IML: rag joints and steering adventures '73

["jlindholm " <jlindholm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All,
  not wanting to resurect the rag joint controversy of a few months back,  but to relate my recent experience.
 1st,   If you haven't replaced the unit on your many many years old very heavy car.    Do it
   I unbolted the joint,  and it fell apart in 5 pieces in my hand and on the street.  There was precious little actually joining the steering gear to the wheel!
   
As per our old discussion:  the factory part is very different than any of the replacements I've seen.   it's an approx. inch thick affair,  rubber dougnut with 4 metal wedges vucanized in it.   nice design.
all of the replacements are thinner rubber/fiber laminates with 4 holes cut in them.   
the thing is,  the replacements work with an appropriate spacer,
or with 2 of them grouped together. (which I did)   
total cost 8 bucks.    I spent quite a while searching these things online, and come to find that every car I could find that used a rag joint,  used these rubber/fiber ones.
  
One thing I can say, is that the improvement is unbelieveble.
I had recently replaced the old and sloppy(even after many adjustments)
steering box with a rebuilt one from FirmFeel. (stage 1 firmness)
wonderful, but all the slop remained until I replaced the joint.

I've never driven anything like this in my Imperials 
it's really wonderful, and tight and precise.
It really transforms the experience of driving the car.

I think of all the time I've been driving (hearding?) 5500lbs of 31 yr old steel in Manhattan like that..

be safe



Jack

73 Lebaron (under control)
81 Imperial (under wraps) 


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