I have one of the infamous 2000 Durango's with the Intermediate steering shafts prone to failure. Currently, the play in the steering is quite bad (Haven't been driving it lately due to this) and I was wondering is there a place which sells replacement U-Joints for the steering shaft and rebuild it that way, or would replacing the entire shaft be the best option?

I read the thread back-a-ways about Precision and Borgeson, but I was unable to determine if they made a replacement U-Joint for the 2000 Durango. Has anyone attempted a steering shaft rebuild before?

 

You can get the universals, but they aren't easy to replace. Honestly your best bet is to replace the entire shaft.

 

Oh yea, where can you get em?


To answer the Origanal Posters question,

I have looked for just the cheap replacement U-joints and have not ever found them. The only ones I found I posted in that thread. The only other thing I could tell you, replace the entire shaft or get one (or just the U-joints) some out of a junker.

 

Hydra,

I meant to post this a couple weeks back but forgot about it, figured I'd throw it in here. I had the opportunity to change another intermed. shaft on a friends '03 and took a close look at the u-joints on it for possible replacement options. IMHO it 'aint gonna happen. Both u-joints connect with an "oblonged square" shaft shape (if that makes sense) where two of the sides are straight and the other two have a half-moon shape in them. They're also keyed in place with the pinch bolt that holds it onto the shaft by going thru the column shaft in a ground out slot. (yeah I know, really bad description but the picture in my head is perfect!)

Besides all of this, the upper u-joint is also flanged and connects to an insulator disk (looks like it's there to absorb some torsional shock) with rivets. The bearing caps are staked in place as well, so a rebuild of each individual joint isn't possible even if you could find the parts.

Bottom line, a custom made part for Dodge. Making a replacement out of aftermarket parts would be difficult at best, and probably pretty costly.

To the OP, changing the shaft is easy, just make sure you either lock the steering wheel in place with the ignition lock, or if you want to be able to position it somewhat for easier bolt access, wrap the seatbelt around it a few times and buckle it. There's a clockspring inside that may unwind otherwise. Don't forget a little bit of blue locktite on the bolts when you put them back in also.

Bob

 

Buddy of mine is a semi mechanic, and he was able to get me a set of universals that matched the originals from a company that specializes in universals. Never put them in due to the design of the shafts.

 

You didn't answer my question,

What is the part number and name please? It's easy to say this and that, but you need to back it up.

Then you state that you never put them in because of the design of the shaft, that sounds again like they have a high probably not to work as replacement parts in the first place, therefore you cannot confirm nor deny that they would even work.

 

I'm sure you can find replacement joints, but the problem is I had the hardest time getting the old u-joints to press out of my old junk steering shaft i was messing with, it ended up bending the yoke on the other side of the joint when I pressed it and basically it just turned into a huge mess and the shaft is aluminium too which explains who it's so expensive. If someone can sucessfully get the old u-joints out of the shaft without bending or breaking anything, let us know for sure.

 

Huh? Unless we're looking at completely different parts, there's no way the upper joint is "pressed" onto anything. one end is square-ish connector with the pinch bolt that slipes onto the upper steering shaft, and the other end of that joint is a flat disc that rivets onto a mating disk with a rubber insulator between them. The lower one *may* be pressed onto the shaft (I didn't look that closely) but the bottom end of it is also the matching "pinch bolt" style that goes onto the steering box. Also, I doubt that it's aluminum. Way too much surface rust on it.

I've done two of them so far, both '03 4.7 4WD models (identical twins!) and I'll check to see if the old one made it to the trash yet. If not I'll post pictures.

Bob

 

Well here's some old pictures of mine when I was replacing it.

I know that end yoke piece is aluminium for sure, the upper may be just be steel. The square shaft itself may be steel as well. That Lower joint can be pressed out, I got it to budge with a press but the whole yoke assembley bends and twists into a huge mess. Those yokes are too thin to hold up to the force of pressing the joints out.


Here's the upper joint, and again it's the same joint as the lower one, but it's pressed in there very tightly. Then the shaft goes down into the rag joint and then turns into a square telescoping shaft, then into a yoke for the bottom joint. All the shafts I've seen so far had the top joint fail first.

 

And again you didn't answer my question?


Obviously it's what I have already stated,