Do i have options or do I have to buy a rag joint from FORD?

deadly97snake

Founding Member
Mar 21, 2001
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Manchester, NH
I have about two inches of "play" in my steering wheel. I brought it to meineke and they said it was my rag joint(I figured it was). The problem is the part gonna cost me $229.00 from Ford. Autozone, Pepboys, and others don't carry this. Do I have options or am I stuck with the $229.00?
I want to keep my power steering so a Manual Rack is out of the question.
 
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If it's the isolator in the rag joint, you should be able to just get the replacement isolator for just a few bucks. If the whole rag jopint is fubar'd somehow and you're forced to pay that much for a new one, I'd just get a solid joint from Flaming River.
FR1504Stoots-sm.jpg
 
rockin_rick said:
It's also common for cars with a lot of highway miles to have play in the wheel when going straight. This is because the gear sits in the same spot on the rack and wears excessively in that one spot. Is your play all the time (no matter what direction you are turning)? Not discounting your previous diagnosis (which is most likely right), but something else to consider before dropping a lot of money on a potentially unneeded part...
Rick

I have about 1 inch of play to each side of the wheel before I can actually start turning my car. There is about 2 total inches of play that I have before my car will start to turn. So if i am going straight it is just loose and I can wiggle the wheel about an inch to each side before it starts to turn.
 
It's also common for cars with a lot of highway miles to have play in the wheel when going straight. This is because the gear sits in the same spot on the rack and wears excessively in that one spot. Is your play all the time (no matter what direction you are turning)? Not discounting your previous diagnosis (which is most likely right), but something else to consider before dropping a lot of money on a potentially unneeded part...

Sorry, I don't have any source of cheap rag joints.

Rick
 
I am having MM Aluminum rack bushings installed which is supposed to remove some slop (or something to that effect). Once I get my car back (after a lot of other suspension stuff), I'll post what differences it made. I've got a lot of miles, but I don't think my steering is as bad as yours, although there is a little play.

Now........that RSX in my sig has perfect steering. Wish I could duplicate that in my stang.
 
You can get a rag joint in the help section at Advance Auto Parts. They are like $6, and sometimes you have to stretch them to fit in different cars. They are all pretty much the same though.

Kurt
 
revhead347 said:
You can get a rag joint in the help section at Advance Auto Parts. They are like $6, and sometimes you have to stretch them to fit in different cars. They are all pretty much the same though.

Kurt

You are talking about the rag-joint isolator that baglock1 first mentioned right? I think the whole rubber rag-joint is shot.
 
Yeah, I would have to take a closer look at it. I forget how it goes on the SN. On most cars the rubber isolator is the only part.

However, when you say ragjoint, you are referring to the isolator, not the whole joint.

Kurt
 
deadly97snake said:
baglock1, I was just looking at that Steering Shaft Assembly from http://www.maximummotorsports.com. Is it gonna have any negative effects on my car? What is it gonna do? I see the price is $249.95/ea. Are they sold anywhere cheaper?

In my opinion, the positives outweigh the negatives. But let's start with the bad, and really it's only one thing and it's a minor thing and in my opinion, it's actually a good thing. You'll get a slightly increased bit of vibration through the steering wheel. It's nothing too obnoxious and you'll probably not even notice it after awhile. What you'll be feeling is increased communication from the road.

Since a soft material is being removed from the steering system, you're going to feel some of the little bumps and vibrations being transmitted up by the tires that you wouldn't otherwise feel. If you're a hardcore G-force junkie like me, you'll welcome the added "road feel." And if you're still using the stock rubber rack and pinion bushings, they'll still be absorbing quite a bit of the vibration. Unless you have nerve damage in your hands and slight vibration actually causes pain, I wouldn't give it a second thought.

As far as the cost, MM's price is about the best I've seen. I've seen them go on Ebay for slightly less than that, but MM is a good company to deal with and having them to call up for technical expertise is worth it's weight in gold.

Unfortunately, having a power steered 94-95 comes with a price to pay. The PS Fox body solid steering shafts gor for around $180. Consider the extra $70 a tax for better brakes and 5-lugs.
 
94SC50 said:
It happened to me also and I got it from Ford. What a world of difference it makes when you change it. :nice: You will enjoy driving your car alot more.

You got what from Ford? The new rag joint from them or did you get the
Flaming River Steering Shaft Assembly?


Note: This is just turned into a New Ragjoint from Ford vs. Flaming River Steering Shaft Assembly.
 
There are 2 possible points of play on the lower steering shaft. One is the lower rag joint by the U-joint. The second is the rubber bushing halfway along the lower steering shaft where the inner shaft slides inside the outer shaft. That rubber bushing was totally shot on my car allowing the inner shaft to rotate a bit inside the outer shaft. I was experiencing the same steering wheel play as you.

Your cheapes option is to go to a wrecker. I found a replacement shaft at a wrecker's. (V6 and GT shafts are the same) It made a big improvement. Not perfect mind you cause it was used (I can still see the inner shaft move a bit inside the outer), but still alot better than before.

Hope that helps
 
FYI Guys, I'm going back to the Ford Rag Joint. The Flaming river had major clearance problems on my equal length headers. The bolts are too far down the shaft and stick out too far. So I first tried to shorten the bolts. That would have worked, but then the rod was too short when I pushed it up far enough to clear the header. So I'll either have to find a longer rod that is shaped like Flaming River's or go back stock. To be honest there are a lot of points of failure in it anyway. 9 bolts that can work free. And to get it to work I wouldn't be able to use the jam nuts. Doesn't seem safe. Steering is the last thing you want to lose.