[64speed]

Does anyone have any experience replacing rag joints in the car? I ordered a rebuild unit because mine is already failing. I suddenly developed a lot of slop in the steering and I looked and the rag joint is incredibly sloppy. I have an Ididit column and a Borgeson box. If I cant get enough room to rebuild it in the car is there enough wiggle room to drop the box a little without disconnecting everything to totally replace it? I do not want to slide my column up because if I scratch the dash or column I will be pissed LOL. If I have the move the column I will pay someone else so they can take responsibility. I am just glad I caught it before it failed.

[mgarblik]

Anyway you could take and post some pics of the failed joint? Typically a standard style rag joint will last 30-40+ years of daily use and hundreds of thousands of miles. I suspect your are at a fraction of these norms. Something must be incorrect in installation and/or alignment.

[grivera]

Put a towel between column and dash and pull it up - otherwise you’re dropping the steering box

[TB1]

Between the column and the steering box you should have an intermediate shaft of some sort with slip collars held in place with set screws that can be moved/removed to allow the shaft to come out and access the rag joint for replacement. the steering column should not need to be removed from the car or pulled back and the steering box also should not need to be removed. The factory set up had a clamp at the upper end of the column in the engine bay that could be loosened off allowing the steering rod to be pushed back into the car a bit for access to the rag joint.

[64speed]

I know exactly why it failed. For years I was having to turn the wheel back and forth with the weight of the engine on it with no pump running. It was hell to turn the wheels each time and I wallowed the rubber out. I do not have a setup like that. I have the column, a U joint, a straight precisely measured and cut DD shaft and it goes into a Rag Joint.

[geeteeohguy]

Originally Posted by TB1

Between the column and the steering box you should have an intermediate shaft of some sort with slip collars held in place with set screws that can be moved/removed to allow the shaft to come out and access the rag joint for replacement. the steering column should not need to be removed from the car or pulled back and the steering box also should not need to be removed. The factory set up had a clamp at the upper end of the column in the engine bay that could be loosened off allowing the steering rod to be pushed back into the car a bit for access to the rag joint.

THIS^^^. On my first gen GTO's, I always loosened the upper clamp on the column (by the master cyl) and undid the coupler bolt at the rag joint and pulled the steering wheel out of the column by a couple of inches, allowing easy replacement of the rag joint. Not a complex job.

[64speed]

Done and a million times better