Check your damn steering shaft!!!

straight 6 roar

straight 6 roar

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Nov 7, 2010
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Steering shaft U-joint completely came off the box splines this weekend and had zero steering control around a corner. By the grace of God I was going 20 mph, around a gentle turn, uphill, on an empty road. The night before I had 3 other guys in the truck going 75 on the interstate for 100 miles...

Needless to say I am getting it done right and had it towed to a trusted shop...any ideas as to why the U-joint slid off? The only steering mods are 3rd Gen track bar and BD control arms.

I am thinking new steering shaft/u-joint and redhead steering box, I almost want to weld it on because I'm gonna be so paranoid driving the truck now. :eek:
 

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There should be a bolt that keeps it from sliding out. Thats not the u-joints fault.
 
^^this, and just like the 08 steering breakage problem, things like this most often occur at slow speed maneuvers where steering effort is greater. Good thing you were safe tho.
 
The ujoint was probably not seated down all the way. You have to remove the bolt to slide the u-joint down and fully spline on the steering box. Then the bolt is installed in the recess between the first and second course of splines on the input shaft. There is no way for the ujoint to come off unless the bolt is completely removed when it is installed properly.
 
From the looks of the shaft is it NOT the original shaft but rather a Borg Warner Upgraded shaft. Needs a better attachment method IMO.
 
I've never messed with it before. The bolt is still in there, so maybe the prior owner effed with it and either didn't put it on all the way, or used the wrong bolt, or the threads on the bolt are beat out?? I'll see what he says.
 
The 2nd Gen shafts look like that I'm pretty sure. But if the bolt is still in there, I would def replace both shaft and box. I know the Borgeson shafts also have a collar to prevent the shaft from sliding up In a case like this
 
That does not look like the factory bolt. Someone may have put a smaller bolt/nut in from having stripped the original threads in the shaft or something along those lines.
 
Factory steering shaft has a 12mm bolt not set screws with jamb nuts.
 
MAXTORQ said:
Factory steering shaft has a 12mm bolt not set screws with jamb nuts.
Click to expand...

^^^this . The factory shaft I have never seen come of, the shaft pictured I have had a couple of trucks towed in with them off
 
It was so dang oily it just slid right off. Actually I think big blue has it figured out.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. The mechanic said the u-joint was not seated all the way and an improper bolt was used. He put in a correct one, seated it, and seems to think it's 100% ok. However I need to know, IS THIS THE PROPER SHAFT? Can someone take a picture of their 98 showing the retaining bolt and all?
 
Again what you have is a Borg shaft. Here is a pic of a 2nd gen shaft.
 

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Here is a 3rd gen.
 

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Yep, I was wrong. That's the Borgeson shaft. I've always tightened the crap out of those 2 allens/jam nuts, and used Loctite. Then you have to position that collar so it keeps this from happening.
 
Cripe it is a borgeson shaft... would you guys drive the truck with it? And by sliding the collar you mean the upper half of the joint on the shaft up to the firewall?
 
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