R, what are the differences between carpart and hollander?

 

Two different companies.

Like "What's the difference between McDonald's and Burger King?"

RwP

 

Gotcha. Just wondered.

 

I think the bolt in the shaft is a shear bolt. It is designed to break in the event of a collision. So, it's pretty soft. (don't replace it with a grade 8 bolt......)

PB blaster works great on parts that have 'become one'. It essentially IS acetone, and ATF. (plus some other stuff.) The acetone helps thin it, and creep into interesting places. ATF on it's own will wick fairly well, the acetone just helps it along faster.

 

Guess that's explains why PB Blaster has that reddish hue to it.

I've been soaking those body mount bolts every other day for a week now. If that don't make those bolts come out with no damage then they were never intended to.

I'm still curious about that shaft connection in the pictures I posted above. One, what purpose does that wrap-around collar serve? Two, how is that thingy sticking out the side opposite the bolt head attached? I assume it is has interior threads because it is holding the bolt in but is it somehow welded to the shaft? Three, why wouldn't they just use a nut instead of that thingy sticking out the side? Just don't get it.

 

The little bracket just slide over the shaft, and the protruding part of it is indeed threaded for the bolt. The bolt, after all, just has to stay in place, it isn't actually holding/tightening/compressing anything. Just needs to stay in its hole. Why they didn't just use a nut? No clue. I can't think that the little bracket there is 'cheaper' to produce...... Maybe some engineer just had some extra time on his hands.

 

Sometimes you gotta just shake your head.

OK, so say I get that bolt out. It would seem the next step is to "open" up that slit a little to make room to separate the two shafts. But how the hell do you separate the two shafts when you cannot move either shaft in any direction? One shaft is secured up top, the other at the bottom at the rack. I know I'm an amateur, but I'm still failing to see the purpose of that entire connection unless it is somewhat adjustable to allow for fine tuning the length between the firewall connection and the rack connection. But then that thingy stick out the side where the bolt is threaded is suggesting it is NOT adjustable. Like I say, I just don't get it.

 

OK, this is kind of a duh on my part. I get so wrapped up in trying to figure out the engineer's stupid design that I fail to see what it is that is important to me.

I get that mid-column bolt out, maybe split that slit open a smidge, and make sure the two shafts are not corroded together so I know they will separate. THEN, I detach the rack from the frame and when I move the rack out and down, the two shafts should separate. This meets both my intended goals of, 1) being able to change out the rack bushings, and 2) allowing the steering column to move up with the cab when I jack it up to replace body mounts.

I think Chrysler changed the design of that steering shaft with the 2nd Gen. I think they went to a basic pinch bolt design just above the pinion gear. No roll pins, no funky bolts at mid-column. Might be one single shaft too with a collapseable feature similar to what you see on CV axles. That makes more sense to me, but what do I know?

 

Instead of dropping the rack, I might be tempted to just pull the shaft off at the column. With that bolt out of the way, the shaft should compress enough that you can get it loose. After all, that's all ya really need so you can lift the body without tweaking it.

 

Yes, except I'm trying to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Not only am I trying to eliminate the possibility of my steering shaft/column becoming a constraint when I lift the cab, but I also want to replace the rack & pinion bushings at the same time. The rack needs to be detached from the frame for that to happen.

I'm thinking if I take that bolt out I should be able to slide the lower shaft off the upper shaft by removing the R&P from the frame and moving it as much as the power steering hoses and tie rods will allow. This way I achieve both goals. I'm just not sure how easy it will be to de-bolt the shafts and/or be able to slide them apart.