rag joint eliminator

[espey_16]

As I said in a previous thread, my rag joint is bad. When I turn the steering wheel you can feel and hear the rag joint clunk. I just ordered the unbalanced engineering rag joint eliminator. How should I go about pulling that joint apart to install my new one? Just drill out the rivets? Thanks guys.

[FirebirdGT]

Re: rag joint eliminator

Comes with install instuctions.
.

[espey_16]

Re: rag joint eliminator

I got my eliminator yesterday, it came faster than I expected. Ill install it later today, and try to post some pics for you guys. Well I was gonna try and do a write up on this, but I see there already is one.

[espey_16]

Re: rag joint eliminator

I got the eliminator on finaly, what a PITA!!!!! I thought id be smart and just use a cut off tool and just cut into the rag joint to get the 4 rivets. Well that worked out fine, but the half that connects to the steering rack had 2 long stubs I had to get rid of. On the other half, the rivets fell out as soon as I seperated the 2 halfs. On the rack side I tried to pound out what was left of the rivets but they kept flairing out where I was hitting them. So I spent a couple hours in front of a little 6" bench grinder to get the stubs as close to flush as I could then I used a punch to knock them out of the linkage. I never want to do that again. Ill try to post the couple pics I was able to take when I can get by a computer.

[truekoa]

Re: rag joint eliminator

did that fix your issue?

[espey_16]

Re: rag joint eliminator

Oh yeah, it fixed it! I thought my steering was good before, even with a warn rag joint. But now its 100% better. The wheel is tight now, you can't wiggle it without turning the tires. My car dosnt have a mind of its own anymore too, quite often it would jerk one way or the other when it would catch an imperfection in the road. Now I have full control. Definatly a great mod even though installation was hell.

[truekoa]

Re: rag joint eliminator

i need to do this, do you have a link to the kit you purchased?

[espey_16]

Re: rag joint eliminator

http://www.unbalancedengineering.com/Camaro/Rag_Joint/

Fixed.

[truekoa]

Re: rag joint eliminator

what kind of tools would I need? basic hand tools?

[espey_16]

Re: rag joint eliminator

Yeah the nuts and bolts it comes with are 1/2", I used a 7/16" to get the steering shaft off. If you're gonna do it the way I did be careful not to cut or grind off any of the steering shaft. And when you go to seperate the 2 halfs, mark both sides that way it goes back together the way it came apart. If you don't your steering will be off.