RETRO-Mod: Jeep intermediate steering shaft

[Doppleganger]

Is this the correct 'new' part for the square conversion?

https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/crown...ering-shaft-assembly-4713943/_/R-BKMN-4713943

My buddy's son works in a dealership - says they have several older Jeep steering shafts in old stock - he can bag me one for about $50. Just have to verify the PN.

 

[RecklessWOT]

Astro= welded and extended to be safe. Cherokee= run it stock, collapsed a little if anything.

Sounds like I'll be sticking with plan A, especially since there are like a zillion Cherokees out there as opposed to the few Astros you might be lucky enough to find...

 

[Craig 85]

Is this the correct 'new' part for the square conversion?

https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/crown...ering-shaft-assembly-4713943/_/R-BKMN-4713943

That's the part I used on my '85.

 

[TPISly-C10]

Astro= welded and extended to be safe. Cherokee= run it stock, collapsed a little if anything.

Sounds like I'll be sticking with plan A, especially since there are like a zillion Cherokees out there as opposed to the few Astros you might be lucky enough to find...

Astro= welded and extended to be safe. Cherokee= run it stock, collapsed a little if anything.

Sounds like I'll be sticking with plan A, especially since there are like a zillion Cherokees out there as opposed to the few Astros you might be lucky enough to find...

Here in QC Canada we have a zillion of Astro's but niet on Cherokee's!

 

[RecklessWOT]

Here in QC Canada we have a zillion of Astro's but niet on Cherokee's!

Well heck, then use whatever you have available! Cherokees are still all over the place down here, but if there are none up there in frenchy fronch land then I'm glad you're at least able to find a suitable replacement. You should cross the border and come to New England if you want to stock up on jeep shafts, I'm only about an hour and a half from the border and there are TONS of Cherokees here, both still on the road and in junkyards. From my house it's a little over 3 hour drive to Montreal, crazy how different things are such a short distance away!

 

[Jawzjeep]

I know im way late to this conversation but I wanted to mention a company called speedway motors. They have lots of builder parts including steering shaft parts to make your own. On another vehicle my only option was flaming river or borgeson. Instead I ordered the shaft and 2 little u joints. You can get weld together or bolt together set ups. I welded mine together then bolted it too. Both u joints fit right onto the stock locations just get the right one.

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[hatred]

One of the best and cheapest mods to do

 

[LateOnTheBrakes]

One of the best and cheapest mods to do

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but is this the part I need?

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[Doppleganger]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but is this the part I need?

You must be registered for see images attach

https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/crown...ering-shaft-assembly-4713943/_/R-BKMN-4713943

 

[LateOnTheBrakes]

I wish I would have come across this thread before I bought a used intermediate shaft and a new rag joint. I guess I can sell those to someone who wants to keep things as stock as possible.

When you guys are saying this tightens up the steering are you just talking about removing the dead space at the top of the steering where where you begin to turn and nothing happens?

I have been chasing an issue with mine where the wheel will be almost perfectly straight when I'm driving in a straight line, take a right turn, and now the wheel is at ~45* to the right to keep the truck straight. Irritates the hell out of me. I've got a rebuilt steering gearbox and a new rag joint. I have the crown auto unit on the way. I am hoping it gets rid of my issues.

 

[Dark Star]

I have the same problem on my 1986 K5 as LateOnTheBrakes has with his truck. I relaced the steering gear box with twice with NAPA and finally with a new lower ration unit, no improvement. My next step is going to be the intermediate shaft transplant, I am hoping it will be the steering wheel issue cure.

 

[Bextreme04]

I have the same problem on my 1986 K5 as LateOnTheBrakes has with his truck. I relaced the steering gear box with twice with NAPA and finally with a new lower ration unit, no improvement. My next step is going to be the intermediate shaft transplant, I am hoping it will be the steering wheel issue cure.

If you are finding that after taking a turn, your steering wheel is now offset to the right or left to keep going straight... you most likely have loose U-bolts or bad steering linkage components. I would take a hard look at the spring perches on the front and see if the entire axle is shifting in relation to the frame as you turn the wheel. When I first got the new lift springs on my truck this was happening and it turned out the drivers side U-bolts weren't tight enough and the axle shifted enough to cause that to happen when turning.

 

[R Carnella]

Not sure why this mod is better than just replacing the (rag joint) coupler?

 

[75gmck25]

A brand new rag joint is quite tight and might initially take away nearly all the slack, but it will wear over time and loosen up a little. The Cherokee replacement joint will be tight up front and should stay that way indefinitely.

Another point to mention is that early steering boxes (like the one in my ‘75) cannot be direct swapped to the Cherokee joint because they don’t have the right connector on the box. I think it’s ‘79 and up that are a direct swap.

 

[LateOnTheBrakes]

If you are finding that after taking a turn, your steering wheel is now offset to the right or left to keep going straight... you most likely have loose U-bolts or bad steering linkage components. I would take a hard look at the spring perches on the front and see if the entire axle is shifting in relation to the frame as you turn the wheel. When I first got the new lift springs on my truck this was happening and it turned out the drivers side U-bolts weren't tight enough and the axle shifted enough to cause that to happen when turning.

This is an interesting thought. I did replace the leaf springs a few months ago. Any idea what the torque spec on the u-bolts should be? My axle is a Dana 44 out of a 1974ish model (ring gear is stamped 1973).