Ok folks, I have figured out what is wrong with my steering, and please allow me to describe as best I can:

The steering rod that comes out of the firewall, down to a U-joint, then into the steering box, is what is loose. I believe it is the U-joint itself that has too much play and is done.

What is the name of this part for ordering, and can you get just the U-joint itself of do you have to buy the whole shaft?

And does anyone know where there is a write-up on how to replace this part?

I have already done my O2 sensor, (PIA) I have purchased the master cylinder to replace (Due to leak) and those are the next 2 projects I need to get done before December because I NEED to be able to PLOW!

 

Get the Borgeson steering shaft. It's a much better piece.

 

Most steering intermediate shafts are sold as a whole assembly. Same goes for this one i believe. Although those u-joints are pretty small may get lucky and find some through a industrial supply shop that specializes in hardware and such... i couldn't begin to tell you who would make it or what the part# would be...

 

Just call Borgeson!

 

Is Borgeson the only one who makes a replacement? $300 for the part seems a little extreme...

Does anyone know how much an OEM would cost?

Still looking for a write-up or first hand experience in anyone has replaced theirs.

 

just look at a pick and pull...mine has tons of play and i just suspended mine from a bracket off the motor, doesnt allow it to move up and down (which is mostly where the play is)

There isnt really much to it. Two 13mm pinch bolts....remove them completely, push up towards the firewall on the intermediate shaft and the shaft will collapse on itself. get the thing out of there. The bottom should come off easier than the top (off of the rack)

if the shaft wont collapse, get a 15ish or bigger socket to fit around the end of the shaft, and hit it with a 1lb towards the firewall and that should unfreeze it. If you notice there will be a flat side and round side to the shaft ends. Make sure the flat side is at East/West and the rounded side South/North. One round side will have a part drilled out for the pinch bolt to holt. Make sure that side is on the side the bolt goes through. Thats it, alot easier than it sounds

 

Well, I finally have all the parts on my truck replaced, I did the master cylinder a couple days ago, very easy, actually.

The "Lower Intermediate Steering Shaft" however... was a royal PIA.

I had to make a special run to the hardware store to get a larger HD 10mm socket for the lower pinch bolt...(I had 1 extension shear off and 2 sockets give out) and after getting the bolt out... (about 1/2 a can of liquid wrench)

The top bolt came out easy, I then used a pry-bar to pop the lower part of the shaft off. then came the top part. And after 2 hors of fighting with it, I ended up using large vice-grips to rip off the welded nut, then literally bend the spread apart. I couldn't spread it with a screwdriver, and the pry bar would slip out.

After lots of bending and prying, we finally got it off, and ten it was just a matter of aligning the steering wheel and slipping the new shaft into place.

Worked like a charm, the steering is LIKE NEW, very tight and responsive, THANK GOD!

Thanks to those who helped.

Words of wisdom, do not wait to fix a problem, because they CAN and WILL compound on each other, and some make others worse.

The steering was bad (for a while) and I let it go, but the leaking master cylinder both accelerated the problem, as well as rust, both in the engine compartment and the shaft.