[Raven]

HOW TO: Flaming River U-Joint Steering MOD

Years: 94+ S10/Blazer
Time: 30min-1.5hr
Cost: $70-100
Parts Needed:
Flaming River U-Joint # FR1746DD
S-Series steering shaft (1st or 2nd Gen)
LockTite Thread Locker
Hacksaw or other tool to cut thin steel
Dremel or Cut off-wheel
11mm socket/wrench
½” socket/wrench
4mm Allen wrench
Flathead Screwdriver
Hammer
Drill and Bits

The purpose of this mod is to reduce the sloppy/loose feeling of the stock rag joint. After I did this mod it almost completely removed the play in the steering.

First you will need the Flaming River U-joint. It looks like this.

You then need to remove your stock steering shaft. You can access it through the driver side wheel well. You will need to remove a plastic shield that hides the Ragjoint. Its removed by sticking a flathead screwdriver in the crack in it and splitting it open.

Then you need the 11mm socket/wrench and remove the stock-retaining bolt. Then with a little force you need to pull the shaft towards the cab to get it off the steering box splines.

Then using a Dremel or Cutoff wheel you need to notch the ragjoint to remove it. Be careful not to cut the shaft…just the ragjoint. You may need to cut it 2 times.

Then you can hit it the ragjoint with a hammer and it will come off.

Then you will need the cut the shaft end where it flares out to get the u-joint on.
Here it is marked and then cut. You should be left with about ¾”.

Next you will want to slid on the u-joint and install the screws and then remove the screws and joint. This will give you a place to make dimples to give the shaft something to hold onto better.

Then drilled. Do not drill all the way through. Just enough to make a dimple.

Then reinstall the u-joint and apply Locktite and install the allen screws. Then apply Locktite to the screws again and install the provided nuts onto the U-joint and tighten.

Now just reinstall the shaft onto the truck the way you removed it. You will notice that the steering box splines have a flat spot on them…. that’s where the U-joints screws will go. Then apply Locktite to the Screw and tighten…. same goes with the nut. Then recheck your nuts to make sure you tightened them and your done.

Now you can enjoy the improved steering. I have had this Mod done for 3-4 weeks and have noticed now negative effects or binding of any kind.

Pics provided and originally done by:
s10cyncrvr – www.s10forum.com
blanz – www.s10forum.com

Tad

 

[S10dude]

very nice how to w/pic's.....great job...i'll try it in the future

 

[1s152nv]

OOps, Nice write up.

 

[Raven]

thanks
if im lucky it might become sticked for future use
and if a mod sees this i need to edit one thing on it. i need to add where to get it at.
thanks
Tad

 

[rentedmule]

Also found here
http://www.98esten.com/custom2.html

 

[arSonoma]

sticky. I think ihave this problem and i am about to start autoxing my truck so this might have just become my nexted mod.

 

[What?]

It's already IN the sticky, just NOT this thread on TOP of page AS sticky

 

[droppedss]

thats a great looking mod. I'll have to do that, cleans it up and improves performance as well A+

 

[Raven]

Also found here
http://www.98esten.com/custom2.html

yea blanz and s10cyncrvr first did the mod....they did How To's in the middle of threads. i did it so ppl can search and find it or the mods can sticky it.

 

[rentedmule]

definately a good idea - I'll be doing this mod soon too. I just happened to stumble across it on 98esten's site

 

[racekat21]

what would the difference be if it was a first gen truck?
I have a 93......... is the shaft diameter different?

at the top the got a steering shaft from a first or 2nd gen?

am I over lookin something?

 

[Raven]

i dont have a 1st gen to look at. but from what ive read.....the splines are the same and the shafts are near identical. you could get the u-joint and do the mod. im 95% sure the shafts are the same.

 

[Petro]

So this is definitely the one that I would want?

#FR1746DD

1"DD X 3/4"-30 / ea​

 

[Raven]

So this is definitely the one that I would want?

#FR1746DD

1"DD X 3/4"-30 / ea​

yes that is the correct one to buy.

 

[beandip]

Sweet! nice how-to. I need to do this sometime.

 

[Wicked Mayhem]

i did it to my old blazer. didnt really notice any improvement. there is something else loose though the column somewhere that made it feel loose though.

 

[Raven]

i did it to my old blazer. didnt really notice any improvement. there is something else loose though the column somewhere that made it feel loose though.

you might have had a bad steering box.

 

[bg's]

I thought maybe a few of of you might find this of some small interest.
Jim Shea is the guru of GM steering and has done an in depth study
on the old Saginaw system and GM steering [ now Delphi, now broke..]
Some may even find it helpful, but who knows.

The Delphi Saginaw Steering (formerly Saginaw Steering Gear Division, GMC) recirculating ball, model 700, integral power steering gear is a marvel of longevity. The basic concept and most major components that make up the gear assembly started production in the early 1960s and are still interchangeable with the steering gears being manufactured today. (Although the 700 model is rapidly being replaced by the Saginaw 600 model gear and may not be in production much longer.)

There are a couple of interface areas that have remained the same from 1964 to the present. Let’s look at the two attachment areas that you will not have to worry about if you decide to make a fast ratio gear installation. The first is gear mounting. There are three tapped holes in the gear housing that are used to mount your gear to the frame. They are in the same location and are the same thread (7/16-14 UNC) all the way from the middle 1960’s right through today! The other is the pitman shaft connection. The pitman shaft serrations and the pitman arm lock nut are also still the same. So this gear will bolt up right to your frame and your power steering pitman arm and pitman shaft nut will assemble as well.

Some of the interface changes that did occur are as follows:
1). The input shaft was reduced in diameter from 13/16 inch OD to ¾ inch OD in 1977. 2). Starting with the 1980 model year, the ports on the gear were converted from conventional 45 degree flare fittings with 5/8-18 UNF (return port) and 11/16-18 UNS (pressure port) female threads to o-ring connections with 16x1.5mm (return) and 18x1.5mm (pressure) female threads.

All of the fast ratio steering gears that we are looking to swap into our cars were produced between 1982 and 1998. Therefore, in order to install a fast ratio gear in your pre-1980 cars, you will need to accommodate one or both of the above listed changes.

 

[driver762]

Have 99 s10 zr2. steering sucks ass! found out its "rag joint". is it better to replace with solid universal like the flaming river or should i rebuild the pieces of bolted together mudflap scraps that are on there now?

 

[Petro]

Flaming River by far...^^^