Steering "rag joint"???
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Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,371
Likes: 46
From: Palm Bay, Florida
Steering "rag joint"???
Asking this question for my Brother-In-Law: His '88 F250 2wd had the steering shaft come loose from the steering box after a long period of time without the ps pump hooked up, due to a leaking seal.
I told him that on older Ford trucks that they had a "rag joint" rubber steering coupler between the shaft and box, but wasn't sure about his '88, can anyone confirm this?? I'm not able to phsycally look at his truck, and IF it has a rag joint how much different to change is it over the earlier trucks?? Thanks!
I told him that on older Ford trucks that they had a "rag joint" rubber steering coupler between the shaft and box, but wasn't sure about his '88, can anyone confirm this?? I'm not able to phsycally look at his truck, and IF it has a rag joint how much different to change is it over the earlier trucks?? Thanks!
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 383
Likes: 0
From: southeast,usa
Steering "rag joint"???
The rag joint is not difficult to change out. It won't last very long if the power steering pump isn't functioning. There's just too much stress on that coupling device.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN
Steering "rag joint"???
The '87-91 "rag" joint is much better than the older ones, but totally interchangeable and exactly the same to remove/replace. Just get the whole intermediate steering shaft from a junkyard for $10-35 - it only takes 2 bolts. 
Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: New Bern, NC
Steering "rag joint"???
The steering shaft on my '87 F150 / 302 / XLT Supercab has some type of roughly bell-shaped weather seal over a coupling joint about 8 inches out from the firewall. The rubber seal has hardened and cracked/ripped and it is slowly losing grease that was apparently packed inside the seal. The Ford dealer says this seal is no longer available and every parts place says they've never seen this setup before, all of them expecting it to be a "rag" joint until they see it. Does anyone know what this is called, and more importantly, where an aftermarket replacement for this seal can be gotten? Is this the '87-91 "rag" joint Steve83 mentions?
thanks!
thanks!
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN
Steering "rag joint"???
Sounds like your truck has some rare intermediate shaft, and it sounds like a carryover part from the older trucks. Mine originally had something like that, but if you pick up the newer ('87-91) style, it'll bolt right in ($10-40 in a junkyard).
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