2nd gen camaro Rag Joint Solution?

[charlie79z28]

Hey guys, I've been watching the pro-touring forums for a while but this is my first post. I'm in the west Chicago suburbs and I've got a 1979 z28 that I'm about 70% complete building with the intention of autox and various pro-touring events this upcoming season. Due to price, I'm sticking with OEM style parallelogram steering for now (albeit with forged linkage and an AGR 12:1 box). I pulled out the old box and steering column today and noticed the Dorman 31011 rag joint that i ordered from summit is far larger than the one currently on my steering shaft and will not fit. I wasn't too excited about going with a rubber rag joint replacement due to the possibility for loss of steering feel, but at the time wasn't aware of any better options. Now that I know this part wont fit and I can send it back, I was wondering if anyone has found a better solution that will be relatively easy to bolt in or slightly mod into my setup. Pouring through some old posts on Nastyz28 brought up borgeson vibration reducer u-joints as a potential option, any experience with installation and fitment? Thanks for your help!

[SLO_Z28]

I have had several solutions to this 'problem' but at the end of the day I put the stock rag joint back in. I didnt like the feeling with the solid shaft, there was way too much feedback, to the point of making my hands completely numb on long trips. I sliced the top of my finger off on my shifter on my way to an SCCA event and I didnt even realize it untill my hands slipped on the wheel from the blood they were so numb from the vibrations. I was just able to get the intermediate shaft from a 70 back in the car just a few minutes ago, and the feel is a lot more managable. A lot of this might be my shocks, so a set of 'street' shocks wouldnt get as much of this.

What center link did you get?

[charlie79z28]

I went with this proforged rebuild kit off summit http://www.summitracing.com/parts/po...maro/year/1979. Do you know if it is possible to adapt an earlier model steering shaft or intermediate shaft with my car so i can use the commonly stocked rag joint i already have? From what i read dorman 31011 is really 78 and earlier although appears to cross reference with all 70-81

[Zee]

Might wanna' try these guys: http://pwdstore.com/index.php/cPath/...75d484d0ff58ff

Anyway, where you at? I'm in Montgomery.

[Skip Fix]

Pretty sure starting 79 they used a different spline on the steering box requiring a different rag joint. For my 81 TA I had to use a rebuild kit as the extra one for a 78 wouldn't fit. Works OK just replacing the rivets with bolts and putting the new rubber in it looks hokey!

I thought I read somewhere the S-10s had a urethane rag joint that swapped. Not sure what years.

[charlie79z28]

It looks like those new steering shafts come with a new rag joint, that might be a good option since I need to rebuild my shaft anyway (blown boot etc). And I'm in the Naperville area