steering U-joint install - help pls

[67GTFB]

the short of it .... in the middle of installing a FR steering box in a '67 with short shaft (with "rag" joint) ..... FR recommends replacing the rag joint with a u-joint .... OK, got the lower part of the rag joint off with the old steering box (including flex disk) .... question is, how does one get the remaining upper flange off of the steering shaft?? .... looks like the steering shaft is a splined fit to the felx joint upper flange - is that correct?? - otherwise, why the splined replacement u-joint?? .... or is that upper flange swedged onto the steering shaft?? ..... I have a puller on the flange now and have cranked down on it pretty hard - hasn't budged .... would heat help break the joint? .... looks like this rag joint assembly would be assembled to the steering shaft after the shaft had been installed through the column tube .... do I just need to bear down on it some more - perhaps with some liquid wrench/penetrating oil .... the shop manual is not specific at all in the repair/replacement of the whole rag joint .... any help here will be immensely appreciated ....

TIA --- 67GTFB

 

[Tim65GT]

I replaced my steering box on my '65 with a Flaming River box and a '68 collapsible column. It was designed with the flange welded to the hollow part of the two piece shaft. I got a rag joint from Lares and it simply bolted in.

If you plan on using the U-joint, the lower column shaft would have to have some modifications too it.

Here is a picture of the install in a mockup stage:

 

[67GTFB]

Re: U-joint install -- Update close-out

Tim -- thanks for your input and pic!! .... fortunately I gave up trying to pull the upper flange off because that wasn't gonna happen .... I measured the shaft OD at 3/4" .... measured the OD of the shaft end inside the flange and it was over .8" ..... upon closer inspection, I noted that the end of the shaft was recessed in a cone shape .... then it all made sense .... the upper flange is forced fit with a flare-over of the shaft end to hold the upper flange in place .... not sure how the flange is aligned with the shaft - could be some short splines ..... but the u-joint needs a clean splined shaft and it was odd that the end of the OEM shaft was "coned" .... so there are really no splines for a u-joint (on the OEM sterring shaft) and the depth of them wouldn't meet the dimensions of the u-joint anyway .... so the short of it is, I rebuilt the rag joint (looks very much the same as the one in your pic) .... installed it and it lines up very nicely .... I offer all of this information up in case someone else gets into this same pickle .... end of story .....