Steering Part ID help PHULEEEEZE.....

[Billy Bob]

I am replacing the steering gear box in Janies Honcho, she wanted to switch to a gear box out of a J-20 instead of the J-10.

I have always refered to the joint between the steering column and the geear box as a steering gear rag joint, but so far the idiots at Auto not go there Zone can't find anything.

Anyone have any ideas? The old one off the Honcho is a smaller diameter, and will not open up wide enough to fit on the input shaft of the gear box.

The other ? is this, if I do in fact find the correct joint for the gear box, will it fit the lower steering shaft of the J-10?

Thanks in advance.

Bill

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Rag Joint or Steering Coupler. However I do not think you can buy the complete coupler from Advance or the like. The only thing you can buy is the rag itself Lares Part# 200. Junk Yard or off the someone off the board. And once you get the correct coupler it will match up to the steering shaft. I find it odd that so many are having this trouble. I have swapped rag joints from steering box to steering box and not yet found a differance in them

[DieselSJ]

BJ's has replacement rag joints.

[Billy Bob]

Crap crap and double crap......

I wuz afraid of that. Thanks for the help Pete. Even if it is bad news.


Hell hath no fury like a woman who cant wheel her Honcho!

[joe]

From the 74-80 parts manual it's called: Flange, Steering Gear to Shaft.
74-76 p/n 812 8405 and from 77-80 p/n 812 7966. That's the whole unit not just the rag.

[janie]

And once you get the correct coupler it will match up to the steering shaft.

Pete, I hope so, cuz that's another worry I'm having. Will the flange fit my current steering shaft.


I find it odd that so many are having this trouble. I have swapped rag joints from steering box to steering box and not yet found a differance in them

Here's the coupler/flange out of Tequilla, 17 spline.



Here's my new J-20 box. 31 spline.



Elliott's been looking for us. We've contacted every parts store, including the local Jeep dealership. Nada.

Worse yet, Tequilla is supposed to leave here on Friday to have the front axle rebuilt. Obviously, with no steering we can't drive it.

Frustrating day for sure. If we can't find this flange, I'll have no choice but to take back the J-20 box and get one for a J-10.

[Elliott]

What's the chance that pin drives out so you can swap the splined sections?

Also there are only 17 splines on that rag joint flange, but more on the input it came off of, should be ~25.

Then, what did you mic that 31 spliner at, 0.625 or what?

[Ristow]

i'm lookin' janie....i have that coupler you need,but finding it in the mess,after all the scrap hauls,may be tough...

[Billy Bob]

What's the chance that pin drives out so you can swap the splined sections?

Also there are only 17 splines on that rag joint flange, but more on the input it came off of, should be ~25.

Then, what did you mic that 31 spliner at, 0.625 or what?

Mic'd @ .602

Spline count on the original shaft is 25

I will see if the pin will drive out. The splined sections appear to be of the same dimensions on the shaft

[Billy Bob]

No such luck!

The shaft is larger on the new J-20 box, and the shear pin is larger as well. SO,...no go!

[Elliott]

.602 at the widest area?

[JeepsAndGuns]

I ran into a problem like this when I swaped in my steering box. Its the large piston J20 style. But I think mine came off a hummer or something. Got it off ebay, rebuilt. But it had larger splines than my old box, my old rag joint coupler would not fit. Same problem your haveing. I ended up haveing to buy a U-joint at a local speed shop and had it welded to the steering shaft after I cut off the old rag joint part.

[Billy Bob]

here are pics of the measurements

[Lindel]

Would on of Flaming River's steering shafts work? IIRC they use a u-joint, not the fabric/rubber coupler.

[Ristow]

i've looked everywhere. no dice.

y'know,gm used saginaw steering.maybe hit a boneyard,look at a K20.