Help! Steering Issue

[hobsiscool]

Hey guys, I had a ton of slack in my steering, so I took the truck into the shop, turns out, pretty much everything was worn out. Long story short, the truck had been beat the heck and back in a previous life lol, anway though...I had the A-arms, bushings, ball joints, idler arm, pitman arm, and all the other front end goodies replaced with all new parts. I also replaced the steering box on the truck. I've also replaced shocks on all 4 corners. Well needless to say, it's night and day difference, BUT, I am still getting a lot of play in the steering wheel. Best I can tell, it's where the steering shaft connects in the middle before the steering box.

I stole this picture from another post, as I think this is where my play is. What can I do to remedy this? Anything? It's a pain when i'm trying to tow my boat, I have to over correct to many times because of it. I have had an alignment as well, that I forgot to mention. Also, the vehicle is a 89 1500 2wd.



Thanks for any help!

[hobsiscool]

bump for help?

[speedygonzales]

Rag joint needs replacing. Mine did it. Cost me $60 to have it replaced by someone else. Best $60 I ever spent.

This is a representative of the joint. Not actual

[hobsiscool]

That's what I was thinking but mine looks different. It has a grease boot that's shot to crap. Is this still the same thing, just a different type? Can you get them at the auto part store?
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[FMBL]

Humh. I bet that is the same problem with mine too.

More info please.

[hobsiscool]

Does anyone else have any further insight to help out? It just doesn't appear to be a regular rag joint that I'm used to. I don't know what else it would be called. A coupling of sorts? I have a lot of movement in the upper shaft before the joint catches and moves the lower shaft that connects to the steering box.
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[speedygonzales]

You can do a couple of things. Have someone flop the steering wheel back and forth while you look to see what part is moving and what part takes a while to move. The area between them is the culprit.

Go to an auto parts store that has the exact replacement joint and compare the look and feel to yours. Will give you an indication of how it should be.

Look for anywhere a shaft is inside another (like a hollow tube) they could be warn allowing movement that should not be there.

[hobsiscool]

well i know this is where the slop is, I just don't know what the part i'm looking for is. I don't think it's a generic rag joint. I don't know what that shaft would be called and if a replacement is sold at the auto parts store.

[cataclysm80]

I had to replace that rag joint on my own 89 chevy 1500 2wd. That's what you need to do. It will make a world of difference. I bought the part at the dealership. I don't remember how much it cost, but it was easy to install. Take your truck to the dealership and order the part. They should be able to pull up a picture of it on their computer screen.

Tav

[dragginmetal]

Is this the part your looking for?

LMC calls it a "Steering shaft flex joint".
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cd/...chItem=34-0872

I know it does not look the exact same, but every picture i find looks like this one. Summit and Jegs call it a "steering u-joint" i think.
If its the piece that this shaft hooks to at the bottom, thats the rag joint(rubber washer in the middle). Summit and jegs has rebuild kits for that.

[hobsiscool]

Thanks guys I think that's gotta be the culprit. I'm thinking about doing the xj jeep shaft mod. Seems to be the best of both worlds and affordable. A trip to the pullapart is in order! Again, thanks for the help, like always.
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