Steering coupler for 97 blazer

[jmcleek]

Had some play in the steering on my blazer that would not adjust out. Found out that it was in the rag joint, also found that it not in after market ,so I got one of these http://www.dormanproducts.com/p-23846-31002.aspx rag joint repair kits went to the hard ware store and got 4 5/16x 1 inch bolts with locks + nuts and a short peice of 1/4 inch pipe. The factory rag joint is rivited in. I started by removeing the intermedit shaft from the blazer by unbolting the coupler at the stering box then the orange ruber dust cover down from the slip joint . (a little prying to get it off the steering box was needed ). Run a 5/16 drill bit through the 1/4 pipe to open it up. Use a angle grinder to carfully take the joint apart, saveing all the sheet metal part tobe reused. Mesure the shoulder on the bolts that came with new joint and cut 4 peice from 1/4 pipe and use on the 4 5/16 bolts . reassemble in reverse of desassembly. hope this helps someone out.

[Zane M]

Another option to get rid of the rag joint completely is to swap in the steering shaft from a Jeep XJ(Cherokee).

[luvbowties]

Another option is at Advance Auto Parts:#31000 or 31005 for $8.00 or $10.00.

These are "completer" Dorman kits.
S