G-Body upgraded intermediate steering shaft

[jimsmonte80]

The issue Jimsmonte is talking about is body to frame movement. It's real no matter how good your body mounts are. Every bump your car hits, I guarantee there is some distance change from steering box to steering column. Without a slip joint, there are bearings in that system that will not be happy.

The rag joint is not meant to deal with length change. It's a coupler that can account for any angle variance. The joint at the top by firewall is a sliding couple. This is what the Jeep and Astro upgrade do not account for.

I'm not here to say a rag joint is better than a universal joint but if there is no slip joint coupler then OEM for me.

Comparing a broken or worn rag joint to a universal joint is a poor argument.

Yes, thank you! These universal joints from jeeps are from a vehicle with a uni-body construction. Years ago my rag joint was shot, the jeep conversion seemed like a decent option with e decent price. At the time, the OEM rag joint intermediate shafts where going for $200. As long as the jeep shaft would telescope during operation, I was happy with that. But now I am having some play where the shaft telescopes. I am thinking about going back to the OEM rag joint. With the added shroud that surrounds the rag joint, I would think this would help with direct heat protecting the rag joint.

 

[Ribbedroof]

If you guys think unibodies don't flex , please explain to me why there are different sets of measurements on my frame rack measuring system for on wheels vs pinchweld clamps, engine in or out, and the ever popular subframe connectors for almost every popular unibody vehicle.

Makes no difference to me, just think all this angst over the movement of the body on frame might be just a bit obsessive.

Me, I rebuilt the OE shaft with new rag disc, and upper boot. Drives fine, especially given the terrible roads in OK. Had a jeep shaft, decided it was pointless to install a used 200,000 mile part and call it an "upgrade".

Obviously, a universal at each end is going to be better than a worn out rag joint.

 

[Built6spdMCSS]

The Rag Joint was designed as a cheap alternative for a joint that needed to have some pivot to it when rotating. Body to frame flex yea the whole car will flex before that would be a factor IMO.

 

[MisterA]

Nothing wrong with whatever you want to run, as long as you don't do something ridiculous like try to weld a steel pipe to the column shaft and steering box

For me, and my money, I've never had a problem with a rag joint, and I don't know what people do to make them go bad that I don't do

It can't be pure luck I've never had one 'go bad'.... I've got 50 year old trucks on their original setup.. no issues.

I've got 500,000 miles trucks since new.... no issues. I've got 250k+ mile gbodies, I've got low mileage gbodies, none have issues from lots of use, or almost no use. And I've just never had one go bad, not in the last 40 years.

Im with you...I havent had any issues with the rag joint...