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UTV's Off Road ( RZR, YXZ, Mini Buggy, Carts,etc.) => UTV Controls and Electrical => Topic started by: Voodoochikin04 on May 04, 2009, 05:46:08 PM

Title: steering
Post by: Voodoochikin04 on May 04, 2009, 05:46:08 PM: what shaft are you guys using? also what type of u-joints for the steering?
Title: Re: steering
Post by: artie on edge on May 04, 2009, 07:09:33 PM: wrecker yard stuff. look around until you find a high quality (roller) unit. Mine is out of a small mitsubishi. Cost me 10 bucks with about 12" of useable shaft to which I welded the 5/8 EMPI fitting and uni joint.

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Title: Re: steering
Post by: Admin on May 04, 2009, 07:17:28 PM: Artie, were the clevisis on there already?
Title: Re: steering
Post by: artie on edge on May 04, 2009, 08:01:48 PM
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Admin on May 04, 2009, 08:11:08 PM: Ya the heim joint mounts "clevis" they look identical to the latest rage mounts...
Title: Re: steering
Post by: artie on edge on May 04, 2009, 08:20:04 PM
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Punkur67 on May 04, 2009, 11:14:45 PM: I used 3/4 chromoly tube with sweet weld u joints. The are a bit spendy but work great. For my mount I used two 3/4 heims I had leftover. I have never used a setup that had so little slop in it. I dont think I will ever use a different setup. No bushings to wear out or bearings to grease. Now is also a great time to mention try to keep the least amount of angle possible in your joints. They will last much longer and work better too. I mount one u joint directly on the rack and the other just on the other side of the steering mount.
Title: Re: steering
Post by: fabr on May 05, 2009, 06:11:10 AM: Quote from: Punkur67 on May 04, 2009, 11:14:45 PM
I used 3/4 chromoly tube with sweet weld u joints. The are a bit spendy but work great. For my mount I used two 3/4 heims I had leftover. I have never used a setup that had so little slop in it. I dont think I will ever use a different setup. No bushings to wear out or bearings to grease. Now is also a great time to mention try to keep the least amount of angle possible in your joints. They will last much longer and work better too. I mount one u joint directly on the rack and the other just on the other side of the steering mount.
yup!
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Voodoochikin04 on May 05, 2009, 06:17:00 AM: yea my steering wheel takes a 3/4 od shaft. where do you get those u-joints that fit a 3/4 shaft?
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Admin on May 05, 2009, 06:19:06 AM: I got them, but you wont like the price...
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Voodoochikin04 on May 05, 2009, 06:23:01 AM: 40$ each?
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Admin on May 05, 2009, 06:29:17 AM: 45.00 actually.. U may find them cheaper elsewere for sure. Fabber has some, I think he is happy with the quality of them...
Title: Re: steering
Post by: fabr on May 05, 2009, 06:44:55 AM
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Punkur67 on May 05, 2009, 08:39:09 AM: I paid $55 each at a local shop. If bug has them for $45 its a great deal. Just make shure you can remove one end of the shaft. The one on my steering rack is splined on one side and slip fit for welding on the other. That way it can be removed, you dont want to weld on to your rack.
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Admin on May 05, 2009, 08:49:42 AM: I got D, spline in diffrent counts, weld on etc etc... I do not have any that will fit the 27 spline stuff tho, like that 14" elcheapo rack...
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Doug Heim on May 26, 2009, 10:39:05 PM: here is what Im using. The shafting is 3/4" .125 DOM with 48 count splines on the end.... trim to lengh and I also have couplers and unis to match. You will not like those prices either...

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Title: Re: steering
Post by: Voodoochikin04 on May 28, 2009, 07:01:19 AM: it would cost me 100$ to get a tube splined
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Carlriddle on May 28, 2009, 07:15:52 AM: I bought my u-joints smooth w/splines for attach to rack. Tack it all till its right then welded. I dont see myself changing the steering now that I have it set, but you never I know I've changed everthing else. Saw a couple that were drilled with a bolt through u-joint and shaft but seemed to me it would wear to easily. How about a coupler to weld to the shaft with matching splines to the u-joint, then if you have to replace shaft for some reason you just buy a new coupler.
Title: Re: steering
Post by: artie on edge on May 28, 2009, 03:16:50 PM: I have always welded mine and have only dismantled one for powder coating purposes so if you guys build 'raw' and intend to powder coat afterwards you may need to be able to dismantle it all.

I dont like the cinch bolt stuff but it does work. You have to use them but, my way of thinking is to minimise them and weld where possible.

The shock loads from serious off roading are extreme...
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Voodoochikin04 on May 28, 2009, 06:34:52 PM: so when running two u-joints, the shaft that connects between them, does it also need a heim? like if the joints were a foot apart..?
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Admin on May 28, 2009, 06:59:19 PM: Quote from: Voodoochikin04 on May 28, 2009, 06:34:52 PM
so when running two u-joints, the shaft that connects between them, does it also need a heim? like if the joints were a foot apart..?
no
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Doug Heim on May 28, 2009, 07:20:36 PM: The shafting is actually cheap and the couplings are not bad either. The unis are like $70 ea.
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Admin on May 28, 2009, 07:21:52 PM: what spline? 3/4 36?
Title: Re: steering
Post by: Doug Heim on May 28, 2009, 08:06:15 PM: I believe it is 48 Bug.

Lenghts I ordered were 4' as I use the middle section for crush sleeves. I also buy the 8' lengths without the splines for plain old DOM material. The cost even after shipping is at least half of what I can even buy the DOM through my work. Weird how that works sometimes.