[Guest]

I have read the post by AutoCroSSer and the "blue" sheet that was in the u-joint for the upper part of the tube steering shaft. I called Borgeson and the guy told me that it was not neccassry for the spacer. Upper joint # 015252 & lower is # 034931. When i put it all together(upper part) i do not see any room for the "spacer" unless it goes inside the tube. Help me understand what the "spacer" is used for and where it goes. I am in the middle of the install and have to run to go get the shaft cut at my shop, i will be back in about 2 hours or call me at 901-574-2507. thanks for the help in advance.

 

[Guest]

It goes inside the steering column so the long set screw pushes on it which in turn pushes on the column tube .
With out the long set screw would simply go through the opposite hole and bare against the u-joint effectively doing nothing.

Now, that all being said, I think a washer stuffed in the middle is sort of ropey.

I am right now installing on and am going to use a small piece of my old 3/4 "DD" shaft inside the column piece .
It will still need a small partial hole so the set screw will lock in.
This with a sorter set screw, I feel , will do a much better job.
It will spread the load from the set screw on the tube better

Gerry

 

[Guest]

I was wondering about this also. So you can use the old upper shaft as an insert to provide an opposing surface and just grab a shorter set screw and be done with it?

What happens if you don't use a spacer? Is it going to move around?

 

[Guest]

Well i installed it all except the "spacer" and everything is just fine after a 25 mile trip. I guess i can install it later?! So the spacer goes inside the steering column tube coming from the firewall. So how do you keep it there while putting the u-joint on and keeping centered. I will try it sometime.

 

[Guest]

Well without a spacer, a washer, something, the one long set screw does nothing.
It will pass right through the GM steering tube doing nothing , pushing on the U-joint housing on the opposite side.
You will only have the one set screw pushing on the tube, an unsupported tube at that.

Just my way of looking at it.
Gerry

 

[Guest]

well i put a spacer in. When i took the old shaft out and slid the shafts apart a metal strip fell out, it was about 3" long and 1/2" wide. I put some gasket maker on it and stuck it in the tube and put everything back in/on. So i now have the SPACER in and working. A mod very worth while doing and spending money on. I adjusted the allen screw about half turn( 1/4 turn and test drive, 1/4 turn and test drive)so i think it is where i like it. Now i can take some turns without worrying about the loose feel in the steering wheel. I will wait the 100 miles before really TESTING it.

 

[Guest]

I used a piece of an old intermediate shaft

It would have been nice if Borgeson had held their tap straight

 

[Guest]

Does the u-joint fit snugly onto the column? Assuming that their other u-joints are tapped straight, it should pass through and sink into the indent on the other side without the need for a spacer.

 

[Guest]

Originally posted by 94capclass (Sean):
Does the u-joint fit snugly onto the column? Assuming that their other u-joints are tapped straight, it should pass through and sink into the indent on the other side without the need for a spacer.

Sean, the point being if the setscrew passes through both side of the column tube and seats against itself, it will effectively do nothing.

While a washer will let the setscrew load the tube, I feel the snug fitting block will help spread the load and also support the tube from distorting over time.
It will also do the same for the second setscrew, whereas the washer will not.
Gerry

[ 04-22-2007, 10:53 AM: Message edited by: 95wagon ]

 

[Guest]

There are two set screws? I assumed that tightening the set screw so that it passed through both column holes would lock it in place so that the u-joint could not pull off the tube.

 

[Guest]

Just a thought on this, not saying Gerry is wrong or it should not be done, just trying to understand a little more, i am slow at learning?! The stock joint at the coloumn had a bolt going through it and no other set screw or bolt. So if the Borgeson joint had holes on both sides and a bolt and nut to fasten it why worry about a spacer and 2 set screws. I drove my car as normal without the spacer and it seemed fine, then put the spacer in and it drove the same. The stock piece with just a bolt going through it seemed to fit real snug with very very little movement. The borgeson joint when i tightened the long set screw without spacer was just as snug. It seems you would want it to pass through the tube so if it did by chance loosen and want to fall off it would stop it. I know that the Borgeson would do the same, but only have one hole to fall out of. I am just pondering this and not wanting to start any arguments or anything of the sort. Like i said i put the spacer in there because the instructions said so and so did Gerry. Thanks for the help Gerry, just trying to get this off my mind.

 

[Guest]

Well, the way I see this in comparison to the factory set up is,

The production joint housing is "distortable"
The hole and bolt is 10mm (I think)

The factory steering shaft is not just a double D, it also have an indexing flat at the 12 o’clock position that corresponds to an index on the factory joint.
When you assemble the factory set up the pinch bolt squeezes the joint housing and distorts it slightly to conform to the steering shaft.
The inner shaft also distorts a bit as well.
This "squeeze action" keeps the assembly tight.

The Borgeson has a machined "D" in a rigid housing.
When you push it on the shaft and it feels tight the contact will only be in a couple of small areas because the steering shaft is not a precision machined "D”.
If you had just the long set screw (small 5/16 screw in big 10mm hole) running through both holes and baring on the opposite side, it would actually be trying to spread the Borgeson.
In very sort order you would find the Borgeson loosening up.
By putting something inside the setscrew can sandwich the steering shaft and hold it tight.

My personal feeling is a tight fitting inner plug goes you one better.

As long as there is at least one setscrew passing through one wall the safety is there.
BUT only if a person watches the set up and acts on any looseness.

That's my take on it,
Gerry

 

[Guest]

Gerry, any interest in selling those spacers? There's no way I could make one of those.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the explination, again. I understand it better now. I think i will do the same as you and cut off some material on the old shaft, I like the looks and it will work better. Thanks again.