2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Borgeson Steering Shaft installed

[CumminsFarmer]

Installed a new Borgeson shaft in my pickup this morning. Seems to have cut the 'wander' by about 50%. There is still marginal play both left and right in the steering wheel however. My track bar has a Luke's Link installed, and appears to be rock solid. When rocking the steering wheel parked on concrete the track bar doesnt move at all. And when I try to push up and down on the track bar, the entire frame of the pickup moves up and down with it. Would a DSS be a next logical step? Ball joints and tie rods are fine. Steering gear was adjusted about 40,000 miles ago, 1/4 of a turn. Any input appreciated!



-Cole

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

My steering still seems good as new, but some guys seem to think the Borgeson units make it even better - was the installation much hassle?

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

OH - and yeah, the DSS setup stiffens up the lower end of the gearbox nicely - and while it's not really a proper "cure" for a worn or damaged steering box, it's a worthwhile preventative addition.

 

[BILLVO]

When I did my Borg shaft I had read that on several occasions they rust solid. So I drilled and tapped in a grease zerk in mine to be able to grease it and keep it from rusting solid. It works nice I filled the cavity with synthetic grease to prevent water or other contaminates and lubed it with synthetic grease before the install now at service I give it 1-2 pumps of grease.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Very tight fit, awkward, or other issues swapping one out Bill?

 

[BILLVO]

Basic tools was very easy to swap nothing was stuck or rusted together, I put antisieze on the splines and yoke that goes on the box. Maybe took 15 minutes not including the zerk install on the new one.



Just remove the bolt on the yoke end and the 2 bolts on the column end and colapse it a bit and pull it out.



Make sure the steering wheel and tires are straight when starting and it will come out good.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Thanks Bill - and also for the heads-up on that zerk fitting - sounds like a good idea!

 

[CumminsFarmer]

Same here, mine was easy to swap, other than the fact that it was 20 degrees in the shop! I didnt do a grease zerk on mine, but am thinking about painting it. Read somewhere that they can get surface rust pretty easy. Planning on doing a level kit and new shocks in January, will get a second opinion on my steering then from a good friend and trusted mechanic.

 

[Cummins724]

I think the DSS is by far the best steering mod that I have made. The rock solid bushing helped alot also. I've been thinking about doing the Borgeson shaft... . maybe I will after reading this.

 

[BILLVO]

I have had the rock solid bushing laying on a shelf for a year. Thought I needed it when I did my borg but after the old shaft was out I found the column was still tight. May need it in the future so until then I will wait. At least I have it already.



That reminds me I may bring that old thread back up for a question on how they are holding up long term now.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Even thought they say it will void your warranty...

Same here, mine was easy to swap, other than the fact that it was 20 degrees in the shop! I didnt do a grease zerk on mine, but am thinking about painting it. Read somewhere that they can get surface rust pretty easy. Planning on doing a level kit and new shocks in January, will get a second opinion on my steering then from a good friend and trusted mechanic.

PAINT IT! I should have done this when I first got it. 10 years later it a hunk of rust. Minor flaking starting. The pic is showing the less rusty part. I would have used Eastwoods Rust Encapsulator. This is a way better product then POR-15. Not even close.



Eastwood Co. - Eastwood Rust Encapsulator Black Aerosol 16 oz



After 5 years I have the column end u-joint start to get play in it. I bought a new one from Borgeson, they wanted the OE one back to inspect it. They retuned it rebuilt N/C.



The setscrews seem to wear slightly over the years. I noticed this last week when I pulled on the column end and saw slight movement at the column end coupler. Just a quick loosening of the lock nut and retightening of the setscrew fixed it, & tightened up the steer play noticabley.



It's always the column end where the minor problems arise. Never the steering box end.

 

[drag racer]

Happy with mine. I did not paint it because I live in AZ, so I don't think rust will be an issue, but if you live in a wetter climate, I would add some kind of corrosion protection. As others have said, the install is pretty easy. The only glitch I had was on the steering box end, it may take of couple of iterations to get the correct spline alignment to keep the steering wheel straight up and down when going straight. I was off one spline the first time, and then another the other direction the second time. Even so, the whole job took about an hour - less if you get the splines aligned correctly the first try.



One other thing - before I bought mine, I searched the forum archives to research how others felt, and came across some old threads from several years ago where someone was throwing Borgeson under the bus for mis-manufacturing their shafts with the flat 180 degrees off from the stock shaft at the steering box end, yada, yada. That guy missed the boat - the Borgeson setscrew nicely goes in the groove further forward on the shaft, not like the stock shaft. I even read where some were trying to file a new flat on the other side of the shaft - all unnecessary IMO.