Jeep Steering Shaft

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MechMan

Master Mechanic
Sep 13, 2018
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I have been seeing a lot of threads abot jeep or astro van steering shafts. Please forgive my ignorance but why would one do that? Will the stock one not work with an engine swap or is it a better product?
 

TURNA

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Jul 24, 2009
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better product

more responsive steering
 
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565bbchevy

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Aug 8, 2011
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Eliminates the typically sloppy rag joint at the steering box.
 
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Ribbedroof

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Here's my take...

The OE setup is alright, assuming the rag joint is not 40 years old. They are available to replace if worn. The problem is that the boot on the upper end is not serviced, and they are almost ALWAYS torn.

I think if a new OE shaft and either of the swaps were compared, there would be little noticeable difference in a normal driving situation. In handling applications, I can see where there might be a small improvement. HOWEVER the OE shaft is not serviced as an assembly, and I don't believe the upper portion is either, leaving us with substitutes that are available.

Nothing wrong with the newer style shafts with universals at both ends, they have been in service for almost 50 years domestically on various cars. Personal choice, for me, is to buy new steering parts rather than salvage.
 
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kustomkyle

G-Body Guru
Apr 14, 2008
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What are the year ranges to look for in regards to Jeeps and Chevrolet Astro shafts?
 

oldsofb

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What are the year ranges to look for in regards to Jeeps and Chevrolet Astro shafts?

84-95 Cherokee if I remember right. Read through this thread too. https://gbodyforum.com/threads/jeep-shaft-heads-up.69786/

Nothing wrong with the newer style shafts with universals at both ends, they have been in service for almost 50 years domestically on various cars. Personal choice, for me, is to buy new steering parts rather than salvage.

I get where you're coming from. But if you bought a used 94 Cherokee for a daily driver, you wouldn't immediately throw out the steering shaft when you got it home. We would have heard if the shafts in those vehicles were a common failure point. It would have been all over about steering failures and possible crashes. It just hasn;t happened. The link above did show a failure on an installed shaft, but just one that I've seen isn't a reason to not try it. On page 4 of that thread I show pics of mine. It looks like there are lock tabs on the later versions if the rubber does fail. Just saying.

Hutch
 
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kustomkyle

G-Body Guru
Apr 14, 2008
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There's a recipe for Borgeson parts to build your own new shaft for B/D bodies, thanks to Impala SS enthusiasts. I think I had $150 in Borgeson parts to make up the shaft for my D body.

Is there a parts list out there for the G bodies? I would think perhaps they might be the same parts, just the shaft itself would need to be cut to a different length as long as the splines are the same.

With something like Borgeson, you're dealing with new parts. Wouldn't the universal joints potentially be shot in a used shaft from 20-30 year old vans/Jeeps? Or are they rebuildable?
 

shoedoos

Master Mechanic
Jul 3, 2012
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anybody know if replacement universal joints are available for the jeep shafts?
 

565bbchevy

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Aug 8, 2011
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There's a recipe for Borgeson parts to build your own new shaft for B/D bodies, thanks to Impala SS enthusiasts. I think I had $150 in Borgeson parts to make up the shaft for my D body.
I went with a Borgeson collapsible shaft set up for my Monte and it made a noticeable improvement even over my stock shaft with a newer rag joint and gave me added clearance for my huge headers, well worth the extra money to buy a new quality part IMO.
IMG_1158.JPG
 

Ribbedroof

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I get where you're coming from. But if you bought a used 94 Cherokee for a daily driver, you wouldn't immediately throw out the steering shaft when you got it home. We would have heard if the shafts in those vehicles were a common failure point. It looks like there are lock tabs on the later versions if the rubber does fail. Just saying.

Hutch

No malice or argument intended:

I understand what you're saying. In fact, my daughter's first vehicle was a 93 Cherokee with 177K, and no, I didn't toss the shaft out. However, I also did not take it out, "free it up" by beating on it or heating it with a torch, and put it into something else. That Cherokee is the lowest mile unit I have seen in the last 3 years....all the others around here (including it's replacement) have well over 200K on them.

I am always amazed that people will spend literally THOUSANDS of dollars on an engine, but balk at a couple hundred for new steering parts.

I acknowedge that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of Jeep shafts in other applications, I just think that people should know going in that the potential for wear-related issues does exist, especially given the lack of history and/or unknown mileage on units not sourced personally. I can tell you (from personal knowledge) that steering shaft on an F350 can develop wear over 22 years, 356000 miles and at least one pretty good wreck

People are certainly free to make their own assessment of the risks and proceed accordingly.
 
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