I pushed the u joint further down in the splined output shaft and now it clears. It's really close, so I think I'll grind down a little header flange a little. If that's not good enough, I might shim the rack n pinion a little to change the angle just a smudge. This isn't permanent, I just want to steer so I can start it and go through the gears and check my transmission vacuum line and brakes.

 

I would index the point on the steer shaft where the set allen screw contacts to get the allen screw lower, than bevel the jamb nuts =2 and see where it goes.

 

Can you remove the set screw's and jam nuts from the bottom joint and weld it to the shaft?

 

I wish I would have thought of deleting the whole mess through welding. So, ....or, leave the set screws in place, grind them flush, and then weld the shaft to the u-joint.

 

I would use the screws to center the shaft in the joint. Then weld the shaft to the coupler. Remove the set screws and put in a few plug welds where they used to be.

 

If it isn't permanent, don't weld it. There is more than enough space on that header flange to grind a nice V notch in it and get all the clearance you need. If you weld and then find you need other adjustments, you may well be in real trouble, or even have wasted the u-joint.
I'd grind in along the same lines as the shoulder on the header bolt, about an 1/8 of an inch away, then come straight in from the shaft to meet the other cut. That should give plenty of room, even if you have to move the joint up again.

 

I think once I get the truck driving, then I'll consider welding the u joint to the shaft. I'll shave down the exhaust header a little for now. Moving onto lokar transmission shifter. Thanks for all your help fellas

 

In a fantasy world maybe, but without different/heavily modified headers or drastically offsetting the engine, (or swapping in a I-6 ) there is no way to get anywhere near that much clearance. Engine torque movement is rotational around the crankshaft and with commonly used engine mounts it's likely to move the clearance apart rather than closer together. Except for a highly modified torque monster motor today's engines don't really move that much, production engine compartments have gotten a lot tighter, they can't be jumping all over, so old rubber mounts have been replaced with much more controlling engineered urethane pads. Those look to be SS needle bearing U joints, so damage from heat soaking shouldn't be an issue, but welding would be.

 

Be sure the shaft has enough clearance between it and the U joint trunion so it doesn't bind. (See pg 28 of Borgeson catalog.) a small amount <3/32" could be ground off end of rack input shaft if needed for clearance (also see caution on welding on pg 30) : www.borgeson.com/Images/09Catalog.pdf

 

Did you read what Borgeson had to say about welding U joints? Plus you can't weld SS to mild steel, so you would need to buy mild steel u joints. There are better solutions.

 

If it were mine I would not leave it as is, just too close for me. If the exhaust cant be modded I would add a 3rd joint and support bearing.

 

Exactly!

 

My old setup had an eyelet type of fitting welded to the chassis rail. The bar fed through it and another set of unis ran another piece of rod to the uni at your column.
Like this (not a very good picture of it, but you can see the chrome thing to the left. This cleared the exhaust in this instance (ignore the welded joints- the whole thing was taken out, but that may be an option?
another example (not my truck- though I wish it was) I just typed in "support DD shaft" in google and got a whole heap of pictures of women in large bras! Heheh. I'm innocent! Really!

 

Seems to me the whole mess could be avoided with a rear dump exhaust collector, rather than a center dump. Perhaps it's at least something for others to keep in mind when doing a MII install. Peter's pic above seems to call out the same thing, as well. My 2c.

 

These are the headers that fit so I went with those. Seems like if it's not one hurdle, it's another.