Hi guys. I've determined that the rag joint is bad on my 2000 Blazer 4x4. I've observed lots of play in it while someone was turning the steering wheel with the engine not running.

This car is not a daily driver for me so i'm just going to get the Dorman direct replacement and not the Flaming river joint.

My question is, how do I get the shaft out of the car. I've already detatched it from the steering box and slid it off the spline, but I just don't seem to have enough clearance to slip it off the steering shaft to get it out of the car for me to work on it.

What's the trick that I'm missing?

 

 

Thanks, I've seen that video before. My problem is that there is an emmissions hose pipe that comes off the exhaust manifold that prevents me from sliding out the shaft the way this guy describes. I can try to remove that air pipe, but those bolts are so badly corroded, i just know i'm gonna snap them and have an exhaust leak. I've been spraying with PB Blaster, but they don't look good.

Once I get that shaft out, i'm gonna change that #3 spark plug finally as well!

 

It's a tight fit but I recently did mine. What you need to do is push the shaft in toward the cab of the blazer as far as you can then pull up. It pushes pretty hard against the brake lines but mine didn't break. Remember you'll need to find some bolts and be sure to use thread lock. If I where to do the job again I would be more careful with the original metal parts of the joint and use those instead of the ones that come in the kit.

 

Thanks Josh that really helped. I jacked up my engine a couple inches also to help clear that AIR hose off the manifold and I had plenty of room. Didn't realize I could slide that shaft so far back.
I mangled the original parts of the joint getting it all separated, so I had no choice to use the parts that Dorman gave (plus the 4 3/8" bolts, locktite, and nylon lock nuts).
Night and Day difference, the old rag joint had play from stop to stop, it was awful. The new joint is nearly solid.

Now onto my steering box. So right now the Blazer is up on stands, I put the key into the ignition to unlock the wheel, and play with the wheel 2-3" back and forth and I can see that there is virtually no play in the rag joint...SUCCESS!

However, the wheel still has about 2" of play back and forth before I see the wheels move. Should I wait to determine if the steering box is worn out until I get the wheels back on the ground, engine started so I get power steering assist to see if the play is real or not?

I just replaced the idler arm, ball joint, upper control arm bushings, tie rods, sway links. This truck needs an alignment. I don't want to pay for an alignment only to have to change the pitman arm/steering box later and have to do another alignment.

Also, do I have anything to lose by trying to adjust the nut on the steering box? Tons of people swear by it, but I also hear tons of people say never to touch it and it just stiffens the wheel returning to center, doesn't solve the play.

 

On my old blazer I tightened mine up a bit, seemed to help but not sure if it was just my imagination

 

I tightened it about a 1/4 turn. It did tighten it up a little bit, no question. I can see the shaft turn in the engine bay and the wheels have a direct response. However, it seems to have messed with the return to center a little bit (coming back from a left turn). Going to get it aligned next week, and will re-evaluate then, because right now it's got a heavy tendency to go left. I just swapped the whole front end steering/suspension with new parts. the rag joint/steering box were my last two before alignment.