Recently bought a 93 Dakota 4x4. Has a body lift. The steering rod under the hood from firewall to steering box has prolly 2" side to side play, its very loose. 2 piece rod between the joints. The side to side play is @ the section where the 2 pieces join, not at the end joints.
Do I replace it with a stock rod, or is there a rod for use with a body lift? I never have dealt with a body lifted truck. Either way she is parked for the time being.

 

It sounds to me like the u-joint is bad. I've never messed with one, but I assume you can replace them just like a driveshaft u-joint.

I guess its impossible to know what the person who installed the body lift did, but when I installed mine, I loosened the bolt at the top joint so the shaft could move out as necessary and tightened it back down after I was done and it hasn't given me a single issue since.

 

95 318slt-
I am not talking about the the slop being at the "u joints"at each end of the shaft, the slop is where the shaft slides into the the other end of shaft between the ujoints. U joints are good.
hope that makes sense
thx

 

I had just a little. What I did was take it to my press and crush it flat. So it can slide but no play. You may have to do something similar. There are no replacements. There is no special one for the body lift. Or you can always go out to a junkyard and find one that works good.

 

Thanks for info crazy..