Straight Steering Shaft

[gag1025]

In my rebuild (of a '53 Chevy truck I bought a couple of years ago) I am installing a new SS steering column with a slip shaft and two universals. I see many trucks on eBay using a solid shaft instead of a slip shaft or a rag joint. In disassembling my truck I found out that it had both parts of a slip shaft welded together. Somewhere along the way a force was generated that was strong enough to actually break the weld. I would hate to think what would have happened had it not. To me this is both unsafe as well as damaging to the steering system. Please feel free to comment.

[OrrieG]

I kept the slip shaft in mine, I know how much the frame will flex off road, I have cracked body welds when it twisted. I compressed it as far as I could, they jacked it up and used the portapower to extend it more. The 74 center section has the slip joint. The lower section is also a slip section but I have it pinned and spot welded.

[Coryd501]

what steering kit is that? I just put a new column in and took out the old new trying to figure out what to use to steer the truck (Straight Axle) 1950

[mr48chev]

The rag joint isn't for flex even though it allows some, it is to dampen the vibrations off the steering so you don't catch so much of it in your hands and wrists. I doubt that most of us who have driven these trucks with stock suspension and steering would ever notice the difference though.

[gag1025]

My point is that a straight shaft is dangerous to the driver and destructive to the steering system of the truck. Like you said, the rag joint does offer flexion some which is better than none. The slip shaft is the way to go in my opinion.

[OrrieG]

Not a kit. the 74 parts came of the donor truck. The astro van parts out of the wrecking yard. It is based on someone previous effort, I just adapted it. My column is a 82 Eldorado. My build thread has the details. Borgsen joints are nice and pretty, but my cash outlay was $10 for the astro column and $5 for the set screws.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Not a kit. the 74 parts came of the donor truck. The astro van parts out of the wrecking yard. It is based on someone previous effort, I just adapted it. My column is a 82 Eldorado. My build thread has the details. Borgsen joints are nice and pretty, but my cash outlay was $10 for the astro column and $5 for the set screws.

besides those u-joints look vintage

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by mknittle

besides those u-joints look vintage

Yes and I, once again, figured GM put millions into designing the Astro steering system and lots of guys have used them. When I was at the junk yard I picked up a newer Trailblazer shaft to. It has larger joints and takes a larger shaft, my plan is to use it if I have any signs of fatique in the Astro set up. I have also seen where off road guys used farm implement universals too.

[mknittle]

likely the reason the weld broke is that when welded like that it concentrated the slight flexing to one spot. did it break next to the weld?Plug welding a couple spots lower on the shaft will stop that. That said I dont weld the steering shaft slip joint.