I just replaced my rag joint with an UE eliminator kit. The kit went on without any trouble, however when I had the shaft out, in the end that points towards the steering wheel when I looked down the inside of the shaft I could see a small disc about 10-12mm diameter which appeared to be loose and not fixed to anything. I tried grabbing it with some pliers but it wouldn't come out. There didn't appear to be any play in the joint at the top of the shaft and the collapsibile section worked ok with no play, so I decided to leave it alone.
When I refitted the shaft to the car and fitted the lower end to the steering box, the top end was sitting about 5mm off centre to the shaft leading up to the steering wheel. I managed to get the shaft on, and connected up, then I jacked the front end of the car up and rotated the wheel to full lock left and right, and all seemed ok with no tight spots.
After I took the car for a test drive, when I returned home, the last two turns I noticed a clonking sound coming from the steering shaft. I jacked the car up again and rotated the wheel, and every 30-40 degrees rotation I get a fairly loud clonk from the steering shaft. I tried feeling the joints while the shaft was being turned, and I am sure it is coming from the intermediate shaft not the box, although I cannot feel anything moving to make the clonk.
When I grab a front wheel and turn the steering by forcing the wheel, I get no clonks. The bolts on the rag joint are tight and not moving, and I think the clonk is coming from either the flexible joint right at the top of the intermediate shaft, or the sliding joint in the middle. It doen't make any difference if I have the engine running or not. Still clonks.
Has anyone else experienced this? I was wondering if it is related to the disc thingy in the top of the shaft that I thought was loose. In any case, I think I need a new shaft, and I was thinking that if I can get a new one with the original rag joint in place, I may as well just fit the original type.
A couple of months ago there was a new GM shaft on Ebay, but of course now there aren't any.
Where can I get one, preferably a GM part?
When I refitted the shaft to the car and fitted the lower end to the steering box, the top end was sitting about 5mm off centre to the shaft leading up to the steering wheel. I managed to get the shaft on, and connected up, then I jacked the front end of the car up and rotated the wheel to full lock left and right, and all seemed ok with no tight spots.
After I took the car for a test drive, when I returned home, the last two turns I noticed a clonking sound coming from the steering shaft. I jacked the car up again and rotated the wheel, and every 30-40 degrees rotation I get a fairly loud clonk from the steering shaft. I tried feeling the joints while the shaft was being turned, and I am sure it is coming from the intermediate shaft not the box, although I cannot feel anything moving to make the clonk.
When I grab a front wheel and turn the steering by forcing the wheel, I get no clonks. The bolts on the rag joint are tight and not moving, and I think the clonk is coming from either the flexible joint right at the top of the intermediate shaft, or the sliding joint in the middle. It doen't make any difference if I have the engine running or not. Still clonks.
Has anyone else experienced this? I was wondering if it is related to the disc thingy in the top of the shaft that I thought was loose. In any case, I think I need a new shaft, and I was thinking that if I can get a new one with the original rag joint in place, I may as well just fit the original type.
A couple of months ago there was a new GM shaft on Ebay, but of course now there aren't any.
Where can I get one, preferably a GM part?
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