Dumb question maybe, but if I want a lower rag joint connector to use on a '54 Chevy box so I can hook it to a '63 Buick column, do I go find a clean used one and unbolt it, or can I go buy a new one? Lots of cars to pull one from, I have a couple engineless former drivers, looks like a stay bolt and maybe a puller to get one off. The only tough thing I see is the shaft on the '54 box won't have splines once I cut it to length. Maybe I could pull it apart and have them machined in once the length is set. The other question would be if it's easy to get a new rubber insert for them. The '63 column was a U-pull-it deal and I just tore it out once it was off the dash and got out of there. Easier to ask here than to call up the parts store, although I find if I go to the big Napa store they can look stuff up by drawing if need be, they had my brake shoe links for a couple minute wait for the guy to go find them in the warehouse. Plus, asking here puts info up should someone else want to know -
man,,, there is nothing like the warm and fuzzy safe feeling of new unused steering components...specialy where joints are concerned IMO. i'd get new if i were you
Back when they were popular you could buy repair kits that supplied the rubber ring and the hardware to restore frayed units. They were so cheap I always found a used one and repaired it. The "Help" section in the bubble pack auto parts stores had them. Check their catalog to see if they are still available.
You could always use a U-joint for it that's what I did on my 53. I machined the shaft out of the box to accept a DD joint and coupled it to my column.
yeah, when we built clarence in '92 i wanted a rag joint, but it just wasn't lookin' like it was gonna happen so we just made up the shaft with a couple of u-joints in it. i've driven that thing all over the world for 13 years now and don't have any complaints.
replacement rags are still available, motormite's help line. used one on 64 f-85 cutl*** and man, what a difference!
I do not like rag joints as there are intended as a vibration isolator and not a flex joint. If you look through salvage vehicles you will find a steering column link that also incorporates a vibration isolator. Dodge Dakotas have these and others also. This will take care of alignment of the shafts and reduce the vibration in one package. Now, if you can get this to work in your application is the the trick. I can send you a picture of a couple if you do not know what they look like. My 2 cents.
You can get new rag joints at NAPA on the Balkamp tree. They come in a few sizes so see what you need first. A good point was made here, they were made for vibration dampners, not as a flex joint, if you need it to flex a lot make up some yolks and run u-joints, if it stays pretty straight, just replace the rag.
In my case it looks like this one. It's been this way for 5 years with no probs. I check it every so often with other critical junk.
Most decent parts stores should have rag joints in the HELP section (red blister packs) There are a few sizes if I remember correctly.
I missed the answers to this post, and it occurs to me tonight "whatever happened on that post on the rag joint connector?" With a '54 box, the column should align pretty straight, wheel is positioned okay now. I just need to attach the thing, which means cutting down the '54 shaft and something to bolt the top of the joint to. The metal lower part of the joint that was on the Rivera steering box, I don't have. I didn't know if I could go into a Napa and find a guy who'd know what I was talking about, or if I should just go to the U-pull-it and look for a clean lower joint to run. But then again the shaft won't be splined when it's cut down, so maybe the U-joints are the way to go. I already figured on a new rag, I'd go to Napa and ask for it there since the more oddball stuff the other places are usually clueless about - they may know what I mean, just not how to find a part number for it. Thanks -
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