Safety First!

if the shackle WAS shorter wouldn't it be going in the wrong direction ,back to the axle-- rather than away?

 

When I get home i'll take pic of the front. Does anyone have any information about the steering shaft pic I posted.

 

"Does anyone have any information about the steering shaft pic I posted."


look for a new one....

 

on my 74 is the same but it not weld,just a washer in there

 

a proper weld is a strong metalurigal fusion. Most are good for between 60,000- 70,000 psi. a lot of folks see these as week spots, they are not. keep in mind lives depend on welds every day. things like battle ships, tanks, heavy construction equipment sky scrappers and even the drive shafts and roll cages of jeeps are held together by welds. I'm not saying that those particular welds are good.That's up to you to explore. I'm saying that just because something is welded doesn't mean it's unsafe. I bring this up because i see this line of thinking a lot on different forums

 

the issue isnt if a weld is strong but if that weld is strong....guessing the shaft was cut and welded together and not very well by the looks of it....id hate for it to fail say downhill in the woods at speed could end badly....myself would rather err on the side of safety

 

The shaft looks like it goes into the knuckle and is welded into place. I grinded down the weld a little bit to see. I plan on taking the steering from a 79 cj5 and fabing it up to work. The knuckles are smaller and will not hit on my headers. what do yall think? GOOD or BAD idea.

 

I've owned jeeps from '43 to late 80's.
I've had some powered with a 302, 304, 360, a killer 327 powered CJ3A, it all depends on the right foot and the brain cells.:?
I've never had one get on 2 wheels like they swore in the 70-80's.
One thing I try never to do, (especially with power steering jeeps), is make a quick sharp turn at higher speeds, (oh, maybe 30mph or more).
Other than that remember it's a jeep and not a sports car, drive it like a parent, keep the kids and yourself buckled in, (I'd look at getting a set of seat belts with the shoulder strap cuz that dash is hard and hurts!
as for the steering rod welded. My son is a pipe welder. He swears he can make a joint stronger than the metal, but if you think it's a cobble J.O.B., change it, it's cheap insurance.
Joe
My first jeep project was one the Vikings left in a field when they landed!

 

Something that helped the handling on my CJ was keeping the air press. in the tires even. When the air press. is off a little here and a little there it will make it's self known.

 

If the weld was done properly, it should be fine ... BUT if not then you need to replace the steering shaft and u-joint. It's hard to tell whether the joint is any good after the fact - I would not know how to evaluate it. I would replace parts if it's a blobby amateurish weld.

Also, welding on steering parts is illegal in some locales.

 

From the picture it looks to me like the shaft from the steering box to the firewall was too short. So they fired up the buzz box and welded a washer to the yoke and then to the shaft.
If you push down on the steering wheel, does it move forward more than a little?
I would bet that there is not more than a 1/4 inch of splines holding the shaft to the yoke. Good weld or not, that should not be driven. Notice that there is no thru bolt and you can see way too much spline between the yoke and bearing end.
The yokes are expensive, grind carefully and save it if you can. Secure it firmly to the steering shaft if there is enough left and insert the thru bolt. Make up the difference in the shaft between the steering box and the u-joint. You might make use of the sliding DD shaft from a Chevy truck. Worked for me.

 

The weld seems to be good the one major problems is the yoke hits the headers when i turn. sometimes you can feel it catch on the header. may be just a problem with the angle, if the shaft was shortened. I noticed the yoke on the 79 is much smaller and more compact, will it work in the existing shaft? Or could it be modified to work ?

 

I just wanted to let everyone know that from a new member and a new jeep drivers point of view this thread is invaluable.

When I bought my jeep a week ago I knew that I needed to learn how to drive this vehicle in order to keep myself and others safe. The information I have found in this thread has helped alot and I am very thankfull that there are so many safty minded Jeep enthusiasts out there that take this subject so seriously.

 

I also want to say I have learned so much since I started this thread. I want to thank everyone who has posted. Some of us who are just starting out in the jeep world are grateful for people like you. THANKS

 

Do me a favor and reach your finger into the yoke where the shaft is welded. How far does it reach? It should be flush with the yoke. I think the reason it hits the header is because it is out of place. Too far forward. Sorry, not familiar with the later model steering shafts and joints, I just happen to be using a steering shaft out of a '73 in my '69.

 

More safety concerns. Found this after took tub off frame.






Is this already fix good or do I need redo the welding.

 

also I had asked about shocks for this jeep, is there a lift on here the shackles look different to me.

rear





front

 

The rear springs are the standard equipment factory springs. The shackles (plates that the springs pivot on) are home-made. The PO was trying to get a little extra height with long shackles. Not very effective, because you only get half as much lift as the extra length, and it can mess with your suspension geometry. Front springs look stock-ish, and the shackles are not much longer than the factory shackles.

Usually a "lift" is replacement springs, not longer shackles.