1988-1995 OBS Chevrolet Truck LS Engine Swapped Budget Steering Shaft Project

[@THEFERMANATOR]

It is an 84-94 Cherokee(XJ)/Comanche(MJ) steering shaft that is used. The 95+ shaft is clocked 90 degrees off from the earlier shafts. And this mod applies to 88-94 OBS trucks, in 95 GM changed steering columns, and went to a 2 piece steering shaft. Several have gotten these shafts bolted into there 95+ OBS to learn there is a joint inside the cab at the base of the column, and that the shaft flops all over the place. You can use the jeep lower universal joint and merge it with your stock 95+ shaft to do away with the rag joint. And the jeep shaft still has a rubber coupling in it that fails, and gets sloppy.

[@V22D]

Do u have a part number?

[@5Hundred40ACRES]

​@@V22DLares 561 84-94 Cherokee steering shaft

[@bernie0524]

Thank you I just switch mine out in my 1993 two door Tahoe. I went to the junkyard and pulled one out of a 1994 keep for $15.00 bucks. Works great.

[@luisanaya9327]

Question bro it fits directly or do you have to cut the stoppers

[@bernie0524]

@@luisanaya9327 it just slides on the only thing I had to do was drill the upper steering wheel shaft a little bigger for the bolt to be secure, much better.

[@luisanaya9327]

@@bernie0524 ahh i see easy, hell yea man this post saved me money and time the regular steering shaft is 190 the jeep one is an upgrade plus its cheaper thanks

[@REDLIONJaxFL]

What size drill bit & bolt you use​@@bernie0524

[@luisanaya9327]

Finally a channel that explains the whole process hahaha

[@-sc8dz]

Working on 92 full size blazer, Best video ever made on steering shaft jeep replacement OBS.

[@laurencevillegarage]

Thank You! Glad you found it helpful.

[@alchampion340]

Riviera and Tornadoes once had the basic same setup also. This is a great upgrade for any Chevy truck. 👍

[@hawkdsl]

This is a good upgrade, and LMC and others sell this same set up for hundreds more... However. The decades old (tried and true) designed rag joint is equally as good, and they last a good 100k without issue. Replacement is pretty simple, and is the only wear part in that set up. Adding universal joints now makes two wear points, and it's possible to break a U-joint, losing steering. Rag joints get sloppy, but they very rarely break apart (in fact it's almost impossible). So keep that in mind if your not a maintenance junky.

[@laurencevillegarage]

I would agree with the premise, but, although you may have 2 wear points, as long as the angle is not extreme, there should be no problematic wear. Many vehicles today have 2 and sometimes 3 joints in the steering system with no issues. If you use parts made for the job and are installed correctly, it should be a trouble-free system. Some joints are greaseable and others are non-serviceable. Although I have never heard of one breaking, it is always possible. Good point for discussion.

[@everettpangle1861]

I own a 1998 GMC Sierra 1500 and I agree that the rag joint was put there for a reason to have a little give, a solid joint is going to cause other parts to wear faster. Stay with stock.

[@brooklyn_paisan1348]

WOW! Literally just bought the new stock steering shaft for my 96 sierra 1500, and today I removed just the dust cover, because in my head I kept hearing a voice saying, leave it alone, don't touch it lol 😂 so I didn't. I just paided $200 for the new oem shaft, and now after seeing ur video, it's going back tomorrow!! You have no idea how happy I am right now, knowing I don't have to continue to use that DOO, DOO rag joint steering shaft... Thank you so much for sharing.. 👍

[@laurencevillegarage]

Hope it all works out for you! Thanks

[@brooklyn_paisan1348]

@@laurencevillegarage what's the best way to make that hole on top of the shaft, like u did in the video? Thank you..

[@laurencevillegarage]

@@brooklyn_paisan1348 I just used a small drill. Marked the spot w a sharpie eyeballing it. Took it off to drill. Was not absolutely necessary, but I felt better that it could not possibly come apart on its own.

[@ronwalker6496]

​@laurencevillegarage would I need a to put heat on the new 1 like you did

[@THEFERMANATOR]

The jeep shaft does NOT just bolt into a 95+. This video is very misinforming.

[@biggrob33]

thank you so much for doing the hard work,🥰 which is the research. looks very good and easy to do thanks again

[@peterlinton]

I just ordered mine from your channel...can't wait to see how it turns out

[@laurencevillegarage]

Let me know, good luck!

[@SJKile]

I’m gonna try this for sure.

[@josechavez656]

I did this exact thing with my square body same part too.

[@brt-jn7kg]

Excellent video and perfect timing because I'm replacing my steering box.

[@laurencevillegarage]

Glad it helped

[@brt-jn7kg]

@@laurencevillegarage what your model did you get your steering out of the cherokee? I got one but the input socket on the steering column will not fit the square part of the steering column on my obs

[@laurencevillegarage]

@@brt-jn7kg Specifically for the '91 I used www.ebay.com/itm/363558504240. I know not all OBS years will easily accept this mod. Seems the '97+ have a different style steering shaft with an additional rag joint under the dash. I have not seen this one personally, just in my research, this came up.

[@96tahoe2dr4]

​@laurencevillegarage what year make and model are u getting this shaft from and is there any other vehicles

[@vincentsanders3312]

Thanks for the great video

[@tre9563]

That is awesome and efficient

[@chrisseanard6240]

FYI, This will not work on the 94 s10 with the 4.3 vortec. There is a side mount knock sensor that interferes with the upper shaft.

[@TXPRODUCT]

Good video, I just ordered mine from your channel also.

[@laurencevillegarage]

Great, thank you, good luck!

[@TXPRODUCT]

@@laurencevillegarage just got my shaft in and it’s too short. Don’t know if it makes a difference but you said keep 84-2000. The link to Amazon from this post says 84-94? Gonna try to return it but what do I need to order? Thanks in advance

[@laurencevillegarage]

@@TXPRODUCT First, what year truck are you working with? The search is for 84-94 Jeep Cherokee steering shaft. The shaft will extend a bit. The link to the specific shaft I used is no longer there, but if you search for 84-94 Jeep Cherokee steering shaft many will come up.

[@TXPRODUCT]

@@laurencevillegarage 99 OBS k1500

[@laurencevillegarage]

@@TXPRODUCT I believe your style shaft is different and the Jeep mod will not work. Do your research to see what others who have a similar year truck have done.

[@TheLimitedmod22]

Great video & upgrade!

[@laurencevillegarage]

Thank you!!

[@pjl1919]

I love thes videos

[@gptrichnyc]

Awesome thank you!

[@laurencevillegarage]

You're welcome!

[@968hbo]

It looks like a real good upgrade. Does the spoke on the steering wheel still line up correct?

[@laurencevillegarage]

Yes it does, just be sure it is straight before you make the change.

[@Goodoletom916]

Great video

[@laurencevillegarage]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@MohamedMohamed-lg7gz]

Great job 👏

[@laurencevillegarage]

Thank you!

[@alexthelegitguy]

Hey so I ordered one from your channel after I got it all installed it work good for about a week and then it started slipping almost like jumping teath on the gearbox

[@laurencevillegarage]

Check it to be sure it is seated completely over the splined output of the steering box. And the securing bolt is tight. Have someone turn the steering wheel and observe what is going on.

[@alexthelegitguy]

I'll double check man thanks

[@gideonmalychewski7643]

I ordered the same part. My experience thus far (4 weeks) I do NOT like this conversion. I would rather have the rag joint and oem drive shaft. I’ve experienced odd wheel play when driving- it’s weird to explain but it feels like the steering wheel tries to correct itself and has sudden wheel play when driving straight. Keep in mind, before I installed this conversation, I had the whole front replaced including the gear box + an alignment and have expierence this phenomenon. This is just my experience.

[@laurencevillegarage]

Thanks for the comments. I would suggest anyone wanting to do this modification to do research and make sure it will work for your application. Although many things were consistent on the OBS trucks, many things changed throughout the production run. If you are unsure of your mechanical ability either get a "professional" to install or just rebuild what you have with quality stock replacement parts.

[@johnny0454]

On what year of truck? You have to do it differently on the 95-98s.

[@gideonmalychewski7643]

@@johnny0454 88

[@stephenjohnston226]

Good video keep it up 👍

[@laurencevillegarage]

Appreciate it, thank you!

[@jesusherrera4551]

Eres un genio

[@laurencevillegarage]

Gracias

[@erikcruz2888]

Ordered the part listed on this page from Amazon for my 1999 tahoe 5.7 2WD and it was to short by 2-3" just FYI guys

[@Ski.the.slayer]

The shaft was to short?? I have a 97 sierra rn and I’m trying to fix the sloppy steering

[@_doomzday]

This only works on the 88-94 obs chevy’s

[@davidbro1332]

I've been having trouble finding one ,for my 1991 GMC c2500

[@laurencevillegarage]

While I have not made this modification to a 2500 series, compare the shafts of the c1500 and c2500 for differences. While not inexpensive, Cunningham Machine makes a replacement steering shaft with the universal joint. You might try to call them and see what options you have available to you for your truck.

[@samuelp.tabbjr3850]

Great vid. What steering box can you upgrade to?

[@laurencevillegarage]

I have not used either…yet. But search AGR and also redhead steering gears for a couple of faster ratio boxes. Depending on your choice and needs expect prices from $350-500.

[@Sqwintz15]

Great video. Do you have a part number for this steering shaft?

[@laurencevillegarage]

Yessir, check below the video in the description area, I have a link to the part I used.

[@REDLIONJaxFL]

How do you keep your steering wheel straight and make sure that it doesn't move when you disconnect the shaft

[@laurencevillegarage]

Make sure your front wheels are parallel and straight ahead. Then, after you attach the upper shaft the splines on the lower end will fit with little adjustment. All this was after the complete rebuild as well, so an alignment will be needed anyway. Any fine tuning can be done at that time.

[@jayanderson5402]

Good video. Tried it myself only to find that the upper joint on my 1998 Tahoe connects differently than yours does- on mine, the steering shaft is male and mates to the female coming from the column, whereas on yours, the shaft is female and the column is male. I'm beginning to research why mine is different and what I can do to make it work. I welcome any input.

[@jayanderson5402]

Turns out the 88-94 are just like yours, and the 95-99s are like mine- guess I should've paid more attention to what yours was before assuming it was the same as mine!

[@laurencevillegarage]

@@jayanderson5402 I have not really worked with the OBS SUV's yet, good to know. Thanks

[@petecruz3946]

@@jayanderson5402 what did you do to make it work on your year.. i have a 96 and im having the issue you had..

[@jayanderson5402]

@Pete Cruz I ordered the correct part for my year of truck, and it worked perfectly - not exactly like the video, but close enough to figure it out pretty easily. The jeep part doesn't work on the 95 and up trucks.

[@96tahoe2dr4]

​@@jayanderson5402is there an option for the 95+ obs

[@AmwayXS]

Would this work on a 99 Suburban?

[@laurencevillegarage]

The best answer I can give is, “it might”. I have not replaced the lower shaft on a suburban before. Compare closely the style shaft you have and pics of the replacement closely before buying. If you do buy a shaft from Amazon, at least if it’s not what you need, returns are pretty easy.

[@AmwayXS]

@@laurencevillegarage will do once i get back home and have some time to do the job, maybe next week. Ill report back thanks

[@scottsoto2765]

Great job. How did it drive after the install. ?

[@laurencevillegarage]

The videos are put out as soon as I complete that project. So, the truck is not road worthy yet. Still have the front suspension install (working on now), LS swap, exhaust, wiring harness, etc to do. I will do a "final" ride and drive when it is possible. Then plan on a follow up in 6 months to a year to let everyone know about any teething pains or issues, both good and bad.

[@Ski.the.slayer]

@@laurencevillegaragehave you driven it tet

[@laurencevillegarage]

@@Ski.the.slayer yes, I have put ~500 miles on it. Works great, definitely a worthwhile upgrade. Just a bit less slop and a touch more responsive. I’m sure I will do it again.

[@Peewee0413]

4:22 were your wheels straight with the flat up? I had my truck aligned 3 years ago took them 3 hours, and I know they messed with a bunch of stuff in confusion. I can't get the same jeep shaft on my gearbox. The bolt won't go through. Wheels are straight. I stringed them. Passenger is misaligned for sure, i could string a better alignment then the shop did. My flat on the gearbox is pointing towards my PS reservoir.

[@laurencevillegarage]

As I recall, I had the front end straight. However, I did not move anything when making the attachment. I had no issues with the alignment. You did not mention what year your truck was. There were some minor changes through the 88-98 run that might account for the issues you have having. A good alignment shop should not have a difficult time with the mod.

[@Peewee0413]

@@laurencevillegarage I have a 93. The bolt won't go through the hole and have not moved anything. Once parked. Actually put a pair of channel locks hanging from the lower part of the steeeing wheel so it didn't move around.

[@laurencevillegarage]

@@Peewee0413 The bolt I used was a 10mm that had come off the Suburban from somewhere. I chose not to drill out the hole to make it bigger. I drilled a hole just big enough for the 10mm to go through. It was not required, but I wanted the extra security of a “through” bolt just in case.

[@jeyweb4236]

Would this work on the 91-96 B body?

[@laurencevillegarage]

I’ve never worked on one. You could take measurements of yours and compare to an OBS in a local salvage yard and see if the dimensions are similar. You may be into something. Sorry I couldn’t offer a better answer for you.

[@eugenedabbs7252]

so if i get the steering shaft from the jeep it seems i wont have to modify it at all to fit my truck. unlike other steering shafts seem to need modifications

[@laurencevillegarage]

That is mostly true, depends on what year truck you have.

[@d14099]

I have a question it is not about the steering shaft though. Is that the stock engine mounting set up?

[@laurencevillegarage]

Yes, that is what the stock motor mounts for a 4.3 v6 look like.

[@d14099]

@@laurencevillegarage thanks for the update

[@rudysarcade]

Just got mine in and it seems a little to long I cant compress it enough to get both ends on. Do i have to remove the gear box first?

[@laurencevillegarage]

I did not have to do that. Will the 2 halves come apart completely?

[@rudysarcade]

@@laurencevillegarage yes

[@laurencevillegarage]

@@rudysarcade how far will one end insert into the other?

[@rudysarcade]

@laurencevillegarage I pushed it all the way and it looks to be about 2 inches to long still

[@laurencevillegarage]

@@rudysarcade I am not able to see it personally, but, does the male end insert far enough into the female end of the shaft that you could cut off 2 inches of the male shaft and have it fit properly and still have enough of the male shaft entering them female shaft, so as to not slip?

[@BrockGrimes]

Did you do the same for the OBS Chevy Cheyenne LS swap?

[@laurencevillegarage]

I did not, at the time I was not aware of it.

[@irwinhernandez5558]

Great video. I’ve seen a few others, I’m wondering why most other people take the two shafts of the xj apart. They heat the part where they both connect and remove some kind of plastic sleeve. I’m trying to figure out the reasoning behind that. Because most people use junkyard ones? The link to the part you used has been sold out but I bought a Dorman comparable one. We will see how it goes.

[@laurencevillegarage]

I’m not sure either. My neighbor saw mine and bought one for his Blazer. Different brand (cost a bit more but was beefier), and he installed his with no modification either.

[@thenexthobby]

That was also my question, I suppose if you can get a junkyard piece for $20 or whatever it's attractive. But then what you have is a piece you must modify AND both of its u-joints will be somewhat worn ... which is the entire reason these are sold as a new part to begin with.

[@MrRuggs57]

How did you know where to drill the top hole and what size hole did you make?

[@laurencevillegarage]

I literally looked for a bolt with matching nut in my can of nuts and bolts I had from the Tahoe’s and Suburban I have parted out, that was about the right size. As far as placement, I inserted the top part of the shaft over the upper part of the shaft to see how far it would fit over it. The existing collar bolt lined up directly beside the hole in the upper shaft. I then measured what would have been halfway between the 2 sides. Lined up perfectly. The bolt is a little smaller than the actual existing hole to give me a little wiggle room for alignment.

[@KevinH-r7x]

Ordered that part no# which didn't retract .

[@laurencevillegarage]

I looked up the item: Steering Column Shaft for Jeep Cherokee XJ 1984-1994 w/Power Steering 4713943 on ebay and it does retract. Look at all the pics, pic #5 shows the amount it can retract.

[@Peewee0413]

Did you just measure down from the old to drill the hole, or is there more to it?

[@laurencevillegarage]

I literally "eye-balled" the location of the hole to drill. The end of the shaft only goes on so far and I estimated the area to drill and it fit just fine.

[@Peewee0413]

@@laurencevillegarage ok, I just placed an order for mine. I'm sure I'll be fine eyeballing it too..thanks for the speedy response.

[@gerardolopez5875]

👍👍👍

[@laurencevillegarage]

Thank you!

[@scottsoto2765]

I have a 1988 Chevy C1500 will that jeep shaft work ?

[@laurencevillegarage]

Yes, it should.

[@dmoreno762]

Isn't the purpose of the original rag joint to allow for failure in a severe head on collision? This modification as beefy as it is will drive the shaft up and inward to the driver.

[@laurencevillegarage]

Rag joints were created to take vibrations and road "harshness" out of steering and to make up for small amounts of variance in the alignment of the components.

[@dchawk81]

The slip joint is where it compresses. The rag joint does nothing for that.

[@ffemtx4]

Been researching this for my truck lately and I've seen this same comment about "rag joints allowing for failure in a head-on collision" around 25 times by various posters. And, some were VERY adamant about it DEFINITELY being the reason why rag joints are used. Does anyone think that Jeep would allow the steering column to "spear" you in a head-on collision? If the reason for rag joints was to avoid such a thing, wouldn't ALL vehicles have rag joints? I mean, c'mon people!!!

[@YTInnovativeSolution]

​@@ffemtx4the safety is in the "collapsible column" not in the rag joint. You are correct

[@greddmyles3677]

Can't keep saying 88-98 with the jeep shafts, because it won't work on the bortec trucks. 96 and up

[@laurencevillegarage]

Thank you for watching and the comment. I did mention in the description below the video (I was working on a '91), that to do your research because this modification may not work on later model trucks.

[@nujayfabrication8089]

Will this work on 95-99 ? I know after 94 the trucks changed just a bit .

[@laurencevillegarage]

In and around the '95+ model year some things changed on the Chevy trucks steering shaft design. There are companies that make some parts to remove the rag joint, but, it no longer is an inexpensive upgrade. The price is higher and may or may not be worth it to you depending on what you want from your truck. Do your due diligence in research before buying and making this modification to your truck, you don't want to do something that will create a problem that could be serious.

[@nujayfabrication8089]

@@laurencevillegarage thank you

[@bricetucker3926]

Did u have to modify the shaft any

[@laurencevillegarage]

I added the hole I put the additional bolt in, which was just my choice. So, no, the shaft will install with no modifications.

[@JTap2011]

Could I do the same job on my 95 with a manual transmission?

[@laurencevillegarage]

Yes

[@ramirezj115]

The Splin on my 96 c1500 doesn't fit the Jeep shaft. I'm shit out of luck

[@laurencevillegarage]

Not completely, google 96-98 Chevy truck Jeep steering shaft upgrade. There were some differences through the years that would require a different shaft, either from Jeep or Chevy van. Don’t give up yet!

[@ssshhh7721]

Does not work on a 97 Tahoe 5.7 4WD. It was to short by 2-3". Now I'm stuck with a useless part that cost $40.00 and will cost $55.00 to send back. My truck is now immobile till the OEM part comes in. Do yourself a favor spend the extra money and get the OEM intermediate shaft.

[@laurencevillegarage]

My application was a '91 Pick up truck, it can be done, but you do need to do your do diligence and research your specific application. Just because the pick up truck and SUV share similar body design does not mean all parts will swap over and the same can be said for the trucks....many parts are the same from 88-98 but many are different as well.

[@punchobell7545]

Will this work on a 1996 Chevrolet C1500

[@laurencevillegarage]

I can't say for certain without seeing what your '96 shaft looks like, but, I found in my research it should then some changes came in '97. I would say check the gmt400 forum and search to see if anyone with a '97 has done it. If you order your part from amazon, and it doesn't look right you can at least return it.

[@punchobell7545]

@@laurencevillegarage what’s your email

[@pichy766]

What is the part #

[@laurencevillegarage]

All the information is in the description below the video, that includes part numbers.

[@caspercook7337]

would this work on a 95 4X4 K1500 ?

[@laurencevillegarage]

Yes, it should.

[@pacotrujillp5576]

Will it fit a 1996 gmc 1500

[@laurencevillegarage]

It should. Having said that, you may need to "tweek" it a bit for your application. I've seen others like mine, that went in with no problem. I've seen others that required some "massaging" to fit properly. Without looking at yours to see exactly what it looks like, that is my best answer. Try to by from someone who would allow free shipping back to you if the one you purchase doesn't look like it would work so you are not out extra $.

[@theaussie7160]

Arrr i get used to slop just like my sloppy wife

[@kuklok1989]

I just check oreilys they want 350 for this shaft know 😢

[@laurencevillegarage]

What?! Check Ebay, that’s where I got mine. Search using: Steering Column Shaft for Jeep Cherokee XJ 1984-1994 w/Power Steering, there are several under $60.

[@marcusmumphrey6995]

What and where did you get the 3 wire water temp sensor from? I'm wanting to ls swap a 94 v6 obs

[@laurencevillegarage]

Over time part numbers change or get dropped. You can cross reference part #73548951 or #12551708 and you can find the sensor. A quick check w rockauto pulls up both. Be sure to make certain the part you buy has the 3 prongs (others appear that have 2prongs). The pigtails I use come from either Michigan Motorsports or Boost Monkey. The sensor is ~$20-23 and pigtail $9.99-11.99. Good luck

[@marcusmumphrey6995]

Ok awesome thanks for the feedback

[@marcusmumphrey6995]

Thanks for the feedback sir

[@marcusmumphrey6995]

This 94 obs swap for my father n law for Xmas gift. He just been throwing away money trying to keep that wore out v6 going lol

[@laurencevillegarage]

@@marcusmumphrey6995 what a great gift idea! I’m sure he will appreciate it very much. Another great gift idea to add to your list is a 1994 Chevy c/k electrical and wiring manual from GM. I get mine off eBay. Outstanding wiring info for your truck. (I have 88-95, 98 myself). Best electrical info you will find for the OBS trucks. Still a decent price, the prices have begun going up along with the popularity of the trucks. If you need anything else, let me know.

[@mrscottster1]

Wrong Size for My GMC Sierra k 1500 5.7 Now got to send back to E -Bay.... Hassel ....Wrong Size, Wasted time.....

[@laurencevillegarage]

Sorry that specific part did not work on your truck. In all my videos I try not to say "this is how you do it", I try to stay with "this is how I did it". You did not mention what year your truck was, but don't give up, do your research and find a way to do it. That is hot rodding!

[@pro-touringf-body5179]

This is how and why people on the internet get so miss educated, I stopped watching after 1.27 min. because you tell people that the "problem" can be solved by replacing the steering box so explain to me how swapping the intermediate shaft will fix the "problem" with the steering box???

[@laurencevillegarage]

Thank you for watching the video...at least 1:27 part of it. I do encourage constructive criticism so we can all learn from KZbin. I don't think it is fair to only watch a small part of the video and make your assessment. I did not say that the problem can only be solved by replacing the steering box. The box is only 1 part of the steering system. As the title implied, I was showing how to replace part of the steering shaft, which is a part of that system which contains the "rag joint" which is an obvious wear part within that system. It was never intended to be a "cheap fix" for a steering box issue. There is no 1 single part that will fix all issues in the steering system or any other system that has multiple components within it. You obviously have experience, why not make a video(s) helping to dispel the "miss education" on the internet. I am not being a "smart ass", knowledge is power and yours can be an asset to others. Thanks again.

[@pjl1919]

Do you have Instagram or Facebook

[@laurencevillegarage]

Check out the information in the description below the video, it has all the ways to reach me.