Steering Slip Joint

OK so I got a question. On my '72 CJ-5 I have the stock power steering and have a pretty sloppy steering wheel. I want to get rid of the slip joint at the end of my steering linkage. Hopefully to tighten up my steering. Any Suggestion?

 

You're talking about the "bell" shaped deal, correct?

Have you tried to find a new one?
I know they make new ones for 76 and up. It may fit older(72-up) but the catalog was for 76-up.

I wouldn't try to eliminate it.
The u-joint at the top goes for $199 where the bell goes for $35.
There are about 20+ other sources of slop in the steering system and a little slop in each can add up to alot of back and forth movement between the tires and steering wheel

Go through(feel) everything while an assistant turns the wheel back and forth and see if you can detect any slop.
2 wheel bearings
2 spindles
4 ball joints
4 tie rod ends(and tapered holes)
pitman arm(splines and tapered hole)
steering gearbox
coupling(bell)(and splines)
u-joint(and splines)
steering shaft bushing
steering wheel splines

 

i've never priced one, but that seems pretty high.

if it is that price, i'd replace the entire lower steering shaft with one from ididit, or borgeson, or flaming river for appx $200. this eliminates the coupler and the u-joint.

 

I was over at AMC 4x4 this morning looking for P/S brackets or a manual steering box and they brought up that u-joint on the 'puter and the price was $199. I couldn't beleive it either.

 

Like was said find out WHERE the wear/play is before arbitrarily changing parts. The bell coupler and u-joint are common wear points but so is the bushing at the bottom of the column, the steering box, tie rod ends, wheel bearings, ball joints, spring u-bolts, steering box mount, frame cracks, spring bushings, etc. You need to pinpoint the play by doing what's called a "dry park test". Have someone lightly move the steering wheel back and forth, only move it back and forth to the point of play, not so the wheels move, then visually check for movement in parts. Jack up the front end so the wheels hang and at the top and bottom of the tires wiggle them and see if there is play. If the knuckle moves that is ball joints. If the tire moves and not the knuckle then most likely wheel bearings.