3rd Gen Steering setup

ScottyDave · Post by **ScottyDave** » Fri Jun 12, 15 9:57 pm

Hi all, 15yrs back when I bought my Charger I always thought the steering looked a bodge but didn't know anything about yanks to be sure, anyhow I now know it to be Bananarama.
In 73 mother Mopar added a "Rag" joint to the column as well as the pot coupler, well mines been replaced with what looks somewhat ???? as these are rare as Bananarama and pricey when found I'm wondering whats the best alternative to use?
I thought either cutting it out completely and welding an extension in to make up the difference or maybe a better option would be to replace with a UJ.
Any ideas on this?

Cheers Dave

Rebel · Post by **Rebel** » Fri Jun 12, 15 11:38 pm

I can only just see the rag joint in the pic nothing else. You could replace it with the flaming river steering shaft

ScottyDave · Post by **ScottyDave** » Sat Jun 13, 15 8:32 am

Found another pic, Pot coupler is there

Found a solid alloy replacement here http://www.bouchillonperformance.com/in ... /1015/1025, though I could probably turn that up myself if I got the dimensions of an original "rag"

Mine has K frame to body bushes, so could a UJ be best for any alignment issues

autofetish · Post by **autofetish** » Sat Jun 13, 15 9:12 am

I used a UJ on mine cheap and I like it.

Have a look down my build

The UJ sould go straight on the box but you have some sort of 2 x rubber bits never seen that before

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Sat Jun 13, 15 9:29 am

Yea, the '73 on B bodies have a rag joint as the whole K frame is mounted on big rubber doughnuts. No doubt they will be split as the ones on my mates were. We replaced 'em with some ally spacers to mount the K frame solidly to the chassis rails, took a ton of slop out.

MilesnMiles · Post by **MilesnMiles** » Sat Jun 13, 15 9:54 am

Yep, my 73 has a new tag joint and I replaced the k frame bushes with poly. Big improvement. Still need to do the ones where the torsion bars mount. Clearly, having those able to move around is not conducive to good handling

Here's my thread on replacing K frame bushes

http://www.moparuk.com/forums/viewtopic ... ame+bushes

ScottyDave · Post by **ScottyDave** » Sat Jun 13, 15 10:01 am

autofetish wrote: but you have some sort of 2 x rubber bits never seen that before

yep that'll be the Bananarama bodge,
I'll take a look at your build cheers

Mine are definitely mullered Blue

would have liked to go the solid mount route but as the car is 600mls from me its not an option so I've got these on order

ScottyDave · Post by **ScottyDave** » Sat Jun 13, 15 10:03 am

Cheers Miles

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Sat Jun 13, 15 11:26 am

That should fix it. Those bolts are going to be "fun" to get out.

autofetish · Post by **autofetish** » Sat Jun 13, 15 12:40 pm

Blue wrote:That should fix it. Those bolts are going to be "fun" to get out.

Scooby · Post by **Scooby** » Sat Jun 13, 15 1:08 pm

Umm you might need a welding torch to help things along...

ScottyDave · Post by **ScottyDave** » Sat Jun 13, 15 2:54 pm

Blue wrote:That should fix it. Those bolts are going to be "fun" to get out.

Skinned knuckles and lots of swearing for sure

Scooby wrote:Umm you might need a welding torch to help things along...

Yep that's a cert Scooby

that'll be Skinned knuckles, burns and swearing then

Back to the "rag" question

autofetish wrote:I used a UJ on mine cheap and I like it.

(nice thread lots of great work btw) found the UJ you used

but does anyone know if the splines are the same on the steering box's mine being a 73 power box???

ScottyDave · Post by **ScottyDave** » Sat Jun 13, 15 2:57 pm

Miles, you have a new "rag"? where did you get it from and is it a mopar joint?

MilesnMiles · Post by **MilesnMiles** » Sat Jun 13, 15 4:03 pm

Dave, buy some Gibbs and soak those nuts and squir inside the box sections where they fit. Looks like a lot of rust around there.
Let me know when you fit those bushes and I'll talk you through a shortcut or two.
A sawzall will be your friend, I only had a hacksaw

MilesnMiles · Post by **MilesnMiles** » Sat Jun 13, 15 4:28 pm

Rag joint info

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubb ... /site_id/1

They are obsolete. This store has them

http://www.mmpar.com/AMS2015Web/PS.aspx

Part number 3575303

£200 in one thread.
I believe you can buy generic ones on line