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Thread: GTM Steering universal joint part number & specs?

  1. #1
    Senior Member rev2xs's Avatar
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    GTM Steering universal joint part number & specs?

    Hi all,

    I was wondering, does anybody have the part number of the steering column universal joints which come with the kit? Also, if you have the specs for these joints, it would be great. I.e., max torque ratings, max angle specs, etc.

    The reason why is i find my cv joints tend to bind a little, which annoys me. One joint in particular binds (the one between the front firewall and the rack itself). It just seems that the angle of attack is just slightly too much for the cv to handle. So i was wanting to buy a replacement joint with a higher angle capacity. I found these guys:

    http://pailton.com/products/steering-universal-joints/

    Their joints can handle 50 degrees of angle. I was wondering what the original joints can handle.



    Thanks, Tom
    Last edited by rev2xs; 10-19-2019 at 05:38 AM.

  2. #2
    VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC's Avatar
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    The joints that come with the kit are Flaming River joints. I do not have the actual part numbers.....you can find them by just looking at their selection and finding the ones that correspond to what each end is attached to.....1"DD....3/4"DD...splined shaft....
    Shane Vacek
    VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC
    www.vraptorspeedworks.com
    Turn-key GTM, SL-C & Ultima GTR Built to Your Specs!
    Offering a full line of GTM Upgrades and Custom Parts

  3. #3
    Senior Member rev2xs's Avatar
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    Thanks Shane

    Just curious Shane, did you encounter similar issues with the steering CV joints during your build adventures over the years? Or is this just me lol

  4. #4
    VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC's Avatar
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    It does depend on how everything ends up. Yes, if you end up with just the right combination of shaft lengths and angles, it can bind up. Seems I have had the most issues with the standard tilt (non-telescoping) column. The actual internals of the column do not allow for enough angle and I think most of the binding is from within the column itself. Another issue is where FFR has you stick a spacer in only one side of the DD shaft into the alum shaft to take up the slop. With the DD now off-center, it tends to make it feel like the u-joints are binding when you're really effectively changing the length/angle of the shaft as it turns since it is not rotating on center.

    If you loosen up the 2 bolts that hold the column to the chassis and angle the steering wheel toward the driver's door (to straighten out the internal angle of the shaft out of the column), does the binding go away?
    Shane Vacek
    VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC
    www.vraptorspeedworks.com
    Turn-key GTM, SL-C & Ultima GTR Built to Your Specs!
    Offering a full line of GTM Upgrades and Custom Parts

  5. #5
    Senior Member rev2xs's Avatar
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    Unfortunately i'm not in Poland at the moment to be able to go to the car and try what you suggested

    I'll keep that in mind though the next time i go.

    But even Flaming River sell 80 degree CV joints. So, worst case i can get one of those CV's and install it to solve the problem.

    Thanks again though for the advice

  6. #6
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    I have definitely noticed on my non telescoping steering column that I can’t get it perfectly perpendicular to the morning locations and need to tilt it a bit off like Shane mentioned. I’ll probably need a little more tweaking, but not too bad for my setup.

  7. #7
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    I just put a new rack in my car and now got serious bind in the upper joint, and trying to solve. It didn’t have any bind at all before.

    Comparing my old rack, the stainless tube is 9.5” long between the alu rack mounts and the new one is only 9”. With that shorter distance, the angle got greater and binds. Hunting for another rack or must redo the rack mounts to position the new more to the driver side.

    Can someone measure the length of their steering rack and indicate if you have bind or not?

    Shane - good hint above to possibly solve with changing the steering wheel column angle. Do want to keep the wheel perpendicular to centerline though.

  8. #8
    Senior Member rev2xs's Avatar
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    I think its just easier to replace the u-joints with higher angle ones. Thats what i'm going to do.

  9. #9
    VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RR46 View Post
    I just put a new rack in my car and now got serious bind in the upper joint, and trying to solve. It didn’t have any bind at all before.

    Comparing my old rack, the stainless tube is 9.5” long between the alu rack mounts and the new one is only 9”. With that shorter distance, the angle got greater and binds. Hunting for another rack or must redo the rack mounts to position the new more to the driver side.

    Can someone measure the length of their steering rack and indicate if you have bind or not?

    Shane - good hint above to possibly solve with changing the steering wheel column angle. Do want to keep the wheel perpendicular to centerline though.
    I am normally able to get the steering column straight, but it does sometimes take some messing around with the joints and shaft lengths and getting the column housing trimmed to clear the shaft. I guess what I'm getting at is if you are experiencing a bind in the steering, and the bind goes away by aiming the steering column slightly to the LH side of the car, there's a good chance that the bind is actually happening inside the column or as a result of a shim being used to offset the size difference between the alum output shaft and the steel DD shaft. I'm not saying that the solution to the bind is to leave the column pointed to the left.....just saying that if the problem goes away with the column pointed to the left....that is an indication that the problem is within the column or shaft connection to the column and that is where you need to focus your attention to fix it.
    Shane Vacek
    VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC
    www.vraptorspeedworks.com
    Turn-key GTM, SL-C & Ultima GTR Built to Your Specs!
    Offering a full line of GTM Upgrades and Custom Parts

  10. #10
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    i got a good look at it and put the old back rack in, nowhere near bind. With the new rack it binds a lot, the adjustment of the steering wheel bar/bearing being maxed out.
    The column I have is not telescoping so maybe it's more sensitive to rack length due to different angle from telescoping vs non telescoping. Comparing the two racks, it's the 0.5" difference that makes it go from significant bind to all clear with margins.

  11. #11
    Senior Member jamesfr58's Avatar
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    Tom,

    Attached are some picture of how I stiffened the steering column to keep it from flexing. I have a tilt @ telescoping steering column and I also had a issue of some binding but noticed that the main column would flex some with rotating the wheel. So I added and welded a bracket to the outside tube, then readjusted each and every universal steering joint and in fact had to relocate one bracket but it now moves with absolutely no binding or flexing at all, it was 100% improvement.

    IMG_0261.jpg IMG_0262.jpg

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