2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Borgeson steering shaft came apart.

[johnjackson]

Warning. Borgeson steering shaft can pull apart! 4 wheeling on a very steep hill in low range in low gear the frame on my '98 twisted enough to pull the shaft off the steering box. Nothing holds it on but two set screws, and they can work loose. My opinion, the stock is better.

 

[CRodi]

Mine did the opposite. The telescoping portion seized and the set screws rusted in place.

I'm glad I kept the OEM one. It went back on the truck.

A lot of times the OEM shaft gets blamed for other problems.

 

[seafish]

Thanks for posting this as, people NEED to know these things... your Borgenson shaft is not the first to do so and UNFORTUNATELY probably not the last.

GLAD that you are OK!!!

 

[mpaulson]

Yep, had one on my last truck and I hated that stupid design. Mine came loose once and I could feel the slop in the steering wheel. Not to be trusted!!

 

[Tuesdak]

The Borgeson in my Rat Rod, 93 Chevy, has tried to kill me twice. First time was collapsing the column under the set screw and slowly coming off. Caught it before it did in part from other members warning us about it on here. (So thanks for sharing!) Needs the hollow shaft welded solid to not slide/work off again. Second time the rag joint got hold of the front differential vent tube and locked the steering up till the tube was ripped off. You know two hands on the wheel while crossing into the other lane with brakes dynamited. On inspection I found Borgeson used lock washers to secure bolts through the flexible rubber rag joint: DUH!!! Borgeson used the better choice of locknuts for the other two rag joint bolts!

It swung out of the normal circle from the missing fastener and hooked the vent line.


Seeing this under the truck, while fixing the vent line, yeah it got fixed both sides with red threadlocker.

Repaired:

 

[rootmanslim]

I pointed out the unsafe design YEARS ago right here. It came apart at 65 mph ! and all most killed us. Still they keep selling them and TDR carries their ads. Many hot rod/ car TV shows feature them on cars with insane horsepower. They would NEVER be approved for use on an aircraft, but fools keep risking their lives on this killer device. When the first gazillion lawsuit is filed, I'll be there as an expert witness ! TDR should NOT carry the ads !


HERE'S what I said then and nobody has sued me yet ! POS avoid it like girld who hang out as truck stops ! "Borgsen Steering Shaft can kill you

I have put on my steel shorts as I know lots of you love them BUT one almost killed me and a friend. 2001 4X4, auto, Rixon wheels and 19. 5" tires. Lots of driving on USFS roads hauling a horse trailer. Driving back from Jackson WY to Pinedale WY on rt 191 (paved). After all the twisty turners thru the Hoback canyon (no guard rails and a river to fall into after a 10-50 ft drop), we climbed the rim and were cruising along at 65 on the dead level in one of the few areas with wide flat shoulders. I went to make a minor steering correction and the wheel just turned in my hands... NO STEERING! Thanks to the road crown and gentle braking we slowly drifted off into the sagebrush and got stopped 15 feet from a large steel tower housing a weather station in front of a 4 strand barbed wire fence. The Borgsen shaft had been installed 8000 miles before and as well as the jam nuts all the allen heads were locktited. What happened is that the allen head on the upper end vibrated loose and the shaft collapsed (accident slip joint) and was disconnected from the wheel. IMO it is a poor design as the total connection reliability is based on those allen heads and jam nuts. May be fine for the 2WD that never goes off pavement but Wyoming washboard will shake anything loose. I went back to the OEM shaft that has a slide on collet with a big bolt & nut to tighten the collet on the shaft. BTW the lauded Borgsen made no difference in my steering unlike the Luke's link and Solid Steel Industries steering box locater.

I sent it back and they sent me a check. No comments from them at all on my enclosed note. Almost anywhere else on that 77 mile drive and we would have been statistics. A big ad in TDR does not a good product make and they won't buy your tombstone either. Rates right up there as a near death experience with the Otter crash in Ontario, but that's another story.
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