So while the yard last weekend I decided to see for myself what was the difference between the model yr jeep steering shafts. I pulled 3; one from a mid 80s( cant remember the exact yr), one from a 96, and one from a 2001 i believe. They were all diff. I then found a mid 80's monte and pulled the steering column out. 80's shaft was pretty much a direct bolt on to both the steering box and the column. Only thing it was gonna be a tight fit going into the column. I believe one would have to file the outside of the steering column shaft and or put some grease on it to make it easier to install the jeep steering shaft. Some say thattheirs have bolted right up with no issues. Maybe its justa few thousands of an in difference between some shafts. It has the steel u-joints.
The 96 bolted right up to the monte steering box but was a no go to the steering column. It required a much smaller steering column shaft to fit into its U-joint. It has the aluminum u-joints.
The 2001 was a no go on both the steering box and the steering column. It also has the aluminum u-joints.
Well, I always look for anyway to lighten my car so I was going to make it happen with the 96 aluminum u-joint steering shaft. And although its not a whole lot, you can feel tyhe difference in weight between the steel shaft that everyone uses and the al one. So to make it work I used my sawsall to cut off the end of the 96 jeep steering column shaft and goes and tig welded it onto my column. And it justso happen, that it fit into my steering column shaft. I recommend tig weldingit cause its a small area and you have way more control with the weld beads coming out much cleaner and you can really see the penetration as you go along. I wouldnt have done it had I not been able to to tig it since this is pretty important. Well here are some pics of this little project I knocked out last night.
On a side note, after a good long while in the middle of the day heat here in florida, one starts to not think so clearly. Instead of cutting off the steering column shaft from the 96 jeep, I cut the one off the 2001 instead. The heat and lack of fluids had gotten to me by then :? Still worked but just had to take a little off of it to make it work. Had I gotten the correct one I would have avoided this step. Oh well.
The 96 bolted right up to the monte steering box but was a no go to the steering column. It required a much smaller steering column shaft to fit into its U-joint. It has the aluminum u-joints.
The 2001 was a no go on both the steering box and the steering column. It also has the aluminum u-joints.
Well, I always look for anyway to lighten my car so I was going to make it happen with the 96 aluminum u-joint steering shaft. And although its not a whole lot, you can feel tyhe difference in weight between the steel shaft that everyone uses and the al one. So to make it work I used my sawsall to cut off the end of the 96 jeep steering column shaft and goes and tig welded it onto my column. And it justso happen, that it fit into my steering column shaft. I recommend tig weldingit cause its a small area and you have way more control with the weld beads coming out much cleaner and you can really see the penetration as you go along. I wouldnt have done it had I not been able to to tig it since this is pretty important. Well here are some pics of this little project I knocked out last night.
On a side note, after a good long while in the middle of the day heat here in florida, one starts to not think so clearly. Instead of cutting off the steering column shaft from the 96 jeep, I cut the one off the 2001 instead. The heat and lack of fluids had gotten to me by then :? Still worked but just had to take a little off of it to make it work. Had I gotten the correct one I would have avoided this step. Oh well.
