Aftermarket steering shaft coupler? - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

flatblackrat · February 5th, 2010, 08:20 PM

Hey guys I'm using a 7/8" dunebuggy style steering shaft on my rat and I can't find an aftermarket Female splined coupler that connects the steering shaft to the male splines on the steering box flex joint. The buggy shop says I have to go to the junk yard and cut one off a bug steering column and weld it to the buggy steering shaft. The junk yard wants me to buy the whole steering column assembly. So, does anyone make an aftermarket female splined stub for my application? The front end is a 1969 beetle ball joint type.

**Unkl Ian** · February 5th, 2010, 08:24 PM

Should be able to find a u-joint online.
Pegleg used to talk about using a couple buggy u-joints for his extenders.
Don't remember exactly who sells them.
IIRC, they are around $40.00 each.

**rostigbug** · February 5th, 2010, 08:55 PM

WWW.CHIRCO.com has about 50 different kinds of steering couplers..., R&P, splined on the inside, outside, early, late... everything!!!
great prices .

cliff@brownbags · February 5th, 2010, 08:57 PM

Flaming river has all you should need. Thier stuff is nice

**Unkl Ian** · February 5th, 2010, 08:59 PM

Chirco is a Volksrods Coalition vendor.

**Unkl Ian** · February 5th, 2010, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatblackrat

The buggy shop says ....

Maybe you need a new buggy shop ?

Jon · February 6th, 2010, 04:35 AM

Are you looking for the union between the steering box and the splines ?
I made mine.
What I did was take a stock part the one that bolts/clamps into the stock steering column and chucked it up inot a lathe and drilled it out with a 5/8 bit. Close.... then cut off the remained thin sleeve of steel, slid in the 5/8 splined stub and welded it up on both sides.

HeidelbergJohn4.0 · February 6th, 2010, 06:43 AM

http://www.appletreeauto.com/u-joints-c-85.html

flatblackrat · February 6th, 2010, 07:49 AM

What I had in mind was a staight adapter without a built in u joint, but I guess if I eliminate the stock flex joint then it would make sense to use one of the aftermarket u joint combos. What is the spline count and size of the stock '69 VW steering box stub shaft?

flatblackrat · February 6th, 2010, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whozawhat

Because I found the steering box splines hard to match a u-joint with, I opted to leave the flange piece on the splines of the steering box, then I purchased these pieces from pegleg, the flange bolts to the flange of the steering box and the stub spline welds inside the buggy steering shaft, then used a readily available 5/8 u-joint from CIP1.

Then remove the rag joint and bolt the two flanges directly together. (Use shorter bolts than I did they are just for mockup.)

So I think we are getting somewhere....... It looks like I can bolt the flange bracket to one side of the stock rag joint, then weld the splined stub into the buggy shaft, then bolt it up? No addtional u joint needed!..........

How much was the kit in U.S. dollars?

flatblackrat · February 6th, 2010, 08:35 AM

Bummer! Peg Leg Metalwerks has closed down! Hopefully other vendors can help.

JiI · February 6th, 2010, 08:42 AM

FWIW. I used a Kia u-joint and it bolts right up to the VW shaft. Maybe find a junked Kia and rip the parts off of it.
Jeff

HeidelbergJohn4.0 · February 6th, 2010, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatblackrat

Bummer! Peg Leg Metalwerks has closed down! Hopefully other vendors can help.

Yeah, we kinda had a thread about that for the last couple of months.

Maybe DBug41 will take up making that piece as well.

One of the reasons I used a 3/4" shaft in my buggy instead of the 7/8" was they were easier to find all the parts to mate up with.

tequilla · February 6th, 2010, 10:15 AM

When I made my steering extension I used a turned down shaft to slide into a stock VW flange with a pinch bolt.... The shaft needed to have splines but to get around that I ground a small flat in the shaft to clear the pinch bolt then used a plug weld to secure it. Works great but only use this method in a place you won't need to take apart.........

trikertroy · February 6th, 2010, 02:25 PM

I use EMPI steering universals for the offset side shifters on my Bettertrikes.. They are readily available and cost about $30.

Super Beetles have two universals in their steering system.. one on each end, dog bone style. Could be useful..

tequilla · February 6th, 2010, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trikertroy

Super Beetles have two universals in their steering system.. one on each end, dog bone style. Could be useful..

I used a Super Beetle shaft with universals on my 10" beam extender

Dbug41 · February 7th, 2010, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatblackrat

Bummer! Peg Leg Metalwerks has closed down! Hopefully other vendors can help.

Hope this helps
http://www.berrienbuggy.com/id121.htm

These guys have most everything you will need and since you will get it at the same price I will it would save you money to source these parts on your own

if you want to send me the parts to weld up for you I will
just include the exact dimensions you require and I will get it done (pm for pricing)
Doug

Jon · February 7th, 2010, 09:26 PM

Getting rid of the stock rag joint and having a solid straight attachment will work provided everything is perfectly in line and straight dead on. The rag join is only for a vibration dampner and not for flex and should be considered as that only.
However by adding a U-Joint instead of the rag joint you get a great deal of adjustability. Not only in the steering shaft angle such as in Dune buggies but also in adjusting/tuning out the bumpsteer. Chisel off the steering box stops and you can then rotate your steering box around to get your tie rods straight.
Great for lowered and raised suspensions, yeah you can flip your tie rods and should with really lowered cars but doing htis as well will get them right instead of closer. Even more so if you have narrowed the ft. end.

briancustoms · February 8th, 2010, 04:09 PM

Just as another option, I used an Astro steering shaft that I pulled from the junkyard. I disassembled the steering box at the junkyard and pulled it's shaft out of it and welded my own adapter on the end to bolt to the Beetle steering box. Next time I will bring a hacksaw with me to cut the end of the steering column shaft off cause I had to buy that whole thing ($30 not too bad), then I cut the end of it off and welded it to the Beetle steering column. I installed a bearing at the top to hold the column in place (need to redo that so I can mount the gas tank back where it was just slightly lifted). All in all, I think I paid $40 for the parts and maybe an hour of work to install it all.