'66 300 Rag Joint. "am I the crazy one?"

[Polara_500]

I've modified 2 of the range rover units. First one i ground it thinner. Made a big mess but it worked. Second one I sliced it with a zip cut.
This worked much better. Took a fraction of the time. Way less mess and less burnt rubber stink.

Whatta you mean, sliced it with a zip cut? I'm drawing a total blank here.....

 

[300rag]

Whatta you mean, sliced it with a zip cut? I'm drawing a total blank here.....

I'm thinking this...

 

[rd92west]

Yea angle grinder with death wheel (zip cut blade)
I clamped the coupler in the vise.
Marked with a sharpy how much I wanted to cut off. Zip cut blade cut thru the rubber and steel with ease.
Then I flipped the coupler over and finished the surgery.
Then drilled the holes deeper so the Allen head bolts were flush.
I never thought to take pictures.

 

[notsosan]

Found this. Canadian dollars but still pricy.
1965-73 B & C-Body Steering Column Insulator-Repro

 

[NormanPlombe]

Excellent find...but that price is from another planet, no? I just received my Dorman ones. If they look good I'll live with them. Meantime, we should band together and get an order of 20 of them (I think we could find 20 people on here who need them...pull that heat shield of any 50 year old car and I guarantee the thinks cracked) and see if they'll give us a break.

 

[rd92west]

I agree with your thinking Norman,
I'm all in for the perfect piece. The problem I see is even if they give a 20% discount it's still way more than it's worth.
I got the range rover units from a place called Rovin Farm. Something like 13 bucks each. Maybe 16 cant recall. I seen the part number in a previous post.
There is 2 difference between these and original.
First is they are aprox 3/8 inch thicker.
And second the rubber is a little stiffer.
Overcoming the first obstacle is pretty easy.
Second obstacle was just a matter of patience.

 

[NormanPlombe]

I might also argue that the way these C bodies (not sure which years, but mine's one of them) had that little kink in the steering shaft is a real design flaw. I don't think this type of joint is good at flexing that way over the long term. I look at mine and it changes direction at the ragjoint rather than the other (whatever it's called) coupler. there should really be a rag joint at the steering box and a hard u joint where the existing rag joint is. As I understand, the later c bodies were designed with straighter alignment of their steering columns.

 

[Clover]

Here is a link to my escapades with the steering coupler.... using the British part.

Steering Column Overhaul

If I were to do it again I wouldn't grind it down, just use as-is and the column and steering wheel moves back about 1/4". The only potential problem area would be the shift needle lining up with the cluster.

I used the Range Rover part, without shaving it and it was a tight fit but worked great.

 

[rd92west]

I used the Range Rover part, without shaving it and it was a tight fit but worked great.

It couldn't get simpler with everything removed from the car.
I replaced the coupler with steering column in the car.
The coupler needed a shave to fit in and getting the Allen head bolts installed takes some patience due to the coupler needing to flex for the misalignment

 

[TerryM]

I modified the range rover one. It works nice

 

[It's better in a letter]

I use conveyor belt material. It can be drilled, punched, and cut with a hacksaw, bandsaw, or reciprocating saw. I also use it for exhaust hangers, mudflaps, and any place a strong, flexible, sound insulating, connection is needed.

 

[NormanPlombe]

I use conveyor belt material. It can be drilled, punched, and cut with a hacksaw, bandsaw, or reciprocating saw. I also use it for exhaust hangers, mudflaps, and any place a strong, flexible, sound insulating, connection is needed.

DAMN! That stuff sounds durable! I think they make labiae out of it.