I've got a 5/8" 36 spline X 3/4" Double D, bolt on Steering U-Joint and need something shorter and less bulky due to clearance issues. It's hard to tell in pictures but I was wondering if anyone knows of something a little more compact? The U-Joints offered by Sweet look more compact but maybe it's just the pic.
What way is it a clearance issue,long or wide[round]? That way we got something more to work with for ya!
The shank of the black steel joint pictured is right up against number 1 plug. If I weld the shaft in I can do away with the bolt and get a little closer but the joint angle is severe enough that it exceeds a comfortable working angle. If the shank was narrower it would help and if it was short enough it might be even better. The black one pictured is 3-3/4" long all together.
what's it on?? rack & pinion?? when i put my r&p on my 50, i had to cut the rack mount and rotate the rack to get the clearance i needed.....
Those are similar to our moly joints, they are about as narrow as your going to find. They have a 35* max angle. Can you shorten the shaft to get it away from your plug issue?
It's on a straight axle Henry J and I've got the engine set back and low in the frame. I was too concerned with properly setting up drive line angles and steering geometry. I didn't realize the bulk of the Steering U-Joint. It's the first joint off the Vega box so there's no shortening a shaft. I might try one of the slim looking double joints and see if that gives me more clearance or wait for Speedway's Tech to open on Monday and give me a measurement on the other style stainless joint # 910-290.
I don't believe I've seen any steering joints smaller than the type you showed us. It sounds like your solution may lie in tipping the Vega box back a few degrees. Since that will require reworking the box mount you might also consider moving the box mount outward a half inch or so. Either may provide enough clearance. Charlie
You might look at a 525 steering box. It's a little bigger than the Vega box, but the input shaft is quite a bit longer. It might move the joint away from the plug. Depending on the engine, you can also get shorter spark plugs that might help. Larry T
I can lower this box or tilt it a bit but I didn't want to have to fab a new mount if I could just get a shorter profile joint.
When I first mounted my Vega box I had the same problem, it was to close to the engine and I had Header clearance issues. I set the mount on the frame, traced it, cut the frame and inset the mount, welded it all up and i had a 1/4" to spare. Heres a couple of pics. As you can see I also had to tip the mount down in the rear to get it to clear the motor mount.
You might get away with building an extension for the shaft splines. Take the splined end of the ujoint and weld a short shaft to it to move the actual ujoint up and away from the box a little (no more than absolutely necessary). Sounds a little sketchy but if done right it works fine.
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