Will someone share this part # with me. Also helpful would be the best place to order the part.

thanks

 

Hi F,
Many of the venders have the rag-joint (steering coupler) for your 71. They usually have U.S. made and foreign made at very different costs. Give Wilcox a try.
Regards,
Alan

Part # 7808553 MAYBE!!!!

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/5711651-post3.html

just as a benchmark:

GM PART # 7818568
CATEGORY: All
PACK QTY: 1
CORE CHARGE: $0.00
GM LIST: $114.35
OUR PRICE: $67.79

(That is GMpartsdirect, which is not GM direct, but an online dealer with that name. Shipping charges may be huge)

 

If you choose to buy an aftermarket part instead of the GM part you may find that it is not made the same. This part is critical in how it keeps the steering system correctly indexed. I have been bit by the aftermarket parts and will not buy anything but GM. Just a bit of advice.
"DUB"

 

just get a double-U joint. you will be alot happier with it. zero play and won't wear out. Here is the one I got for my '75.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FLA-FR1734/

only downside is you will have to release the steering column to install due to the non collapsable design in C3's.

 

There was a reason why Chevrolet didn't use a universal joint instead of a flexible coupling. They were concerned about causing hign loads on the steering column lower bearing. The following address will take you to a paper that I wrote on this subject.
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...salJoints1.doc
Lastly in all honesty, there are more than a few people that have installed universal joints in their C3 Vettes. To date, I haven't seen or heard of any reports concerning steering column failures.

Jim

 

Jim,

This is news to me. I always thought GM used rag joints because they are cheaper, and also don't transmit much vibration. I come from the 4x4 offroad world where rag joints are laughed at. But you might be right about the extra wear on steering column bearings from added vibration, I hadn't thought of that.

also IMO the u-joint looks alot better.... I'll put up a pic...

-Jesse

 

I thought C-3's had a collapsable design? I will check the online reference tomorrow.

 

OK - it takes a bit to sink in... I see the words 'LATE 69'. With a bit of reading (Thanks Jim Shea) I am getting a better understanding of this coupling issue. Although mine is a late 69 (Sept), I have the continuously splined steering box shaft (5677649 or 5677849) even though I have Power Steering.

If all this steering info is starting to click for me, I can either shave the splines on my steering gearbox shaft, and go with either the GM PART # 7818568 which I think would have the flat spot on the internal splines on the lower collar (which should be the same as the Dr Rebuild I got)... or go with the double u-joint.

If I went with the U-Joint style, I would have grounding for the horn. And its price is not bad and looks good. It appears continuously splined on the lower portion. Does the U-Joint style have a flat side on the upper connection? If so or not, do I have to worry of 'clocking' it correctly on the lower shaft? Last - why is clocking it so important - for bolt access, as if I understand the connections, the flat side on the column just indicates the wheel is straight.

FYI - just found a great post..... http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...-needed-3.html

I appreciate the patience guys...

 

Clocking is very important with locking steering columns. Those steering columns do not allow you to change the position of the turn signal cancelling cam because it is indexed to the locking plate in the column.

So there is a 12 o'clock position for the steering column just like there is a 12 o'clock position for the steering gear. If the cancelling cam (and steering column) are not clocked with the steering gear you are going to find that your turn signals are very erratic when cancelling from a turn.

Here is a paper on steering system centering. It addresses the correct procedures for setting all the steering components correctly.
Microsoft Word.doc format
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...ev09jn2009.doc
PDF format
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-co...ev09jn2009.pdf

Jim

 

I believe Gm sells the 68 -69 style coupling. Will have to ge tback to you on this with apart number and price. Or you can call your GM dealership and give them the 7818568 part number and it will or should be in the same group listing and then they can search for a different model year. That way you can see if teh Dr. Rebiuld unit is priced the same. Seeing how you have no flat spot. The coupling will have to be carefully clocked when you are installing the column. I myself I would get it through GM instead of anybody else due to shipping costs for just one item.
"DUB"

 

I checked with GM today and the part number for a 68 coupling except power steering is7806391 and lists for $123.79. I for the life of me can not figure out why it would be "except" power steering, but in 68 they did a bunch of crazy things on the vettes that were 68 only.
"DUB"

 

HOLY CRAP thats expensive! I bought my flaming river U-joint for 69.99 and I expect to never have to replace it again, EVER.

 

What can I say... I don't price this stuff. Sometimes it is the price some choose to pay for original parts from GM. And lets hope you NEVER have to replace yours, becasue if it BREAKS while you are driving it, you will need to invest in a new seat cover for the drivers seat because WE all know where it went to. The "pucker" factor times 1000.
"DUB"

 

Kaiserbud,
Early means early in the model year. Typically model years ran from Sept one year to August of the next. Early 1975 would be parts that were used from Sept 1974 through possibly Jan or Feb 1975 (or earlier whenever the change occurred.) Late 1975 parts would be March (or possibly earlier if the change occurred earlier) through the end of production in July or August 1975.

Jim

 

Haha, I do agree in the event of a steering failure I would be needing a new seat cover, and probably a new car too!

That said, how is the double U going to 'break' ? its no more likely to fail than any of the other joints in the corvette, and there are lots of them... mostly in that important thing called the powertrain...

 

The 67-69(69 manual) rags are the same and cost more then the 69(PS)- 82 rags, about $10-$15 and are the best deal for a corvette.

Save the universals for your sockets, use the correct GM rag in this location, don't go cheap here you'll only pay more in the long run.The rag was design for this location for a reason.

You have a guy here (JIM) who worked at Saginaw designing these things over the years, yet people will believe in catalog hype more then experience? You have a guy here (grandmaster)who makes his living fixing vettes and he recommends the GM rag. All I use are GM rags as well but we'll throw out my opinion on this.

This is one of those subjects that never ends, kind of like oils, differential additives, brakes and runout.

 

I just bought a new rag joint for my 71 (#7818568). GMpartsdirect for $82 including shipping.