Steering concern

[ALyon]

I installed a Borgeson steering shaft. The removal/installation was pretty straight forward and my '93 W250 certainly steers better. However, I end up with a concern. The splined stub of the steering gear box is short and has a substantial chunk ground off to make a flat platform. The U-joint fits over the splined stub and is flush with the shaft side of the hole. There is only about 1mm of spline showing. I suppose that I could drive the connection on that much deeper, but it doesn't look like I'd improve the connection. My concern is that the whole connection is only about 3/4 inch long and the result looks pretty weak to me. Did anyone else end up with a similar connection? different connection? Does anyone else look at the result with concern? Has anyone had bad experience with the connection between the splined stub and the U-joint?

 

[TKingsbury]

Mine was on the truck when I bought it, and to tell you the truth I've never given it more than a passing glance. Maybe I'll give'r a look see now that you've got my interest up.

Travis. .

 

[JLEONARD]

Can you try to explain it a little differently? I'm not quite getting a picture of what you're describing.

You could send me a picture if that's possible. I design steering shafts for a living so I'd like a better understanding.

-- email address removed --

 

[ALyon]

I'll try to get a digital picture this weekend and post early next week. There may be some delay as it is supposed to rain through Tuesday. The connection I'm concerned about is the one at the U-joint end of the Borgeson where it fits over the splined shaft/stub that comes out of the steering gear. It's the connection which was made by the OEM coupler.

 

[JLEONARD]

It will be good to see a pic... I know where you are describing, I just can't get the visual.

So I'll try describing what I think it should look like... ... based on the oem shafts we manufacture.



There should be about an inch of splined shaft sticking into the mating yoke. I think 3/4 would be ok... that would put the yoke about centered around the groove in the shaft.



Does that make any sense?

 

[Don in Missouri]

Isn't there a roll pin the hold the shaft to the bear box?

 

[ALyon]

The roll pin is part of the OEM coupler attachment. The Borgeson uses a set-screw. The more I thought about it, in addition to a piucture or two, a sketch with measurements might be more useful. I have not measured the length of attachment, but it is 3/4 inch at most. On a large, heavy vehicle like a Dodge diesel which will probably have substantial impact pressure on the front tires when off road the attachment just looks weak to me. I figured that if others who have made the modification had a similar size connection and no problems then I'd stop thinking about it.

 

[JLEONARD]

If you have about the same amount of engagement on each side of the bolt groove in the splined shaft of the gear box you should be ok.

But send me a sketch and pics if you can

Jay

 

[ALyon]

My first time trying to attach pictures - if all goes well there will be three pictures. The first shows the completed connection with the set screw at the bottom. The second shows the shaft and gear stub connected, but the set screw is removed and the collar loose. The third shows the shaft and stub disconnected. Actually, I feel a bit embarrassed. When I took the connection apart, I found the stub measures 1 1/16 inch with 1 inch splined. The length of connection when attached is about 1/32 inch less than the one inch length. I'm going to stop being concerned and also get my eye-balls recallibrated.

 

[JLEONARD]

I think that's as good as it gets with that connection.

Jay