Safari/Astro Van steering shaft upgrade

[pontiacgp]

I installed a 97 Safari steering shaft tonite in my GP. It has u joints on either end and the only mods that are needed is the lower u joint needs to be removed and installed 1/4 turn or the steering wheel will be 90º off and on the top there needs to be grove cut into the steering column shaft for the bolt to secure the upper side of the steering shaft. To remove the lower u joint the shaft is peened so those pieces need to be removed. You can grind them off or folded them back with a cold chisel. I used a chisel and it was easy. You need to tap the u joint with a hammer to get the u joint off. Then clean up the end of the shaft and reinstall the shaft 90º from it's original position. Then you can tack the end of the shaft with a weld or peen the shaft over the u joint housing to keep it in place. Then with a grinder you need to make a notch in the steering column shaft so the bolt can be installed.
The jeep shaft may be easier but the 97 to 02 Astro/Safari two wheel drive steering shafts are easier to find and they are enclosed in rubber on the van so mine looked new and worked like it was new.

 

[GuysMonteSS]

Sounds like a relatively easy swap Steve,thanks for posting that info.
Guy

 

[Longroof79]

Thanks for sharing that information, Steve.
Although I have a Cherokee shaft in the car now, I would try the Astro/ Safari shaft.

 

[pontiacgp]

Thanks guys and I always like to try to help out. I'm going to grab another one off a 2003 Safari later today. I think the 2003 has the same shaft and in the little research I have done I think the steering shaft was the same from 1995 to 2005 on the two wheel drive models of Astros and Safaris.

 

[pontiacgp]

I pulled one out of a 03 and it's the same as the 97 I pulled so it should be good up to the 2005 rwd mopdel

 

[87luxsprt]

Any pictures? Kinda been wanting to do a swap from the jeep. But rather kept my GBODY all Gm

 

[pontiacgp]

no pictures but I will get some, I just replaced the one I installed last nite cause I marked it up a bit. I took more care with this one and it's easier to grind the peened area off than lifting it with a cold chisel. I don't pay for these parts as the owners of the recycling yard are clients of mine...