Rag Joint Delete??

[noabarron3]

Has anyone removed the factory steering rack and swapped in a early model Cherokee rack? The idea is to eliminate the rag joint design and replace with a universal joint design...
If anyone has done it, would you recommend it and consider it an upgrade or would you recommend just going with a factory rack?

I had A LOT of play in my steering and when I lifted my truck I rebuilt the entire suspension including the gear box (helped some but still play) I’m hoping it’s just the rag joint and not the column...

 

[SUBURBAN5]

Has anyone removed the factory steering rack and swapped in a early model Cherokee rack? The idea is to eliminate the rag joint design and replace with a universal joint design...
If anyone has done it, would you recommend it and consider it an upgrade or would you recommend just going with a factory rack?

I had A LOT of play in my steering and when I lifted my truck I rebuilt the entire suspension including the gear box (helped some but still play) I’m hoping it’s just the rag joint and not the column...

Yes it's been done. Believe theres some threads on it. Also lmc sell the shaft I think it's there hd version

 

[SUBURBAN5]

https://www.lmctruck.com/steering/steering-column-parts


Nevermind it's a rag joint

 

[Supercharged111]

This guy might fit, I have one on my Camaro but cannot say with confidence that it fits a 400.

https://www.unbalancedengineering.com/Camaro/Rag_Joint/

 

[1ton-o-fun]

I'm interested in getting rid of that d@mn thing too! Brings back nightmares of EVERY SINGLE Ford truck I've owned having rag joint failure. One in particular ended up leading to rolling the truck over two and a half times. -'63 F250 flatbed.

 

[454cid]

What are you calling a "rack"? Jeep steering shaft swaps are common and well documented here, but you can't use them on later GMT-400s because it introduces a 3rd joint in the system.

 

[JWOK]

I replaced my rag joint with a Flaming River u-joint. I didn’t notice much difference, but my rag joint wasn’t bad yet. I did not like the way the u-joint was secured with set screws though and modified it for a more secure attachment.

 

[noabarron3]

What are you calling a "rack"? Jeep steering shaft swaps are common and well documented here, but you can't use them on later GMT-400s because it introduces a 3rd joint in the system.

I have a 1994. I’m assuming that does not qualify as a later model. The jeep steering shaft swap is what I am referring to... if my rag joint is in poor shape with 276k miles, do you know if I would see any reasonable improvement?

 

[SUBURBAN5]

Depending on how worn it is... mine could move left and right and would make more play in the steering.... with a new one it's more tighter

 

[454cid]

I have a 1994. I’m assuming that does not qualify as a later model. The jeep steering shaft swap is what I am referring to... if my rag joint is in poor shape with 276k miles, do you know if I would see any reasonable improvement?

I think 95 or 96 was the year that it was switched, but I don't know for sure. I have a 99 with a new rag joint. I did replace the rag joint, and found little improvement, in fact my steering wheel is now off. Apparently there is a bit of slop before torquing the bolts down. The real issue with my truck, I beleive is my "rebuilt" steering box not lasting very long. I'm not daily driving the truck anymore, and am not going to worry about the rag joint again until I get around to getting a steering box rebuilt.