that little u-joint by the steering box

has anyone replaced that little u-joint in the steering colum at the steering box. I just put a box from a '00 into my '90 and I noticed theres a bit of play in the joint. probably a dealer only item? its amazing how as you fix one worn out part you find two more!

I don't think you can replace just the joint without the whole column. A real nuisance that is.

Flaming River steering shafts may be an answer. Dunno what their prices are like. Never had reason to ask.

I never looked too hard at the donor jeep. only that the colum was missing on the inside yet the shaft was still attached to the box and going into the firewall. anyone taken a colum apart? does the shaft just slide up and in? that would be just too easy!( only 40k on the donor jeep)

Eagle said:

Flaming River steering shafts may be an answer. Dunno what their prices are like. Never had reason to ask.

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http://store.summitracing.com/default.asp?target=partdetail.asp?part=FLA-FR1857-JPM

$247.95

They make some nice stuff, for sure.

wascobi said:

I never looked too hard at the donor jeep. only that the colum was missing on the inside yet the shaft was still attached to the box and going into the firewall. anyone taken a colum apart? does the shaft just slide up and in? that would be just too easy!( only 40k on the donor jeep)

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On the newer ones (97-up) it looks from my junkyard forays as if the shaft slides pretty freely. On the pre-97, the shaft is very tight, and not meant to telescope unless you hit something. Inside it are plastic bushings of some sort, which not only prevent it from telescoping normally but also take up side play. I tried taking one apart, finally resorting to heat, and essentially destroyed a donor shaft in the process. I'm not sure whether the newer style shaft would fit your Jeep or not. It might, but you had better measure carefully first, not only for length, but also for whether the coupling at the top will fit your column. If it does fit, I'd grab it, because with the old style shaft, you'll probably have to loosen the steering box again just to get the thing in there, unless you unbolt the steering column instead.

so no one has replaced just the u-joint?

wascobi said:

so no one has replaced just the u-joint?

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The ones I've seen are swaged in. I don't think you can do it non-destructively, and I seriously doubt if the individual parts are available.