I need the power-steering gear box metal half of the "rag-joint", the part that bolts to the input shaft on the power-steering gear box, "NOT" the half thats on the column.

It's hole is 13/16" diameter with 36 splines in it.

"Dummy" ME bought a power-steering gear box that uses the big coupling instead of the little non-power one. It seems my original nonpower-steering box input shaft necks down to 3/4" diameter under the coupling because I measured the shaft before I ordered the gear box.

It's been too long to exchange it, so am having to make due. My "rag-joint" on my car is "shot" and I'm going to rebuild it and need the metal half that fits the big input shaft.

Post a price if you have one and we will get together. pdq67

If I remember correctly, both halves are rivited together and you have to buy the whole coupler.

Also, let me check the stash.

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67 Camaro SS Conv.
70 Challenger R/T Conv.

I have a '67 with power steering and ordered a new rag joint from "Ground Up". They show them for p.s and without p.s. for $55.00 either way. I had a rag joint give out on a car back in high school. I was going very slow turning into a parking spot and the steering wheel turned but the car kept going straight. Five minutes earlier I was humming down the highway at about 65. Scared the
$%^& out of me so I feel a new one is well worth it. Oh yes, it comes as a complete unit with both halves included.

[This message has been edited by denverRS/SS (edited 09-21-2000).]

Ragtopman,

Thaks for the comeback.

My stock rag-joint bolts together, thats why I'm going to rebuild it if I can find the needed other half. pdq67

PDQ67,

You are correct, the rag joint bolts together, it is not rivited. All you should have to do is buy the proper rag joint for the new steering box and use the old top part with the new rag and new lower part. Bolt it all together and it should work fine.

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Hugger Orange & white 69 Camaro with supercharged 350, Tremec TKO, and 3.73 12-bolt

See my website updated 9/01/00 at:

www.geocities.com/gheatly (http://www.geocities.com/gheatly)

My original is all 1 piece. The steering column flange and the flange on the gear box utitilize the same bolts to hold it all together with the alignment pins on opposite sides.

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67 Camaro SS Conv.
70 Challenger R/T Conv.

You can also get the rag joint through a gm dealer.

D&R Classic Automotive show in their catalog the metal column half of the steering coupler and are saying its for tilt '67 and up. They are proud of it at $40.00 a pop!!!

Does this mean that complete steering couplings for tilt columns are different than non-tilt columns because mine has a stock tilt column in it???

I've already goofed up and got the wrong input shaft power steering gear so now I don't want to get the wrong steering coupling too. How do I order the joint, just call out a '67 power-steering gear coupling for a tilt column car??? pdq67

The metal half of the coupling on the column side is different between tilt and non-tilt columns. On non-tilt columns the metal flange is part of the column shaft. On tilt columns the column is splined and the flange fits on the spline. If you have the flange on the column already, you are all set. My rag joint is an assembly of the joint and the gearbox flange held together with rivits that are also the safety pins. I have seen bolt together versions of the joint. It sounds like you only need the flange for the gearbox end. My source has been scrounging the local bone yard.

Mat Klemp,

Thats what I was afraid of when I saw D&R's part for the tilt column half because it looks just like mine.

Either I buy their part and come up with the other large spline half plus a rebuild kit, or I call around/e-mail around and find out if a complete tilt power steering coupling is available. Probably not, because I don't think there was that many tilt steering columns sold throughout GM's complete line back in those years.

Thanks for the info, though. pdq67

I bit the bullet and ordered a complete rag-joint coupling from Ground Up.

Their man said that the only difference between the couplings is power vs nonpower.
If the steering column coupling half is different between a tilt and non-tilt column, they might be getting their coupling back because I directly asked for a tilt power steering coupling.

It's $55.00 + and I will post back its exact description when I get it from UPS.

GM wanted $75.00+ for one because I just went to our local car dealers parts desk and asked. pdq67

If you're going to build a complete rag joint from parts or a kit, don't forget the flimsy brass strap that sandwiches the "rag" and fits to both metal couplers, or your horn won't work any more - that strap is the ground path for the horn relay coil.

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JohnZ
'69 Z28 Fathom Green

Thanks JohnZ,

I thought thats what it was for. Mine came out in two pieces, I hope the new one incudes it. pdq67

pdq67,

I think you made the right call. I ordered a rebuild kit for mine and then found I couldn't use it because I beleive my old one was riveted together. So I bought a new all up round from one of the parts places.

Mine did not have the braided strap but the new one was build a little different so there was an electrical contact between the two sides. You can look at mine at Saturday when you stop by.

Mark M.

memcgraw,
Looking forward to the visit. I'm afraid that I should spring for the D&R tilt column half because mine is worn excessively at the two pin square notches. I hope that the Ground Up one will include it. Anyway, I will at least have the 13/16" splined steering gear half. Can hardly wait to get it from UPS. pdq67

PDQ67, I will be interested to hear what you think of the part. My car has tilt and I thought the rag joint was a perfect fit. It had the two halves. One clamps on the steering gear box and the other on the steering shaft and they bolt together if I remember right. I thought it was a great part and was happy to be able to get a new one. There could be a difference between tilt and non-tilt, but since the tilt mechanism is inside the car, I don't see why this would require a different type rag joint under the hood???? I'm pretty sure power steering/non power steering is the important distinction.

Denver RS/SS,
If I'm reading Mat's post right, the non-tilt column has the column metal half as part of the shaft and not clamped on. Thats why I am wanting to see what I ordered because mine clamps on like yours.

I got the wrong size on the bottom half and my top half is worn out.

It should be here tomorrow, hopefully. pdq67

I received my rag joint from Ground Up and it doesn't have the metal half that bolts to the tilt steering column. Nor the copper strap, but like Mark said earlier , a metal strap tying the two halves together on the outside.

It does have two red plastic bushings that fit on the two studs that go into the steering column metal half. The red plastic bushings are sized so that they fit the worn area's where the studs fit VERY-VERY well.

I don't know if I should go ahead and buy D&R's top piece or not after looking at the red bushing's fit.

Also, the rag in the rag joint actually has some metal fiber re-inforced material in the rag. I stuck my finger handling it. I think that it should be fine with my worn upper half, but please give me your opinions on whether I should go 100 percent new or not.
$40.00 bucks is alota money if it will work fine as is. pdq67

David,

Should I buy a new tilt steering metal half from D & R or not???

The red hard plastic inserts fit my worn part real good.

Come back, please. pdq67