Intermediate steering shaft fixup

[carmangary]

The rubber boot at the top end of my intermediate steering shaft is cracked. I also wonder how good the rag joint at the bottom is after 33 yrs. Can you buy replacements? I haven't seen any. I looked at the junk yard and it looks like they are pretty much the same in a lot of GM cars around that time so I can easily find a used one. By I don't want to replace 33 yr old rubber with 30 yr old rubber. So, what's the deal with these things?

 

[adumb]

you can use one from a jeep cherokee

let me find the thread for you.

i did it and it works amazingly, the jeep uses u joints instead of rag joints so the steering feels better as well

 

[adumb]

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=10993

just make sure the one you get has nacam stamped on it

also i had to file the upper steering shaft slightly as the jeep uses a pinch bolt as opposed to the gm through bolt, everything else worked perfect

 

[FE3X CLONE]

You can buy new rag joints at the parts stores. The steering boot can also be ordered from Mike's Monte's.

However the Jeep steering shaft is a good upgrade and eliminates the slopiness of the stock rag joint. I know guys have said they needed to file the steering shaft like in the picture above but mine fit without any problems.

 

[adumb]

You can buy new rag joints at the parts stores. The steering boot can also be ordered from Mike's Monte's.

However the Jeep steering shaft is a good upgrade and eliminates the slopiness of the stock rag joint. I know guys have said they needed to file the steering shaft like in the picture above but mine fit without any problems.

for the price of a junkyard jeep int. steering shaft, i got mine for $25, its well worth it

 

[carmangary]

Thanks. I will check out the Jeep shafts. Seems like the way to go.

 

[beermonkey9417]

make sure its from the cherokee not the grand cherokee.

 

[adumb]

make sure its from the cherokee not the grand cherokee.

i actually pulled mine from a grand cherokee, i was walking the yard for reg cherokees and someone working there asked what i was looking for, i told him and he showed me a grand cherokee that he just pulled the engine out of, so i looked and saw that the shaft said nacam on it so i pulled that one, it was VERY easy with the engine out, lol

 

[azmalibuwagon]

Just adding my experience - I did the upgrade last night. Got the NACAM intermediate shaft from a 94 Cherokee at the PAP for $12.00. There were a lot of these Jeeps, and most seemed to have the right shaft, so finding one was no problem.

Most of the work was getting it out of the @#$%## Jeep. Had to free up the sliding part of the shaft which took a bit of time.The install was easy and quick, maybe 15 minutes. The steering box end slid right on; the other end was a little tight so I spread it slightly and tapped on with a hammer. Both pinch bolts were tight, but I just screwed them right on past the shaft. The threads bit, so no need to put a notch in the upper shaft.

So did it help? Yep, it steers better and I like it. The road vibrations come through the wheel a little more (not a lot), but it's a fair trade for me. One thing I didn't expect - the steering wheel is no longer centered, now it's off a little to the left. No biggie, I'll get it centered next time I go in for an alignment.

For the price and time involved, anyone should try it. You can always got back to the ragjoint if you don't like it.

 

[Mathematic]

how did you get the top boot off?