Fixing Loose Steering, Rag Joint Replacement

In this video I show you how to replace the ‘rag joint’ or, steering coupler, on a 1990 GMT400 pick up truck. Honestly this information will apply to SEVERAL GM vehicles of a similar vintage, not just trucks.

So if your vehicle has loose steering and is equipped with this type of coupler, this video will show you how to replace it.

This is (Episode 34) in the #ETCGDadsTruck series.

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Links

Steering Coupler I Used: https://www.ebay.com/itm/253414545622

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#ETCGDadsTruck Starts For the First Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5bDArrWvnI

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50 thoughts on “Fixing Loose Steering, Rag Joint Replacement

  1. fun tip for OBS owners. you can use a jeep XJ steering shaft to replace the rag joint and it helps improve slop a lot

  2. Need help GMC Sierra pickup . when I go fast on a Left turn . and straighten out afterwards staring kind of slips almost going to on coming traffic .it feels like I have no control of my front wheel s ? Thanks

  3. Holy crap! Sorry for the language, I’ve been trying to figure out why my 93 Subaru wrx has loose steering and I couldn’t find information anywhere, found your video, even tho it ain’t the same vehicle I still know what’s up now, thank you!

  4. You can also buy just the rubber piece for about 10 bucks Dorman help kit 31002. also has a couple bolt to replace the rivets and some of the shield things, not sure why you need them. I found out this weekend it's lot of work because you have to cut all four rivets and I didn't have a die grinder. And I'd suggest using a straight one like you did but with a burr or stone rather than a wheel to get into the recessed area the head is in. That would have made short working of it. Drilling was not fun!

  5. 1:15 just above the bolt you are removing, what is the part with the c-clip called with the spring in it? Mine keeps popping out. I haven't been able to find what it is in any diagram.

  6. The steering on my 91 1500 is loose. I wasn't thinking rag joint because I thought I had replaced it not too many miles ago, but I certainly don't remember pulling it out and grinding off the rivets, so maybe I haven't. I have a friend who has a 92, and maybe I was there when he replaced his, and that's why I'm thinking I had replaced mine. Anywho…I guess I'll be replacing mine.

  7. Please help. I have a CPP 50004 steering box and it has a 3/4 30 spline rag joint. It's a correct rag joint size but it will not fit on to the steering box shaft. It's very tight. Any advice please.

  8. Thanks for jogging my memory. Many many years ago, "I'm an old guy " I heard about this problem and the fix but I didn't remember exactly how. Now I'm restoring A 57 Chevy and this helps tremendously. Thanks again.

  9. ERIC READ THIS…
    Problem is front shaft X-joints are 1/2 rusted.
    The fix is to pull the spindle and replace both chafts X-joints that get rusted after enough salty winters.

    This is common to all 4×4 "trucks" ie. front wheels chafts PARTLY stop flexing and HUGH THE STEERING OFF CENTER! (Search your fav youtube truck wizard channels)
    👍

  10. Alright fine, aside from replacing the springs and bushings on my 91 Diesel Suburban, this is the only other thing I've not done as well. I'll at least check it. 😛 The steering isn't just loose on mine though, it has a weird phase delay when driving. It's hard to describe, but that's about as close as I can come. I have to turn the wheel further to get it to start turning, then back off a little bit… It's really frustrating to drive. My 85 is loose, but nowhere near as bad.

  11. Many GM guys will replace the silly shaft with a jeep shaft. For example: I have an 86 Monte Carlo SS and I used a Jeep Cherokee shaft, retracts for easy install and no movement. Jeep and GM used same Saginaw box…not having a rag joint is best! Guys do the mod for your truck also

  12. Hello Eric
    I have a 2020 Kia Forte just bought brand new, it has only 2K miles. I started to hear and feel a knocking under my foot while turning the steering wheel. Is it normal?

  13. I'm about to do a front end rebuild and I'll be doing a U-joint instead of a rag joint. I'm using a custom made one from Derek's Steering Shafts on FB instead of the Jeep shaft but either will do.

    Word of warning to anyone, 97-98 trucks cannot do the Cherokee mod. There's a "blob" joint behind the firewall where the upper shaft goes in. It could in theory make the steering shaft bind up. Make sure you are careful if you do delete the rag joint.

  14. Oh BTW apparently there were 2 sizes GM used randomly and I got the 3.25" OD first so of course i needed the 2,75" OD &^%^%#@

  15. I see the power steering tubing into the rack is still holding up well with all it's strange bends haha. Nice to see the improvement in steering reaction!

  16. Sup Eric… Thanks for all your videos as they have helped us with our 97 Tahoe improvement project.. this one in particular. We replaced all the front end parts such as gear box, power steering, pit man arms, upper and lower control arms, shocks, etc. and still where having loose steering wheel issues. We will change out the entire coupling steering shaft and hope fully this fixes the issue. Anyways, thank you for your good and cool videos. Stay safe and stay healthy.

  17. My 94 k1500 has the same steering problem, I didn't know that part was even there. Thanks for the video Eric, looks like a simple fix, I'll try it.

  18. I saw you in Carlisle PA last year, and the car I drove there from WI (‘77 Lincoln Mk V) had upon further inspection once I returned home was a total absence of a rag joint. I only had the upper and lower brackets which meshed after at least 1” of turn on wheel. Sloppy to say the least….

  19. About 10 years ago, I purchased an 91 Ford F-150 4×4 from a small dealer. I think i paid $1200 for it. The steering was scary sloppy. I went to the junkyard and found a rag joint from another Ford, it was maybe $15. It went from 3-5" of slop in center, to about 1/2". Best $15 that I ever spent.

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