If s heim joint was needed the 02 would have had it. Only way u joint locks up is if its at a angle. Going to rack and pinion for instance is a lot of angle and would require hiem on most but not on w gearbox one
steering components upgrades
- Thread starter BLACK&chrome
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96
Supercharged111
Truly Awesome
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I take it the whole bottom half of the 800 shaft doesn't just slide into the truck half of the 400 shaft?
MIHELA
1-5-6-3-4-2-7-8
I am also using an 800 box as documented in my build thread. I use a Jeep WJ shaft with slight modification and an adapter fabricated from a 3/4" DD shaft piece. This leaves the steering wheel rotated 90 degrees so new a new key spline needs to be cut on the end of the shaft and one lock plate spline needs to be removed.
sewlow
Bitchin' Stitchin'
I don't know about the 800's, the way that their steering column is designed, but on the '95+ 400's, there's a 3rd universal in the column under the dash.
I installed a Jeep shaft in my '97, along with a complete front-end rebuild at the same time. Drove it to the alignment shop.
The tech drove the truck from the front of the building around to the back of the shop to the overhead doors. Maybe 100'. But, he stopped before pulling the truck onto the rack. Called me over before he'd even opened the hood.
"You installed a Jeep shaft?"
"Yup."
"We won't touch it."
"The Jeep shaft?"
"Nope. The whole truck. It's not getting anything done in our shop while that shaft is in there. Not even getting through the door."
Then he popped the hood. One of the other techs jumped into the truck & started to turn the wheels from lock-to-lock while the first guy grabbed & lifted up on the shaft.
It didn't make it from one lock to the other before the shaft moved about an inch up & bound up. Locked up solid.
They didn't even want to let me drive the truck the 20 miles home.
This isn't the average tire-store-chain alignment shop that merely sets the toe & lets it go.
These are the guys that do all the local track vehicles. 40 years in the biz. All they do is work on modified vehicles.
The guy had diagnosed & figured out the truck had had a jeep shaft installed within that short distance of him driving it just from the front to the rear of the building!
The HotRodders, the 1/4 milers, the left turn guys & the road racers all use this shop. They understand the altered dynamics & the non-factory settings that are required when dealing with not just lowered vehicles, but with the track-only vehicles & their highly modified specific-use suspensions.
If they're telling me it's not right, it's not safe, I'll err on the side of their knowledge & experience.
Their rule of thumb is...3 or more universals in a steering column absolutely positively without-a-doubt without exception, requires a support.
The only way a Jeep shaft should be used in a '95+ 400 is with a heim'd support brace.
I installed a Jeep shaft in my '97, along with a complete front-end rebuild at the same time. Drove it to the alignment shop.
The tech drove the truck from the front of the building around to the back of the shop to the overhead doors. Maybe 100'. But, he stopped before pulling the truck onto the rack. Called me over before he'd even opened the hood.
"You installed a Jeep shaft?"
"Yup."
"We won't touch it."
"The Jeep shaft?"
"Nope. The whole truck. It's not getting anything done in our shop while that shaft is in there. Not even getting through the door."
Then he popped the hood. One of the other techs jumped into the truck & started to turn the wheels from lock-to-lock while the first guy grabbed & lifted up on the shaft.
It didn't make it from one lock to the other before the shaft moved about an inch up & bound up. Locked up solid.
They didn't even want to let me drive the truck the 20 miles home.
This isn't the average tire-store-chain alignment shop that merely sets the toe & lets it go.
These are the guys that do all the local track vehicles. 40 years in the biz. All they do is work on modified vehicles.
The guy had diagnosed & figured out the truck had had a jeep shaft installed within that short distance of him driving it just from the front to the rear of the building!
The HotRodders, the 1/4 milers, the left turn guys & the road racers all use this shop. They understand the altered dynamics & the non-factory settings that are required when dealing with not just lowered vehicles, but with the track-only vehicles & their highly modified specific-use suspensions.
If they're telling me it's not right, it's not safe, I'll err on the side of their knowledge & experience.
Their rule of thumb is...3 or more universals in a steering column absolutely positively without-a-doubt without exception, requires a support.
The only way a Jeep shaft should be used in a '95+ 400 is with a heim'd support brace.
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My understanding is that the GMT400s WITH AIR BAGS got the extra U-joint in the steering column that's such a problem when it comes to ditching the rag joint.
So, for example, the C3500HD didn't get air bags, and didn't get the extra U-joint, same as the non-air-bag '95-and-older. It did, however, get an intermediate shaft with a U-joint instead of a rag joint.
If you don't have the damned air bags, you slap in an intermediate shaft from the 3500HD, and SHAZAM! you've got a U-joint instead of a rag joint at the steering box, and ZERO fabrication 'cause it's a Genuine GM part that was designed to fit properly. I crammed one into my '88 K1500. That, and adding an OEM sway bar, made a HUGE difference in the way that truck handles and steers.
Of course, GM has discontinued that intermediate shaft. Dorman sells a Communist Chinese knockoff.
I don't know what the latest 'n' greatest procedure is for those trucks that had the air bags and the additional U-joint in the column. I suppose I'll find out when the rag joint on my '97 acts up. For now, it's surprisingly tight.
So, for example, the C3500HD didn't get air bags, and didn't get the extra U-joint, same as the non-air-bag '95-and-older. It did, however, get an intermediate shaft with a U-joint instead of a rag joint.
If you don't have the damned air bags, you slap in an intermediate shaft from the 3500HD, and SHAZAM! you've got a U-joint instead of a rag joint at the steering box, and ZERO fabrication 'cause it's a Genuine GM part that was designed to fit properly. I crammed one into my '88 K1500. That, and adding an OEM sway bar, made a HUGE difference in the way that truck handles and steers.
Of course, GM has discontinued that intermediate shaft. Dorman sells a Communist Chinese knockoff.
I don't know what the latest 'n' greatest procedure is for those trucks that had the air bags and the additional U-joint in the column. I suppose I'll find out when the rag joint on my '97 acts up. For now, it's surprisingly tight.
454cid
Sooper Pooper
What about the extra length that the HD would have?
Is this the GM part that you bought awhile back..... If I'm recalling correctly, a dealer found you a few someplace?
To add to this more where are the 2 ujoints on the 95+ trucks. On my 95's there is one just on the inside of where it goes into the firewall. Is the other up towards the steering wheel? Neither of my 95's have airbags. When I had the dash out of one of them I didn't see any other then the one at the firewall.
No idea. The shaft collapsed far beyond what I needed it to for installation. I had no idea the shaft would be longer on a HD. Why is that?
Yes. I went to the local AC-Delco jobber. I "know a guy" there.
I asked for one, they found me one. There might have been more if they'd looked for more. The one I got came with tags on the box from a local GM dealership.
Looked on this computer for pictures; they must be on a different 'puter, or I lost them.
454cid
Sooper Pooper
It's a bit of an assumption on my part, but the HD body sits higher, so it's reasonable to think that the distance to the gearbox would be greater. They have a taller trim piece under the grill to take up the space, and a longer neck on the radiator. I believe the core support is taller or sits on another piece. The chassis is completely different from the pickups..... I think they're P-series related.
