Collapsible Steering Column, rag joint to u-joint? (1 Viewer)

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Have an 81 fj40, and after installing an aqualu tub and cowl the steering column doesn't completely line up with the rag joint on a minitruck PS gearbox. The body is lined up on the frame and while I haven't finagled with with gearbox itself, I was thinking about replacing the rag joint with a double u-joint.

In this particular case, with the collapsible column, does there need to be a support bearing at the firewall for the shaft? I wouldn't think it would work out too well if there wasn't, probably flop around.

Or would a single u joint be a better option, and not require a support bearing at the firewall?

Any thoughts are appreciated, Thanks!
 
I would have to agree with a double U-joint would be a lot of flopping around. I have a couple of those steering columns for possibly future use and the short shaft just flops where ever gravity pulls it. Think I would work on the body to see if I fix the alignment issue. So even your cowl is aluminum?
 
Yep!

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Unfortunately, that will not work as I have a collapsible column with a different firewall mount. hmmmm...well, I'll keep searching, see what I can find.

Cheers!
 
Not mini truck steering, but here's SSCR & Valley Hybrid's Aqualu build. Post #22 if you are looking for idea's.
 
Not mini truck steering, but here's SSCR & Valley Hybrid's Aqualu build. Post #22 if you are looking for idea's.

That steering box sits a lot further forward than a mini steering box which is actually longer than the stock manual steering box reducing the distance from the steering to the firewall even more. Do not see there being enough room to mount the rag joint, double U joint and a sleeve like that.
 
Here are a couple photos of my situation. The body is square and evenly mounted on the frame. Where the steering shaft comes out from the cowl, it has to bend slightly to the right, or left if your facing the cowl interior wall. It's fairly obvious and the shaft doesnt meet up with the rag joint squarely.

20200225_193431.jpg


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Been thinking a lot about this fix, spending far too much time obsessing over it. Current setup is minitruck power steering with collapsible steering column.

Couple questions for the experts out there:

Does the lower steering shaft (that connects to rag joint), need to be absolutely centered in the bell? Could it angle slightly to meet the steering gear box, and if so, would a single u joint be an adequate fix to account for this slight offset?

If not, I was thinking of using something similar to the following illistrated in the pictures to center the lower shaft in the column and using a double u joint. This seems a bit overkill and I'm concerned about the lower shaft being fixed, with limited lateral movement, but perhaps the double u joint would account for those stresses.

Anyway, any thoughts are appreciated, as always.

Cheers!

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