Which Steering U-Joints

BlackBetty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
91
Location
Alabama
Im mocking up my grand am rack right now. Im gonna do the 2 u joint setup like 69myway, mr. vette and a few others have done except I was gonna order some instead of get them from the junk yard. Can someone please give me the link to the right joints to order? From speedwaymotors.com or somewhere else? I just need one for the column splines side and one for the rack itself as well as the shaft to connect the two. Thanks
 
Here's what I ordered from Summit:

FLA-FR1712DD STEERING U JOINTS NEEDLE BEAR $69.95

FLA-FR1759DD U JOINT $69.95

FLA-FR1850 DD SHAFT 18IN $69.95
 
Here's what I ordered from Summit:

FLA-FR1712DD STEERING U JOINTS NEEDLE BEAR $69.95

FLA-FR1759DD U JOINT $69.95

FLA-FR1850 DD SHAFT 18IN $69.95

I dunno if Smut offered that 7 years ago or not, never thought to check...do you have it in the car yet and know it all works??

I just looked up the first one, and sure enough, Flaming River....that is high dollar stuffs man.....I figger if it's good enough for a car company, it's good enough for ME, and so I junkyard that type crap for 20 bux...long as the car not whacked hard in the front, possible defective stuff...

I just knock the bearings out like any ordinary U joint, center them up again and pin it down the way they did, knock on wood, fine, so far....
I think more of my setup than unwelded collars on the Ujoints to the intermediate shafts they use a set screw in there....I think....

:beer:
 
Correct, they use a setscrew. I don't trust it either and I'll weld it once it's aligned and adjusted.

High dollar stuff ? $70 for a steering U-joint can't be much more than they charge at the "zone" ... not ??? Hey, with the rack and these steering shaft parts I'm under $400... compared to $1200 for Steeroids.... I'm not complaining....

Haven't installed it yet.... :beer:
 
Correct, they use a setscrew. I don't trust it either and I'll weld it once it's aligned and adjusted.

High dollar stuff ? $70 for a steering U-joint can't be much more than they charge at the "zone" ... not ??? Hey, with the rack and these steering shaft parts I'm under $400... compared to $1200 for Steeroids.... I'm not complaining....

Haven't installed it yet.... :beer:

MY install was less then 200.....:p:beer: for value received I make Turtle look like a spendthrift....
 
I think I used the same ones as MYBAD79, and they work fine. Although, right on the package it specifically says DO NOT WELD ON. Not sure why, but I followed the directions they gave which was to countersink the shaft where the set screw rests.
Besides, if a set screw does back out, the shaft or upper joint won't fall out unless the rack is lowered. At least that's how it works with mine.
 
I mean Ive seen 69myways 2 joint set up work with my own eyes. He has a video on his website. Gene has been rockin his home made set up with 2 joints for a long time. I would like some pics of the crescent that Gene cut out of the motor mount arm. I dont think Chris-69myway did. Im gonna order them tonight. I only paid 30 bucks for my rack with low miles and two pass. side tie rods, so Im not real concerned with spending the money on some nice joints.
 
I mean Ive seen 69myways 2 joint set up work with my own eyes. He has a video on his website. Gene has been rockin his home made set up with 2 joints for a long time. I would like some pics of the crescent that Gene cut out of the motor mount arm. I dont think Chris-69myway did. Im gonna order them tonight. I only paid 30 bucks for my rack with low miles and two pass. side tie rods, so Im not real concerned with spending the money on some nice joints.

BB, I just set the rack up on jack stands, and rotated it around until the steering would work with just two U joints on the input shaft...not a great issue...trick was to raise the level of the rack input shaft....and put more angle down there, which relaxed the severe angle on the upper joint....

in order to do so, I found to cut a crescent out of the back edge of the engine mount...about 2.5" diameter....I have a whole bunch of hole saws, so it was a no sweat operation....check the rack with the Ujoint on it for the needed diameter, don't go my memory from 7 years ago....
I did all this in a MAJOR overhaul/reconfiguration of the car winter 01-2.....
it was just one major alteration to the car...out of a long series...

but the hole saw center was set on the outer lip of the mount, and so drilled it fine and into the perfect crescent shape.....the engine was out of the car, so it was easy...having spec'd the exact location of the OEM cross link and knowing it's relationship to the oil pan.....mucho time with tape measure....

Olde tyme carpenter's trick....measure once cut twice....something like that....:surrender:

one thing....when doing that cut, a smooth transistion around the cut as being important for not introducing metal cracks and stress points....

:eek::smash:
 
Thanks to all replies. Mounted the rack up and it works great. U joints worked perfect and look good too. I cut a crescent in the motor mount arm. Ill probably do a little mount reinforcement of some form. Built some pretty beefy brackets as well. Bolted them through the frame but I am going to run a few weld beads for a little added insurance.
 
Thanks to all replies. Mounted the rack up and it works great. U joints worked perfect and look good too. I cut a crescent in the motor mount arm. Ill probably do a little mount reinforcement of some form. Built some pretty beefy brackets as well. Bolted them through the frame but I am going to run a few weld beads for a little added insurance.

Eureka! I werks@! now for some PIX and maybe a drawing (hopefully better than mine) of the brackets.....come on, out with it, spill the beans....

:hissyfit::friends:
 
Top