47-55.1 *Steering Wheel Centering*

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Zippi

Your doing fine on your end of explaining. It's me. The tube at the column just looks big for that 1" DD coupler to fit over. I think I'm good to go. I have it apart now just need to order the parts.

well measure before ordering parts, I would hate to steer you wrong. should be a 1"DD shaft coming out of the column. remember that the 1" is the diameter of the circle before squared off with the Ds. so if you measure the widest part of the circle, it should be 1"

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by joedoh

wade if you have the shorter column you may need the longer telescoping shaft. they are the same price, so not a big deal to make sure you get the right one. just add 1.5" to the straightline measurement between the column DD and the steering box splines. remember that you want it to have some room to telescope in a wreck, so dont use the fully collapsed measurement, add a couple inches.

Thanks Joedoh. I am away from my truck for a couple of months, but I want to pick up these parts. Is it ok to buy the longer telescoping shaft regardless and then just cut it to the length required when I can measure it on my truck?

Thanks.

Wade

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Driver_WT

Thanks Joedoh. I am away from my truck for a couple of months, but I want to pick up these parts. Is it ok to buy the longer telescoping shaft regardless and then just cut it to the length required when I can measure it on my truck?

Thanks.

Wade

mine are all 98+ trucks, so I need a longer shaft because the steering column end is under the dash, not through the firewall. its possible that you will need the shorter one too if your column ends on the outside of the firewall like zippis, but his is extremely long past the firewall like I havent seen before.

I will get a rough measurement on nicks 54 is a couple days, just to see. I want to say you can cut the long one down as much as the short one, but without seeing both its just a guess.

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by joedoh

mine are all 98+ trucks, so I need a longer shaft because the steering column end is under the dash, not through the firewall. its possible that you will need the shorter one too if your column ends on the outside of the firewall like zippis, but his is extremely long past the firewall like I havent seen before.

I will get a rough measurement on nicks 54 is a couple days, just to see. I want to say you can cut the long one down as much as the short one, but without seeing both its just a guess.

OK, thank you. I believe that my steering column is from a 1993 S10 (not totally sure as it was put in by a previous owner), and it does not stick through the firewall as much as zippis, but the end of the steering column is through the firewall by a few inches.

Wade

[Zippi]

Joedoh,

I think one of the things I was stuck on was the pic you posted of all three parts that were needed. The one ujoint that slips over the column showed a round spline. I contacted JEGS and ask about the pic that they were showing on their website and they said it was a pic of the wrong part. So when you were telling me a 1" DD and the pic was showing a round spline it was throwing me off. Still a little curious as to how the 1" DD ujoint is going to lock onto the column with that big hole there. I know you said to weld or tape a piece of metal inside the tube but I don't have a welder and just not sure about taping a piece inside. I guess I'll figure it all out when I get all the pieces in front of me.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Zippi

Joedoh,

I think one of the things I was stuck on was the pic you posted of all three parts that were needed. The one ujoint that slips over the column showed a round spline. I contacted JEGS and ask about the pic that they were showing on their website and they said it was a pic of the wrong part. So when you were telling me a 1" DD and the pic was showing a round spline it was throwing me off. Still a little curious as to how the 1" DD ujoint is going to lock onto the column with that big hole there. I know you said to weld or tape a piece of metal inside the tube but I don't have a welder and just not sure about taping a piece inside. I guess I'll figure it all out when I get all the pieces in front of me.

you only put a small piece of metal on one side, covering one hole. the set screw goes in and pushes against the metal, which pushes against the tube, which pushes against the u joint and locks it all together in compression. the tape is just to hold it in place until you get the set screw in. its easier to just zap one tack from the outside to the piece of metal inside, but without a welder all you can do is tape, or glue I guess.

[Zippi]

Originally Posted by joedoh

you only put a small piece of metal on one side, covering one hole. the set screw goes in and pushes against the metal, which pushes against the tube, which pushes against the u joint and locks it all together in compression. the tape is just to hold it in place until you get the set screw in. its easier to just zap one tack from the outside to the piece of metal inside, but without a welder all you can do is tape, or glue I guess.

Yup, gotya. So....you no longer have your AD?

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Zippi

Yup, gotya. So....you no longer have your AD?

not any with steering installed, I have a 47 a 49 and a 53 in the storage building waiting starts, and nicks 54 in my garage. the most recent one kechi is sold.

[Zippi]

Before I throw all this crap away I thought I'd show a good pic of what I pulled out of my 49. All the money that was spent on this truck and the PO didn't change this out.

[joedoh]

those factory parts cant take any angle, the u joint less than 10 degrees and the rag joint zero!

glad you are fixing it up!

[Zippi]

Just go a notice from FEDEX that my parts are out for delivery by the end of today. Should be back up and running tomorrow unless I run into something. Sure hope this cures all the play I had in the steering wheel.

[Driver_WT]

Those old parts look very scary Zippi. Good to get them removed and replaced.

Wade

[Zippi]

Got my parts from JEGS in 2 days. Started my project this morning and I'd like to say it was a no brainier but I did have a couple issues to work through. The Borgenson 30 spline u-joint did not want to fit over the steering box shaft without a little help from a BFH. The tube from the steering column was a little big so I had to get out the Dremel. Once I cut and drilled a 3/8" hole in the telescoping shaft and mounted everything up I had a hard time getting to the set screws and nuts to tighten them up. Had to get the wife help on this one. I wasn't sure what I was going to put inside the steering column tube for the set screw off the u-joint to tighten up against but I cut a short piece off the old shaft and tapped it inside the tube and it worked like a charm. All went well and only took about 3 hrs. I want give a big THANK YOU to joedoh for all his help and anyone else that contributed to this thread. That's what these forums are far and I greatly apprecitate all the help fellows. This project cured all my steering issues. I am now a Happy Camper.

[joedoh]

congrats! looks great!