lower steering shaft interchange '85-'88
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 762
Likes: 2
From: Huntington ma
lower steering shaft interchange '85-'88
The First design 84'-85' lower steering shaft is different than second design '86-90 (?). The rubber isolator section in the '85 shaft is replaced with a "rag joint" connector in the newer design. Here are the pics,,,
I have an issue with the rubber isolator slipping on mine now, so I have acquired a newer design shaft to replace it with. Note that Both of these shafts are discontinued and no new parts are available.
It appears that the newer shaft will have to be modified a bit before I can install it into my '85. It is the same length as the '85 shaft, with the same lower connector (to the rack), but the Upper connector is a different type - apparently necessary because the newer style shaft does not have a "slider" extension section allowing for length change, like the older shaft does.
The "Oh, by the way" is that the different design upper connector also has the "flats" for alignment with the column at a 90 degree rotation compared to the older shaft. If installed as it is, the steering wheel will be 1/4 turn off.
The only way I see to fix this is to cut one of the aluminum tubes and re-weld it 90 degrees from where it is now. Any other ideas?
I have an issue with the rubber isolator slipping on mine now, so I have acquired a newer design shaft to replace it with. Note that Both of these shafts are discontinued and no new parts are available.
It appears that the newer shaft will have to be modified a bit before I can install it into my '85. It is the same length as the '85 shaft, with the same lower connector (to the rack), but the Upper connector is a different type - apparently necessary because the newer style shaft does not have a "slider" extension section allowing for length change, like the older shaft does.
The "Oh, by the way" is that the different design upper connector also has the "flats" for alignment with the column at a 90 degree rotation compared to the older shaft. If installed as it is, the steering wheel will be 1/4 turn off.
The only way I see to fix this is to cut one of the aluminum tubes and re-weld it 90 degrees from where it is now. Any other ideas?
Last edited by rons85; Apr 12, 2007 at 06:16 PM. Reason: adding pic links properly
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 34
I know they are stagard. and it will become 2 bolts rather then the 4 holding it together. but I dont think that 4 bolt design is so great as well.
I had mine all apart, I ended up building the rubber isolater joint out of metal since the rubber was destroyed. maybe you can rig something up before you go cutting and welding.
I dont even know why the rubber is in there. I thought I would notice all sorts of harshness from my wheel after the metal isolater, no different at all. I dont think the LTX cars even have them??
This is the only picture I have found of my shaft by some odds. not very good. but you can see I rebuilt mine out of sheets of metal, and it gave me a little more clearence, and it wont melt with the hair dryers there.
Last edited by bill mcdonald; Apr 13, 2007 at 02:51 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 762
Likes: 2
From: Huntington ma
Well - I suppose that's an option, although if I was going to eliminate the functionality of the rubber "isolator" in the newer design assy, it would be cleaner to cut the ears/tabs off the tubes and just weld the Tubes together. Probably have to come up with a 1" or so piece of Al tubing the right diameter to fill in and get the length back right, but that shouldn't be hard to come up with.
Or, to retain the simplicity of the "correct" '85 stuff - weld the outer and inner parts of the "isolator" section together on That one. Do it at both ends of the rubber section and forget about it ever moving again. I'll probably do that on the 'old' one I have in the car still, anyhow - Thats the one that's slipping. Then keep it as a "spare"...
Or, to retain the simplicity of the "correct" '85 stuff - weld the outer and inner parts of the "isolator" section together on That one. Do it at both ends of the rubber section and forget about it ever moving again. I'll probably do that on the 'old' one I have in the car still, anyhow - Thats the one that's slipping. Then keep it as a "spare"...
