectly serviceable to me, though.

 

Looking at the first picture in your original post, there's way too much of the splined section of the mast showing at the top of the rag joint. That thing's about to pop out of there. Almost all of the splined section should be inserted into the joint (it should look like the bottom end). You're going to have to loosen the column to correct that, so you might as well just pull it out. Make sure you mark it with paint first.
Ray