[OldMav]

Is it better, well i have had one on my GQ ute since the mid 90's and its still fine and not worn. This one is for my son's GU Ute, it a direct bolt on.

I changed it because i just thought i wanted to try it out, at the time in the mid 90's i was driving a 80 series for work which has that yoke fitted.and i found the steering more precise.
You might find you over correct on turns until you get use to the different feel and precision you will have with the yoke.
Its personal preference but i like the steering direct and precise like a car is. If you like that feel then the yoke is a great improvement. On cape york 1990's huge corrugations i never felt it had too much feed back so i don't think you will even find corrugations worse than that so you should be fine on dirt conditions.

On highway i find it better and it just seems to drive better, just a feeling nothing else. Others who drive patrols and jump in my rig always comment how car like it is to drive but that could be partly due to my 3 link + panhard front suspension and triangulated 4 link rear end which makes the rig feel planted on the road like a German car feels..

 

[OldMav]

@geeyoutoo you should try one Ross, for you and your driving style X racing you will appreciate the better steering feel like the mini on rails feel.. I have meant to talk to you about it every time i drive your rig but forget to tell you when i get back.

 

[OldMav]

Hmmm! I wonder if Garry can source them, will have a chat to him? Will let you guys know what price Bursons can do.
Lol, see what you have started @OldMav

Yeah well, i have done so many different things to my rig i cannot remember them all, but this one is one of those things that you need to be prompted about to remember that made a difference that was worth while. Some of my experiments are not worth while.

 

[OldMav]

I didn't undo the steering column to fit the uni. Its a struggle to get it in though. I used a wedge to spread the column flange to slide it up enough to get it on the steering box. On my son in laws ute i had the engine out so was easy to do in place. My sons ute i just undid the two column bolts and the 4 bolts at the fire wall and slid it back a inch or 2 to make it a whole lot easier. It probably took less time sliding the column back BTW.

I have not attempted a ZD30 and i know there is a lot of crap in that area.

 

[OldMav]

The shaft actually slides right through to the uni. Its just you only have wiggle room to line up the splines on the steering box. You need about an extra 1mm of clearance then it would go on easy. I just stuck a screwdriver in the uni slot and leavered it back so as to get that extra mm to get the coupling on the steering box. Its actually harder to get the rag coupling off i remover the coupling bolts and pulled it a part piece meal.

Actually the best suggestion is to undo 4 of the steering box bolts and roll it up a bit. Thats would work and the best suggestion so far. Actually you would only need to loosen them as there is quit a bit of bolt clearance in the GU steer box. that would get the new coupling on. Getting the old rag coupling off remove 3 bolts and roll up would work well..

I never thought of that solution, there you go i actually learnt something about a patrol after all this time... Well done Benny.

 

[OldMav]

I never had a issue on corrugations. i fitted one to my now departed Dads 1988 GQ ute sometime in the 90's due to the rag joint had broken. That rig did twice around the clock and then some because it had the odometer broken for some time which is usual for a GQ. 2 or 3 times a year he would do his usual Weipa fishing trip. In those days the cape had real corrugations 800 klms of them. The steering column is still fine. A family friend has the ute now and i do see him often, and i still do its services. I haven't noticed any column play or wear. I will check it next time in detail.

The other thing i noticed that could be a bonus is bouncing about rocks, the steering doesn't seem to have that annoying spring back or that flexing and no turn you get at times. The Mods has been around for years and by now there would be quite a few that have done this mod. I haven't seen or heard any ill effects.

The rag joint does deteriorate or gets a bit loose as time passes so for most or you, you just got use to the extra flex. If you fitted a new rag joint it would feel very much the same as this solid uni joint if not the same that is why the steering has that very much positive feel now like a new rig...

 

[OldMav]

It will feel like a new car with that rag joint replaced its would move a lot more than 5° in the car.

 

[OldMav]

You probably set the spline right it was the rag joint that was offset a bit from use. I found the same thing when i have changed the rag joint in the past probably 6+ time or more cannot remember how many i have changed over the years. Every time i have changed to the uni system the steering was always out usually right for some reason.

 

[OldMav]

Will be interesting to hear your comments about corrugated dirt road conditions. I found it was the same as the hard top, Less feedback and twitching and to be honest i actually thought there was less shake from corrugations. Hard to imagine as i had assumed the rag joint was meant to absorb that shake but in reality it doesn't, it emphasises it. So i am not too sure what the purpose of the rag joint is.
As said i will be very keen to hear your comments. I am assuming you are going to find a corrugated road to test it out on soon.