Steering Shaft

[Augustus]

Has anyone tried the Borgeson Steering Shaft?I have a 99 3500 with 255/85/R16's, 67,000 miles, and I think I need to replace the steering shaft, I keep feeling these little pops when I am starting off and it feels a little loose when I go over rough roads. I can feel a little slop in the OEM shaft when I shake it with my hand. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cost of new steering shaft?

 

[John HBD]

Augustus,before you buy new shaft try sliding the rubber boot on the intermediate shaft up and lubing the slip joint. This is a very common problem due to rust. The shaft is designed to slide because the steering gear is connected to the frame and the steering wheel to the cab. I hope this helps.
John

 

[John_P]

Augustus:

I have a "Borgeson" Steering Shaft on
my 96' Dodge. I noticed a BIG difference
in the way the truck steered/handled
after it was installed! When you look
at them side by side you will quickly
see why the Borgeson is a superior unit.
It really tightened up my steering alot.
I ordered it directly from Borgeson @
1-860-482-8283. As I recall it was about
$260. 00. They were very friendly and
helpful on the phone on it got here in
two days.

FYI, their website is: www.borgeson.com.
Hope this helps you.

------
John_P

------------------
Red '96 4x4 2500 Auto 3. 54, TST #5, Major Pump Mods(By "Scheid Diesel") 370 Diamond B Injectors, Gov. Spring kit, AFC Spring kit, Banks Exhaust, Prime Loc, Cummins Chrome Kit,Psychotty Air Filter, Pro-Torque Converter, BD Valve Body, BD Pressure Loc, Isspro Gauges, Sendel 16" Alum Wheels w/ 33" BFGs

 

[BigBadDodge]

Just got mine in the mail last week, it's on the back seat looks far superior then stock unit. Waiting on the AGR steering box so I can install both at the same time. Will post results next week hopefully.

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1997 Dodge Ram 2500 HD / Club Cab, Cummins Turbo Diesel (silencer ring removed), 4. 5" Skyjacker class II Double Flex suspension lift, 36x14. 5"x16. 5" Ground Hawg radials on 16. 5x9. 75 Weld Super Singles, dual steering stabilizer, 4. 10 gears, 33-tooth Speedo gear, Psycotty Air Induction, Mag-Hytec rear, Painless wiring, Amsoiled bumper to bumper, JRE 4" Turbo back exhaust, Rhino liner, Extang Black Max, Grizzly double bent nerf bars, Bushwhacker exstenda fender flares, Kanduco Sweet Tooth grill, Confer super skid axle truss, DT Trac-bar, Moog tie rod system, Fabritech stage II traction bars, Energy sway bar bushings and end links,CATZ hyper-white (stock location)GTS headlight black outs, Lund Eclipse side window. Truck Pic's

 

[DieselB59]

I bought one from them in 1997, and put it on. Over three months it developed a "loose feeling" in it. I checked all hardware and could physically feel the shaft have play in it. I called them up and spoke to a guy named Rich. He wouldn't send me a new one until I sent back the old one and suggested that I purchase another new one and when he got the old one he'd refund the money. So, being that my OEM one was in some scrap heap and melted down by then, what choice did I have? I did and it came and I installed it. Sent back the old one and got a call a week later and they had the nerve to tell me that whatever problem occurred wasn't due to a manufacturing defect, but was due to the unit having a light corrosion on the surface and that is not covered in the warranty. He went on to say that I was not getting anything back and if I wanted to get a refund I would have to send the new shaft back to them and if I attempted to call my credit card company (which I did), he would go on to tell them that this was an incidence of buyers neglect and remorse and that was not a condition that they could come after them for (which he did upon my writing the credit card company). He was right, big business prevailed once again over the little person. My findings... . yes there was some light surface rust on the shaft which in no way could have contributed to anything in comparison to the oversized shaft that they build. I found more than . 015 in play between the first borgeson shaft and the second. Indeed if corrosion is a problem, why not put a finish on the shaft. Borgeson warned me that painting their shaft will void the warranty, which is worthless anyway. So, I called them back and got to the highest seat in the company (could've been the Xerox boy for all I knew) and he didn't care what I had to say. He told me that it didn't matter who I told my story to because they made their fortune and name for selling what nobody else could for so many years. My experience is that it takes years to build a customer following, but only seconds to lose it. So, after he hung up on me, I pulled the new shaft out and put old clickity clack back in, then sent back the shaft for my refund their way. I bought a Flaming River shaft about a year or so ago and have had no problems since. Flaming River was shocked to hear what treatment I received from Borgeson. They do what it takes to satisfy a customer. Every time I see a post like this, I have to tell my story.

------------------
Chris Timochko
*Association of Diesel Specialists Certified*
AUTO WURKS DIESEL R&D TEAM
1997 5sp 4X4, Rhino Linings, Espar Heater, A. W. D. HX40 turbo, ATS 3pc Manifold, BD 4" Brake, Marine Compression, A. W. D. Custom Tuned Injection Pump, A. W. D. Intercooler, A. W. D. /Mallory Fuel System and Braided Stainless Lines, A. W. D. 370B Injection Nozzles, Delivery Valves, Governor & AFC Spring Kit, Psychotty Air, NOS Diesel Kit, A. W. D. 6" Chrome Exhaust System, BD No Smoke Valet Switch, McLeod Dual Disc Clutch, Mag-Hytec Rear Cover, Cummins Chrome Kit, Optima Red Tops, Hadley Bully Horns, Hurst Line Loc, Goodyear Wrangler AT/S 305/70/16s. 15. 50@97mph on Goodyear All-Terrain tires. Dynoed at Ida's: 435 hp at the rear wheels.
****************************************************************************
Project U96 - 1996 3500 2WD racer. A. W. D. Marine Ultra Low Compression, A. W. D. Teflon-coated Pistons, A. W. D. High Lift Camshaft, Ported and Honed Cylinder Head, Intake and Exhaust manifold; A. W. D. HX40 Turbocharger, ATS 3pc Exhaust Manifold, A. W. D. Water Mist Injection, A. W. D. Custom Fabricated Fuel System, Race Spec A. W. D. /BD P7100 Injection Pump, A. W. D. Custom High Flow Fuel Injection Nozzles, BD Auto transmission and Custom TC, Weld Draglites, Goodyear Eagle Drag Slicks, 5" Single Stack Through The Bed, Mag-Hytec on Rear and Transmission. 11. 54@115mph

 

[1tuffram]

DieselB59,

which shaft is of higher quality between the Borgenson and Flaming River? or are they pretty comparable.

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'95 2500 SLT 5 speed 4x4

 

[Dieselnerd]

Well, I was considering a Borgeson but after hearing from B59 NO WAY!

------------------
Ron

'96 Club Cab 2500 4x4, 4:10LS, Camper/Tow package, 3500 brake cyls. , Automatic, TST 230/605, Cat Test Pipe, Cummins Chrome, Mag-Hytec rear and trans covers, Boost, Pyro and trans gauges, Optima Red Tops, Rancho 9000's, All black. Tow 14k HitchHiker triple glide 5th Wheel. Also use 9. 5' Lance camper. NRA Life Member. KDP 61,000 NM-WT

 

[vc]

B59,

Thanks for the customer service story. They'll not get any of my business. I'm tired of companies like that taking their customers for a ride.

vc

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'97 Ram,auto,3. 54 lim-slip,4x4,smoothie,BD(TST)#8 fuel plate-slid forward,Prime-Loc,VDO Vision pyro/boost,HiddenHitch class V Magnum.

 

[BigBadDodge]

Well I guess I will be looking at it hard when I get it in.

Hey, why don't we send a link to this string to Burgeson #ad

 

[Tom Trujillo]

Thanks for the info. Yo may have saved me a lot of aggravation. I actually live not far from Torrington and I was looking forward to buying from a local company, however, I have learned to listen to the experiences of others. Does the other company (Flaming) have a web site??

Tom

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Augustus,

Try using a grease gun and fill up the rubber boot that protects the slip joint. I put 2 plastic ties on each end and squeezed the grease into the slip joint to fill the gap. This took up all play. I have to do this to my Borgeson shaft too.

I have had my Borgeson for about 3 years. No problems. If I had to do it again, I would
paint the shaft or have it powdercoated. They rust from the word go. Its Just surface rust. I wouldn't worry about the warranty.

The Flaming River shaft will need to be cut to length for your particular application. This is what they told me 3 years ago.

More info: http://www.flamingriver.com/
http://www.borgeson.com/



[This message has been edited by HEMI®Dart (edited 05-22-2001). ]

 

[SMorneau]

I found the Flaming River end components to be more resistant to corrosion. The Slip shaft on the Borgeson has much more travel than the FR which only has about an inch. The FR shaft slides easier than the Borgeson shaft but I get the same "OEM clunk" from my FR shaft. Pumping a little grease into the slip shaft cures it on the FR. The Borgeson shaft never clunked but its resistance to sliding compounded an equally irritating clunk that I recently eliminated by installing a solid delrin bearing in the base of the steering column.

I must say Borgeson treated me well but if I can't paint the shaft they should make it out of stainless or something.

I would try packing the OEM shaft full of grease; maybe you could install a zerk.

 

[roadranger]

I think I'd buy the Flaming River shaft, then send Borgeson a copy of the receipt telling them their customer service/warranty SUCKS and that they don't have the ONLY product out there! #ad


[This message has been edited by Deezul Doug (edited 05-22-2001). ]

 

[RON'S RAM]

Chris; It's too bad you had to find out how Borgeson's warranty (or lack of) is the hard way. I had thought about purchasing a steering shaft from them for my truck, but I will definately go somewhere else now. Thanks for the insight to there customer service. Just keep telling your story. In the long run, they'll get the shaft.

------------------
1997 2500HD 4x4 Club Cab SLT,5 Spd, Rhinoliner, BD Exhaust Brake,
basically stock 4 now.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Smorneau, could you elaborate on the delrin bearing? That sounds like a good idea since I notice the shaft through the steering column could use more support. Did you REPLACE or ADD this bearing? Did you have a solid place to mount it? Was it near where it goes thru the firewall??

Thanks, Vaughn

 

[SMorneau]

Vaughn , I had an annoying clunk in my lower steering. I chased to for a long time and spent too much money on trying to fix it. For some reason I would get clunking in the lower end of the steering column where the shaft exit through the center of a preload spring. Turning the spring would sometimes make it stop for a month or more. Before spending $300 on a new column I took it apart to look at it.



I found a very cheap plastic cup set into the end of the rolled sheet metal tube. I forget the exact configuration but the cup received a split collar that is tapered to take out play. The spring, mentioned above, preloads that collar. The spring on mine was plenty tight but I thought I would go ahead and load it some more. Thats when I either A) broke the plastic cup, or B) found out that the cup was broken already. I going with B!



Anyway, at this point I had to do something so, so using a block of Delrin plastic that I had got off the scrap pile for such an occasion. I drilled with a Forstner bit a 1" hole for the shaft to slide into and then used a sander to round the outside corners off of the block so it would fit into the end of the rolled sheet metal tube. Actually, I made it fit with a hammer. I then used some of the original components (spring, press on retainer, and a part that resembled a washer) to reinstall the spring putting a preload onto the shaft. Of course there is no bearing to preload in the base but I figured it would probably keep something from rattling. I don't know how long it will last but it is still working fine after about 7K miles. No clunks... its great.