When I first bought the 80 a couple months ago and not having driven a C3 much at all, I didn't know how a C3 should feel. It felt really good and tight. But now I am noticing the differences in handling. I have a play in my steering that I am trouble shooting now. I raised the C3 on blocks and observed all the rod ends, etc. for movement and didn't have any noticeable play. At the rag joint I can see slight wrinkles or folding in it but seems to work as it should and didn't notice any play having the wheels off the ground. I lowered the car and checked the rag joint again. Since the rag joint has more resistance now, I could see the movement in the rag now. I am not sure if this is normal or not. But for ****'s and giggles and to make the vette a little safer I plan on changing out the rag joint. Now I have read several post and would like to do it right the first time and with reason in cost. I would like your opinions on a replacement or is there a better connection kit available to upgrade? Any info or comments would be appreciated. Thanx!

 

Before you replace the rag joint, you might want to snap some pics and post here so we can tell you whether it looks like it needs to be replaced or not.

If you are going to replace, when I needed a new rag joint, I purchased from this company. The quality was really nice.

Xtreme Diesel Performance - XDP
1758 State Route 34 North Wall Township, NJ 07727
1-888-343-7354 www.XDP.com

BO000941 Borgeson 000941 3-1/4" Rubber Rag Joint Disk 16. 54
3-1/4" Rag Joint Disk

You "may" need to drop your column to get the couplers far enough apart to install the joint but that's a 30 min. operation to do.
Make sure on the install, that the metal stops actually meet up (initial resistence is the rubber rag joint and then it should hit metal stops) or you will rip thru the new rag .joint.

Richard

 

When Gary (GTR1999) rebuilt my steering box I asked him about rag joints. He said unless it's really bad you're better off to just keep it because all the aftermarket ones are chineseum junk. A while back Wilcox was going to look into sourcing one but I haven't heard anything else about it.
I even tried a local GM auto parts distributor here that has a ton of old stuff but no luck.

 

I bought my first Steering system Rag joint was soon after purchasing my 1968 Corvette. It was real sloppy but thankfully they are cheap and fairly easy to do on your ('63 to'82) Corvette I bought mine at a local auto parts shop 28 years ago and back then it was less than $10 for the parts.

ZIP Products has the 1963-1982 Corvette Steering Rubber Joint kit for $18.00 and they have it stock.
https://www.zip-corvette.com/63-82-s...placement.html

 

The steering box is also adjustable. There is a thread by Jim Shea on how to adjust it. Adjusting the steering is very simple:
1) Loosen nut on gear box
2) Turn screw SLOWLY associated with nut (screw should show at least 3 threads)
3) Once you feel screw contact gear, back screw off 1/8 - 1/4 turn
4) Tighten bolt
5) Take vehicle for a test drive to confirm adjustment. Steering wheel should self-center without assistance

Simply do a search. If it is the steering gear so then you have the option to purchase a rebuilt unit or have Gary, I believe that is his name, rebuild yours.

I have an 82 and had planned to purchase a rebuilt unit. There is a minimal return of investment on non-chrome Corvettes.

 

If you bought your car expecting a return on your investment you ain't gonna be too happy.

 

My statement regarding ROI is based on historical price observation not expectation.

This is for clarification

 

Never said I did! I just love the car and will slowly get her to where I want it be. Sounds like you may have been disappointed!

As for the steering coupling replacement ( Rag joint. ) Redsox, I will look at adjusting the steering box in the morning. I have made that adjustment before on a 72 El Camino, sadden that I still don't have it. Thanks for reminding me. I appreciate all the comments and info. I am looking at the options. Maybe changing to Borgenson steering unit in the future, if so, I am sure the coupling will need upgrading or changing out to a beefier coupling. For now I may replace the rag. I have to drop the steering column anyway to adjust ignition switch. Ya'll be safe!

 

Redsox- not trying to rain on your parade I know you are just trying to pass along some help, but the above information has been posted here for years and it is wrong.

 

Ok, conflicting information, I appreciate the responses and will hold off on the steering box adjustment until getting more information on high lash or deciding on upgrading it to the Borg. But for now, not knowing if the rag joint is 40 years old or not and I can see a twisting movement it will be replaced.
Eureka, Treasure trove! Mr. Shea's web info.

 

GTR1999 is correct. DO NOT adjust the steering box nut and screw unless the box is in the dead ahead position. As for replacing the rag joint, unless one or both of the steel "halves" is badly rusted, all you need to do is to disassemble it and put in a new Borgeson rubber disc. Cheap and effective.

Regards from Down Under

aussiejohn

 

My comment was directed at the guy posting inaccurate information, not you.

 

Lock down the input shaft to your steering box so that it can not rotate. Then check the amount of slop in steering wheel motion. If it is significant, either your ragjoint or something in the steering column has some "issues" (loose/worn bearings, etc). If you note that the IN and OUT shafts on either side of the ragjoint show movement between them when you do this test, you NEED to replace the flex disk. That disk should allow some 'bending' motion, but it should not allow rotational motion from one shaft to the other.

I would suggest that you do what is needed to refurbish the ragjoint that you have. The original GM design and materials used are so much better than available aftermarket junk, there is no way that I would go the route of replacing that joint. You might be able to locate a good salvaged joint from another GM vehicle, however.

You should also be aware that the C3 ragjoint had some metal mesh built into that flexible disk which was used to provide the electrical ground path (thru the steering column) for horn function. If you replace the disk with one which does not have mesh in it, you will need to put some braided copper wire (like a body grounding link) from one side to the other on your rebuilt ragjoint. Many cars did that from the factory, anyway.

 

Maybe earlier models had a dependency on a wire mesh, but the 1980 models' horn operation has nothing to do with the way the rag joint is made. It gets its ground thru the normal column bolted inside the car. My horn works and I replaced the rag joint and did not add any special grounding link.

Maybe others will chime in...

Richard

 

My bad, Appreciate the clarification!

 

car money.....