I decided to not repair or replace my rag joint with another like it. I've already gone through that drill a few times and I don't like to have to repeat fixes. This is what I ordered after contacting Flaming River. I ordered it through Summit for $64.95. I'm going to try to install it this weekend. I'll let you all know how it works in comparison to the regular rag joint. Hopefully this will be the last time for this fix and an end to steering wheel play.

 

that looks like a great idea.keep us posted how it worked out. :thumbs:

 

Very interested ,want to know how it installs and any improvement in steering and any drawbacks. :thumbs:

 

:iagree:

 

looks like the same set-up as Steeroids uses...

 

The original equipment flexible coupling was designed to take up minor variations in build and dynamic tolerances between the body (where the steering column is rigidly mounted) and the frame (where the steering gear is rigidly mounted). Note that the Corvette body is rubber mounted to the frame.

The billet joint will not allow for any body to frame motion while the car is being driven nor will it allow for any settling of the body at the body to frame mounts. What will happen is that the lower steering column bearing will be subject to loadings that it was not designed for. I would not recommend a cardon type universal joint.

Please also note that the Speed Direct rack and pinion installation uses two cardon type universal joints and is not subject to the above problems.

 

Jim beat me to it. :thumbs:

 

Jim

What about the earlier C3's that used aluminum spacers rather than rubber mounts? Assuming the column & steering box were in alignment :)

 

Jim, I bow to your great knowledge of steering systems and I've read all you've said about them. In this case here was my reasoning. The body mounts on my car are original (30 years old) and have long lost any cushioning that they may have had so I don't think there is going to be that much movement. The car is driven less than 2K miles a year and only on relatively good roads at that. I don't think that I'll be wearing out the lower bearing for a long time. The final reason is that I really don't want my steering wheel connected to my wheels by a piece of rubber. It's been a weak spot in the steering since I've owned this car. I've relplaced it at least twice that I can remember and probably more that I can't. The current joint probably only has 10K miles on it and it's already shot. This is probably due more to time than wear but nonetheless it's shot. I worry more about my steering going out because of a bad joint than I do about wearing out the lower bearing. Also, many other cars including fiberglass bodied street rods have similar setups that work pretty well. Now, again in deference to your much greater experience, I may be all wet and posting 6 months from now that I made a mistake and I'm going to install the new rag joint right after I get my steering colume fixed :lol: . Time will tell. I figure that if all we did with our cars was replace stock parts with the same we wouldn't be having near the fun or making many improvements. I guess at heart I'm just an old hotrodder. We'll see how this mod works out. Peace. :flag

 

I think you will be trading your problems for bigger (and more expensive) ones!

 

vettfixer,
I used to be the Saginaw Steering Gear engineering supervisor for the flexible coupling (along with power steering hoses and hydraulic seals) back in the 1970s. We would spin test flexible couplings at 5 degrees angle and apply manual steering torques. The couplings would easily run for the equivalent of over 100,000 miles. The only way we could "wear" out a coupling and destroy the rubber disc was to offset the gear input shaft to the column shaft (in other words install the two shafts so that they weren't pointing at each other). This misalignment would not only tear the rubber disc it would also quickly wear grooves into the stop pins.

First of all, I assume you are "wearing out" Saginaw Steering Gear manufactured GM service parts and not the rubber disc "kits" that you bolt together.

If you have been going through GM service flexible coupling assemblies in only 10,000 miles, then I would guess that you probably have a misaligned column to gear condition. The AIM manual has a very specific procedure for the assembly plant to align the steering column to the gear. There is also the same "mandatory assembly procedure" outlined in the Chevrolet service manual.

Corvette flexible coupling assemblies that you purchase from GM service (and some other parts sources) come with orange plastic (alignment) spacers on the stop pins. These spacers force the steering column flange to be mounted central to the stop pins. Then after installation of the column in the car and assembly of the column to the flexible coupling, the orange spacers can be pulled off and thrown away.

BTW, there is a scan of the AIM sheet along with one of my flexible coupling papers posted at http://www.corvettefaq.com in the Steering section. Look under the following:
Flex Coupling and Column Assembly Instructions _ AIM Sheet
Flex Coupling Installation Instructions
Flex Coupling Pics


[Modified by Jim Shea, 3:58 PM 4/18/2003]

 

I'll have to agree with Jim here. I replaced my rag joint when I first bought the car 5 years and 40k miles ago. It is still fine. It's actually one of the cheap ones, and not the correct GM part.

 

Jim et al. I have followed this post with interest. But not with knowledge of the subject matter I must admit. However, the rag joint on my 1979 is just fine after almost 25 years and 47,000 miles. I cannot see that part wearing out in 10,000 miles....The proposed solution may be masking the underlying problem. I would get to the real source of the severe wear matter before trying to out-guess GM engineers.

 

vettefxr, PLEASE do your self a favor, and take a second look at your situation there, I suspect as with any older car, you may have some accident damage there, it may not be obvious...but it IS the steering, and something strange is going on, and it's NOT the joint's fault, I wonder about cage rust, frame bent...box mounting....please pay attention to Jim Shea there, he built the damn thing afterall.....

GENE :eek: :eek: :cool: :thumbs:

 

Don't be ragging on the rag joint. Mine's original (100k miles) and it's fine. Steeriods is in the wings.

 

i can assure you that you will not regret installing Steeroids...
BY FAR the best thing that i have done to my vette...

 

Okay, you guys win, tomorrow when I disassemble the joint I'll take special care in observing the alignment of the two shafts to see if I have a problem. But I'm still going to give the joint a try. I guess I just like to tinker and I honestly believe that if everything is aligned properly it will work fine. Jim I appreciate all your help along with the rest of the guys and I'm going to corvettefaq right now to print out your instructions. I'll let you all know how things turn out and if it's a bust I'll post a bunch of these. :bb :bb :bb

 

Signguy,

Am I seeing things or is your dipstick not seated in that picture.

BTW, your car is :cool: Once I get my pulley situation ironed out, I'll be asking for some Steeroid help.

:cheers:

 

1st of all...thanx for the compliment :)
and 2ndly...JEEZE! nothing slips by some of you guys! talk about observant!
i took that pick at the time we were installing the Steeroids and as you know, its very tight in there and while working on those "u-joints" the dipstick got moved a few times...
as a matter of fact, just after this pic was taken, we removed the dipstick while adjusting said "u-joints" cause it was in the way...
man! i cant slip anything past you guys! :lol:

as far as Steeroids help goes...all i can say is that it is very straight forward and actually very easy to install...
simply follow the instructions, they are very easy to understand and there arnt a whole lot of them actually, just a page or two...
one thing that i did do was when they told me it had been shipped and was on its way, i went ahead and removed my old stuff (everything from the rag joint to the wheels) and kinda prepped for the install by cleaning under there and touch-up painting where the old parts were removed etc...
that way when the big brown truck rolled in, i was ready to bolt it in...
that gave me a nice fresh start on the install rather than starting it after a couple hours of work removing the old "junk"...
and i DO, intentionaly mean JUNK...cause once youve experienced driving your vette with Steeroids, you will wonder how you ever enjoyed driving it with the antiquated, old fashion steering that came in these 25-30 yr old cars...
and please note that i had a newly rebuilt steering gear, a brand new power ram and other new parts in mine before...and now i wished that i hadnt wasted my time and money and went straight to Steeroids in the 1st place...
i can honestly say that my car now drives and steers like a brand new car and im not exagerating when i say that...
if i had to find one negitive thing to say about the system i think it would be that my car dosnt seem to turn as sharp as it used to...for example when making a u-turn...i need a little more room to do so...
but in my opinion that is a VERY small price to pay for all of the pluses...




[Modified by SIGNGUY, 7:08 AM 4/19/2003]