Hit a Snag - Universal Joints

[Enoch]

Hi folks, have been busy building and am now trying to join the steering column to the rack. It is giving me a massive headache, I just can't make it work and still give me the angle I need in the run to satisfy the IVA man and miss my exhaust downpipe. The donor car had a really weird double uj sort of device that attached to the rack, there was a uj right up near the column. It won't work on my car because the angle is too steep and it just locks up. What I was thinking was to put a standard uj on at the rack end and try that. What I don't know is where to get a UJ to fit. The shaft I need to attach it to is 5/8 inch / 16mm diameter. Anybody got any ideas? I thought about using a Sierra one but from memory the steering rack splined shaft was only 1/2 inch - can anyone confirm if that is the case?

[Short]

whats your donor? and what rack are you using?

any photos?

[Enoch]

Hi there, donor is Jag XJ12. Steering rack is the original PAS rack, the spline is 5/8 inch, the spline on the column is 9/16. I think I may have to cut the rod that comes down from the steering column and put a second uj in half way along. Unless anybody has any better ideas? Don't want to go to a Sierra or other rack as I am going to need the power steering.

[jps]

aren't there some good electric power steering solutions available now? (corsa rings a bell for some reason?) Wonder if this is worth thinking about rather than keep the donor pas?

[flyerncle]

Silly suggestion,what about u/j from socket set ?

[Stot]

Originally Posted by flyerncle

Silly suggestion,what about u/j from socket set ?

I have broken quite a few of those.

I think the MX5 UJs are is 16mm splined, the Escort IIRC are 15mm. Certainly when I offered the MX5 one up to the Escort rack it wouldnt pinch up enough to bite the splines properly. Problem is the MX5 spline may not match what you have?

Ill take a look tonight. I need to finish welding up my steering column anyway.

Cheers
Stot

[Stot]

Measured the MX5 column spline.



.620" or 15.75mm. Rack end has a pressed steel UJ and we dont use it in an MX5 build so there may be many about in builders scrap bins. Don't know if it helps though?

Escort spline is .550"/14mm.



Cheers
Stot

[Enoch]

Thanks, Stot, that's handy, it's a 5/8 inch, same as the Jag. I have found a Defender lower uj that looks like it will do the job. It's 5/8 spline on both sides, it seems to work at nearly 90 degrees so it's looking good. Just need to bung it on the rack and see what it looks like. Worst case scenario I will have to buy a second one and fit a bearing so I split the angle over 2 joints. Thanks a lot for going to the trouble of measuring your rack for me - it gives me another option.