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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: Bobzooki on April 03, 2006, 08:47:50 AM

Title: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: Bobzooki on April 03, 2006, 08:47:50 AM
Well, I pulled the Gnewt into the shop to trim the fenders for 33's, and as I was cranking the wheels with the engine off, the lower steering shaft BROKE IN HALF!!!!!

I am damn lucky that didn't happen at 65 MPH!!!

The dealer says $404.20 for a replacement!

DOES ANYBODY HAVE A SPARE?  This is the shaft between the PS box, and the "U-Joint" just in front of the firewall, on a 1995 2-door with Power Steering?

Anybody?  I don't think I'll be able to get it out of the garage without it, and Mrs. Bobzooki is not happy that she has lost "her" garage!!!

THANKS in Advance!!!
Bob
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: hcgalvin on April 03, 2006, 09:11:30 AM
Well, I pulled the Gnewt into the shop to trim the fenders for 33's, and as I was cranking the wheels with the engine off, the lower steering shaft BROKE IN HALF!!!!!

I am damn lucky that didn't happen at 65 MPH!!!

The dealer says $404.20 for a replacement!

DOES ANYBODY HAVE A SPARE?  This is the shaft between the PS box, and the "U-Joint" just in front of the firewall, on a 1995 2-door with Power Steering?

Anybody?  I don't think I'll be able to get it out of the garage without it, and Mrs. Bobzooki is not happy that she has lost "her" garage!!!

THANKS in Advance!!!
Bob

I *might* have one from a 4 door, not sure if it would be the same size or not. I'll look through my scrap pile when I get home from work this afternoon. I'm not sure if I gave it away already or not to someone locally.
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: Bobzooki on April 03, 2006, 09:19:08 AM
Heather!!!!!

I don't know that it's the same - there's a different part in the manual for a 2-door vs 4-door.

EDIT:  But I guess I could pull the shaft off my 4-door, and compare them!   ::)
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: mudfkr on April 03, 2006, 04:45:16 PM
look through my scrap pile

Heather they are not scrap piles they are treasure collections  ;D

Bob I've got a couple spear but the freight would kill ya   ;)
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: Digger on April 03, 2006, 05:48:18 PM
I have one from a 2 door 1990 without power steering, if it would work for you... I don't know if it would fit or not...
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: hcgalvin on April 04, 2006, 07:22:16 AM
Bob, I'm sorry but I didn't see one.  :'(

Have you tried the scrap yards? We have a guy here who's probably got several, but I'm afraid to call him because by the time he gets around to shipping one to you or finding one for me it'd be 2 months from now. (remember the whole idaholwb fiasco?) If I hear from him today I'll ask him, though.

Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: Bobzooki on April 04, 2006, 08:01:35 AM
OK, I decided to bite the bullet and get one I was sure was good, and the right part.  The last thing you want is to lose the connection between the steering wheel, and the PS box, when you're tooling down the highway at 65 MPH.  :eek:

I need to start spelling the manufacturer of these vehicles $uzuki.   ::)
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: hcgalvin on April 04, 2006, 09:31:53 AM
OK, I decided to bite the bullet and get one I was sure was good, and the right part.  The last thing you want is to lose the connection between the steering wheel, and the PS box, when you're tooling down the highway at 65 MPH.  :eek:

I need to start spelling the manufacturer of these vehicles $uzuki.   ::)

Ouch, you spent the $$$? :o

Yeah, I agree, we had a buddy's come apart when we were wheeling, climbing a steep logging road with a sharp corner - he nearly lost it.  :-X

I'm amazed at the luck I've had with mine, even with the extra stress.
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: LBC4x4 on April 04, 2006, 12:02:00 PM
Hey guys I havn't posted in a long time but this same thing happened to me about two years ago. But instead of breaking in my garage it broke in a traffic circle going about 50mph in Long Beach Ca.  :o :o I was lucky because my car decided to go strait into a empty lawn. The funny part of it was I crashed into a pile of those airplane liquire bottles and the cops thought I was drinking. Even after I showed them my broken stering shaft they made me take a breathalizer.  ??? 

Well as far as getting a new shaft I just cut off the collapsable tubing which in my opinion is way to flemsy for a stering shaft and welded on some heavy steal tubing. This way it won't ever break on me again. ;D
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: Uncivilized on April 04, 2006, 02:43:31 PM
As far as I know they are designed to break there before anything else breaks, like tie rods, or something else that would cause you tires to not be parallel.  I think it's called a rag joint(?)(if this is where it broke) ;D
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: wildgoody on April 05, 2006, 09:05:09 AM
I think the Track/Kicks all have U-joints,
no rag-joint, I think the part that broke was the
accordian bellows looking thing, I never did like
that design. The earlier SideKicks have a D tube
and a solid D shaft that slip together, and a nylon
shear pin to give in case of impact.

Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: LBC4x4 on April 05, 2006, 09:50:06 AM
I agree with wild what I cut this cripple part off and welded a solid shaft for strength. This isn't the best solution though because if you get in a bad car accident the shaft won't collape and you could get the stering wheel pushed into you. Since then I have bought a new shaft and the welded one as a spare. I don't understand why it is desinged like this though most outher steeirng shafts have a slip yoke design which seems much stronger.
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: Uncivilized on April 05, 2006, 01:39:44 PM
Here's a picture of the steering shafts available in trackicks.
http://www.masterkit1.com/Images/Steering%20bar%20models.htm
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: hcgalvin on April 05, 2006, 01:42:21 PM
Here's a picture of the steering shafts available in trackicks.
[url]http://www.masterkit1.com/Images/Steering%20bar%20models.htm[/url]


Hmm..

Mine is model 2.
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: Uncivilized on April 05, 2006, 01:45:22 PM
Here's a picture of the steering shafts available in trackicks.
[url]http://www.masterkit1.com/Images/Steering%20bar%20models.htm[/url]


Hmm..

Mine is model 2.
So is mine, I always thought the hockey puck like thing was a rag joint....
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: wildgoody on April 05, 2006, 05:51:22 PM
I have model 1, but there is a slip absorber
in there, I wonder if Masterkit knows what
they are talking about ???
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: Uncivilized on April 05, 2006, 06:58:32 PM
I have model 1, but there is a slip absorber
in there, I wonder if Masterkit knows what
they are talking about ???
So are you saying with that model, you shouldn't need an extension? Maybe if you tell them you have that model, they let you know you don't need an extension....? But, that's off-topic anyway.........

Dave
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: wildgoody on April 05, 2006, 11:10:29 PM
You need to break the nylon pin to
extend the shaft. Did this on a sammy
Title: Re: MAYDAY!!! Need a Lower Steering Shaft!!!
Post by: hcgalvin on April 06, 2006, 09:22:52 AM
Didn't have to exted my model 2 shaft.. it was fine.