Steering shaft

[Daveram1500]

Hi ya’ll. New to this forum and am a weekend diyer. Had to take my steering shaft out, which came out pretty easy. Anything I should be aware of when putting it back in?

 

[Brandon-w]

Did you bunjee your wheel so. It couldn't rotate and wreck the clockspring?

 

[Daveram1500]

Yeah i used duck tape.

 

[Brandon-w]

Ok ur good! That's pretty much the only thing to worry about. Make sure shaft goes in right as the holes are slightly out of time and you're good to go. I always add a bit of loc tite to steering components becauae you don't normally know they're loose until u have no imput.

 

[Daveram1500]

Ok, thanks. I wasn’t sure if it had to go in a different way to be property seated.

 

[JayLeonard]

Please make sure you use Loctite on the bolt threads or a new bolt with a locking patch.
When you assemble the shaft make sure it is FULLY onto the mating parts and the bolt goes thru the locking groove on the column and gear end. This is a safety groove to insure that the shaft cannot pull off of the mating parts.

I worked as a design engineer for 28 years at the company that manufactures these shafts.

 

[Brandon-w]

Please make sure you use Loctite on the bolt threads or a new bolt with a locking patch.
When you assemble the shaft make sure it is FULLY onto the mating parts and the bolt goes thru the locking groove on the column and gear end. This is a safety groove to insure that the shaft cannot pull off of the mating parts.

I worked as a design engineer for 28 years at the company that manufactures these shafts.

Sure wish you woulda designed some grease zerks into em...... Lol

 

[JayLeonard]

Sure wish you woulda designed some grease zerks into em...... Lol

Because of the small size there is really no room for a grease path or a fitting. Accept that the grease is supposed to be "lifetime". We did not design the bearings only the shafts and "spiders" (or crosses). Since about 2008/2009 they changed bearing companies and started buying the crosses.
Bearing design has changed also thru the years. We used to use a caged needle bearing then changed to full compliment needle bearing. I think the caged ones held more grease, but full compliment has less rotational play which is what the vehicle companies want.
Between all the companies they make shafts for there are so many tests: road load, muddy water, salt spray, heat and cold, max torque to name a few. They all use basically the same "u joints" and failing for lack of grease never happens.
I think the factor is (in my opinion only) they don't sit outside for days and get the heat/cold/humidity cycles that the real world sees. )I'd also have to add that lifts and big tires are harder on the u joints also.)

Enough of this I've been retired 3 years LOL