Ramcharger Revival: Steering Shaft Fix for Any Old Truck

This 1986 Dodge Ramcharger is slowly being brought back to it's former glory, except with some higher performance upgrades. in this video, the truck gets it's new steering box from LMC, and a custom made steering shaft,
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[@IndirectConnection1]

I worked at a Dodge dealer back in the 90's, and of all the parts we changed on the W trucks and AW Ramchargers, this was it! Those joints were the same garbage my lawn tractor has, and about the same size. Good job Joe!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks, Jason! it’s amazing how the problems like that just keep getting reproduced, and not improved.

[@IndirectConnection1]

@JustMoparJoe most companies have the knowledge to improve, but the bean counters won't let them. That's where we come in!

[@rickseeman5679]

The Ramcharger is looking good.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thank you! I’m proud of how’s its progressed, but it’s time to finish up!

[@318willrun]

That's turning into a sweet Ramcharger!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Few more steps and it’ll be there!

[@gregtough9055]

Brilliant!! The stock joints are for the birds.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks, Greg!

[@mikestackhouse9001]

Nice fitup and welding Joe. Looks very professional. Liking those "Lone Wolf McQuade" glasses. All you need is a cowboy hat, a badge and a .44 to top it off.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks, Mike!

[@bradsrestorations1085]

Excellent welding! That shaft is solid! Another quality piece to the puzzle.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks again!

[@terryboothe2309]

You do good work . Your welds are solid

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thank you very much!

[@TheFlyinglimey]

I have a '91 that I just put a new steering box/pump/hoses and shaft into. The shaft is a Borgeson telescopic unit that installed in about ten minutes. Ordinarily, a flat needs to be cut onto the steering box input shaft once the steering wheel is aligned properly, but my reconditioned box was, I think, originally in a GM truck, as it has the flat milled already and the steering lined up without adjustment. My Ramcharger LE was custom-ordered by a local rancher, who insisted on combining all of the luxury options with all of the heavy-duty towing and off-road options. It is a full-fender-tag truck that I daily drive for most of the year. I put it away for the worst of winter because of the caustic crap that gets sprayed on the road up here in Alberta, Canada. It has the original 360, but the stock fuel injection computer went haywire, so I swapped in a Carter AFB on an Edelbrock Performer, keeping the air conditioning compressor in the original location. I rewired the entire engine bay and converted the ignition system to a Ford Duraspark, charging control is handled by a stock Chrysler two-wire regulator. I rewired the headlamp circuits for heavy-duty relays, as my truck tried to join many of its counterparts in the boneyard by nearly catching fire; a consequence of Chrysler's TERRIBLE wiring. The next project will be in spring; it needs the engine and transmission re-sealed and I'm going to eject the garbage stock hydraulic roller cam in favour of something better able to make REAL torque. I also have a set of headers and an exhaust system.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Sounds like a sweet rig! Thanks for sharing!

[@musclecarmitch908]

Nice steering upgrade!👍

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Mitch!

[@SeanJoseph-s2s]

Good job Joe...thanks

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks for watching!

[@TsGoodTimesGarage]

"Finally gave 'er the shaft." 😆😆 Some nice work brother!

[@JustMoparJoe]

Yes! Thank you T!

[@dumpsterchicken6287]

Dependable steering is a good thing.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Absolutely!

[@edsmachine93]

Nice repair Joe. That was alot of work. Thanks for sharing the process. Have a good evening.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks, Ed. You know it’s been a struggle in many steps

[@jeffdavis5704]

Looking good joe, i wasn't sure if that shaft was two piece collapsible.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks Jeff. It may have been before the black pipe 😅

[@SpeednDemon]

My Borgenson double universal shaft came with extra long set screws which hung up on my inner fender and I couldn’t turn the wheel causing me to drive into oncoming traffic luckily it was early enough that the weren’t many cars on the road otherwise my Ramcharger would be gone I pulled and bent the fender out drove the half mile back home in a cold sweat I then took a angle grinder to the screws and problem solved but that was a close one luck was on my side that day

[@JustMoparJoe]

Wow man!

[@UnfinishedProjectDartSport]

RamCharger Sport!!

[@JustMoparJoe]

🥷

[@BlownBudgetGarage]

Personally I wanna see the return of the engine build screwdriver lube applicator

[@JustMoparJoe]

I may give that driver away if i ever hit 100k subs!

[@cjm5002]

Yeah the splash guards make a world of difference on a W series. Ive done a lot of gearbox changes and steering column work and this is the easiest way for sure. Alternatively you can do away with the crappy wobble joint off the gearbox and do a single 8 (need two ppl to install the column in one long piece)... but that is really better on 1979 and earlier since they changed the bushers on the end of the column past that. I know I have said it before but this is especially important on the W series: get some 3/16" or thicker plate and box the frame from the front of the cross member to the tips of the frame horns. Those are the weakest points and WILL break in time. If this gent wants to seriously wheel this rig in the hills all it will take is one bump to the bumper on a tree stump or something and POP there goes the drivers side frame right at the steering box bolts. D series its not so bad because there is no spring shackle forward of the steering box to add more stress.

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother!

[@joshsiegle1229]

Fantastic job on the steering column Joe! On the factory shaft, is there a piece of plastic that shears off during a wreck (so the steering column/steering wheel doesn't crush the driver?) I think I've see such things on videos with older Dodge cars....

[@JustMoparJoe]

I didn’t see one on this shaft. Maybe that’s what they replaced with the black pipe🤷🏻‍♂️. Thanks brother

[@czgunner]

Don't you need some "slip" in the steering shaft?

[@JustMoparJoe]

The slip was designed for crashes to not shove the shaft through the driver. Also when the frame flexes going over extreme potholes, etc. This truck is mostly highway hound now and the rubber rag joint will give it some flex

[@TheProchargedmopar]

👍💪

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother

[@Ralph-mi4wt]

👍

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother

[@brianandglendaharkin9457]

👍🏻🇦🇺

[@JustMoparJoe]

Thanks brother!