Need rag joint /steering column advise

[jimbeamalki]

Dumb novice is trying to replace rag joint. I have it off, and also want to replace the lower column bearing. The top of the rag joint attaches to a flanged piece with 2 bolt holes and 2 flanges which attaches to what I would call the bottom inner rod of the column. How do I get the flange piece off the inner rod column? Does it just slide off, or is it attached in some way that I can't see--internal screw inside the rod? Thanks in advance.

[6166 Junkyard Dog]

THE flange stays on the shaft,,, the rag joint comes off the gear box with a 12 point socket that I have ground down thin to get in there with, loosen column back under the dash and on the firewall coumln bracket to give enough to get the rag joint off

[cdherman]

The bottom "flanged piece" is swaged onto the steering shaft. You cannot remove it.

To replace the bottom bearing, you have to remove the shaft, at a minimum. You *might* be able to get the shaft to slide all the way out if you:
1) remove the steering wheel
2) Loosen the bolts that hold the bottom end "firewall bracket" to the firewall.
3) Loosen the ring shaped clamp that holds the firewall bracket and rubber boot and steering column all together.
4) remove the two bolts under the dash

These 4 things would allow you to angle the steering column and shaft, and slide the shaft out to the right (engine side) of the steering box.

I think!!

I neved tried it that way -- I just removed the whole steering column. Getting the old bottom bearing out was difficult enough on my work bench. I managed with a combination of chizel and vice grips and some curseing and whacking. Re-installing the new bearing was pretty easy on a work bench with a socket (dig through your 1/2" set till you find the right size) and a block of wood.

Finally. You have to ask yourself why the bearing and rag joint are shot. They do not usually fail, unless there are 100s of thousands of miles on a truck. The typical reason for failure is that the cab mounts are rusted and the cab is sagging down onto the frame. Since the steering column is bolted solid, the weight of the cab starts to bear on the rag joint and lower column bearing. They don't like that.

If you are lucky, your cab mounts are ok , and you just have an old truck with flattened rubber cab mounts (there are/were hockey puck shaped rubber cushions between the cab and the frame) and many miles.

In that case, replace the rag joint and bearing. I will wait for your response before I post up exactly how to re-install the column so that there are no lateral stresses on the new bearing.

[jimbeamalki]

cdherman--you are right--I know my cab mounts and floor boards are bad--figured if I put the rag joint and bearing in then it would be driveable to take it somewhere to get the cab mounts & floorboards done. To pull the column, how do you disconnect the 2 shifting levers below the firewall?

[cdherman]

I take it you have a 3 speed. I don't know how to disconnect. I assume there are some cotter pins or clips that hold the shift rods in the shift arms.

In any case, if the cab mounts are sagging, you should limit your efforts on the steering. You do not NEED the lower bearing -- if you can get the rag joint together and the upper bearing and steering wheel are intact, you can drive it a short distance that way.

Is the current bearing completely gone? Is the shaft ruining the tube at the bottom? If you loosen up the bolts on the firewall barcket, you may be able to move the coulmn up so that the shaft is not rubbing so hard.

In any case, get the mounts fixed.

[ICEMAN6166]

what NOT to do:

[cdherman]

Nice. There are several lovely things in that pic. Is it right that someone replaced the brake light sender with a bolt?

For anyone not catching what ICE is saying NOT to do, take a closer look at the Rag joint.

[2bocat]

Really good thread on this over at

http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =5&t=36695

for what it's worth...

[DV65CustomCab]

Might be easiest to remove the rods at the trans itself? They are held on with some over-engineered E clips that are a bugger to get off.