Extending Lower Steering Shaft

[Josh C.]

I had to make my steering shaft longer. I have aftermarket headers and they rub against the steering shaft extension piece badly. I tried grinding the extension to make it thinner but I probably just compromised the structural integrity of it. Also I'm pretty sure the U-joints in my stock shaft are toast. I grabbed a new one from the local Pick-a-Part for $20, out of the 4 I pulled only one felt smooth. By placing an extension piece in the stock shaft I shouldn't have a problem with the headers hitting the shaft

I took the new shaft and used a pipe cutter to split it in half at the end that bolts to the steering wheel shaft, there is a section that's round and about 1" long, I cut it directly in half there. I took a piece of 7/8" all-thread I had lying and cut it to about 3" long. I had to shave the diameter down by about 1/16" to get it to fit inside the cut steering shaft. I do wish I could have found a 7/8" solid rod and put it on lathe to shave it down but we use what we have. Make sure you mark the orientation of the parts you cut so they get put back in the correct orientation

After I got the rod fit inside the steering shaft I drilled and pinned each end, probably didn't need to but I planned on doing a test fit before I welded it...I ended up welding it anyways.

I put a new boot over the U-Joints and filled it with grease. This is the boot I used: Dorman 03670 Universal Rack and Pinion Steering Boot Kit. Thanks to user Torqlox for posting about the boot

This weekend I'll wrestle with getting the old shaft out and the new one in and I'll report how it feels

* Does anyone have any ideas on how to protect the new rubber boot from header heat, mine is melted? I was thinking of wrapping it in header wrap but I don't think the wrap would stay in place very well

 

[amj441]

man you were not kidding with how close that header is to that steering shaft. as to how to get it to not melt? I would wrap the headers, unless you could tack a small heat shield to the header?

 

[VR4]

just dent the header tube. its already been proven that it doesnt hurt HP and these are such low HP engines anyways youll never notice it if it did cost you a whopping 2hp.

 

[410Fortune]

Nice work!!

I’m convinced the boot is there to keep stuff off the u joint like wires, brake fluid and power steering fluid… not to keep grease in as the u joint is all sealed
The boots fall apart before the trucks hit 5 years old yet after 20 years the u joint is still strong. With that said
I think @allmyEXes used a shock boot or something?

Nicely done! I’ve always just shaved down the square nut a tiny bit and cut the bolt flush

My old explorer had a 3” body
Lift which put the shaft basically into the header
So I actually cut the firewall and re located the firewall boot and pivot down 1”… added spacers under the steering column to change the angle slightly. Then instead of the body lift steering shaft extension I just drilled a new hole up 1.5” on the shaft. Worked good
I like your solution better!!

 

[allmyEXes]

I made one out of a piece of an old inner tube, packed it full of grease as I was wrapping it around the steering shaft then I secured it with a hose clamp on each end.
2 years later there was something laying in the gravel parking spot that looked like something the dog drug (dragged) up. We don't have a dog. It was the piece of inner tube that appeared to have gone through a stress test. I guess that it did.

 

[Josh C.]

Got it installed today and gave it a little drive around the block. All my popping while turning went away, the Ujoints on the old shaft were binding up pretty bad. I ended up getting rid of the stock bolt and square welded nut on the top of the shaft and used a rounded allen wrench head bolt and a lower profile nut so it won't hit the header. I tried to wrap the boot in header wrap but that was a no go. I found a heat shield "blanket" for a starter motor on Amazon that I will use around the boot...for now I am using aluminum foil overall I am happy. I will put it through it's paces this week and report back

I tried to dent the headers before but its to hard while it's installed on the truck

Here are some pictures of how I accessed the lower bolt because I know a lot of people have a hard time with it. 13" regular socket, swivel head ratchet and three wobble extensions, I think 8", 3" and 1". I went in next to the oil filter, I just had to move the brake line out of the way.