FRAMING JOHN DELOREAN - ON VOD www.framingjohndeloreanfilm.com
Page 1 of 8 1 2 3 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 77

Thread: DCUK Stainless Steering Shaft/Joint Set

  1. #1
    My friends think I'm nuts jawn101's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Sacramento-ish

    Posts:    4,408

    My VIN:    02100

    Club(s):   (NCDMC) (DCUK)

    DCUK Stainless Steering Shaft/Joint Set

    Got mine earlier this week and finally got it installed this weekend. Here are my initial impressions:

    - Joints are really nice quality. Very flexible.
    - Shaft is insanely thick. Three, maybe 4 times as thick as the original one.
    - Everything fits just as it should. The bolts Martin supplies are very nice as well. They are hex heads with 13mm nyloc nuts, so you'll already have the right tools on hand. I used an SAE hex set as the 5.5 metric was too small and 6 was too large.

    Assembly looks great, way nicer than the price would lead you to believe. Installation is conceptually easy but of course your own experience will vary based on skill and condition of your car. My car wasn't the problem - I was. I messed this job up in a couple of ways but nothing serious and nothing that I couldn't overcome with some help from Martin.

    That brings me to my next point, Martin himself - stand up guy. Great communication, great service and an exceptional part at a very fair price. This part made the greatest single difference of anything I've done to the car to date.

    Other notes:
    - I installed this with the DPNW Delrin bushing and it fit with no problems.
    - You'd be wise to have some long handled needle nose pliers or vice grips on hand to hold the column while you install the shaft, otherwise it will collapse back inside the car.
    - I had to crank pretty hard on the bolt that connected the upper joint to the column in order to get it threaded through the depression in the column end - don't be afraid to do that. I was and it held me up for 2 days, but once I just pressed on there was no issue. Martin assures me that the bolts he supplies are more than strong enough to take this.
    - Martin suggested (too late for me, sadly) that the easiest way to get the upper joint on is to work from the access panel in the trunk underneath the fuel/clutch fluid filler. I bet it would have made it a lot easier than working under the car.
    - If I had to say anything negative it would be that the paint on the joints started flaking off during the install. But I installed and removed the assembly 5 or 6 times due to my own mistakes, so that was likely the culprit.

    After installation the car is driving much smoother, handling a lot easier and no more lumpiness in the steering. My OEM U-joints were completely seized up - when I got the shaft out I couldn't bend them at all by hand. So this was a huge improvement.

    Thanks again Martin!
    Last edited by jawn101; 02-11-2012 at 10:54 PM.
    Jon
    1981 DMC-12 #02100. July 1981. 5-speed, black, grooved w/flap.
    restoration log, March 2011 to present
    full and detailed photo restoration log

  2. #2
    My friends think I'm nuts jawn101's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Sacramento-ish

    Posts:    4,408

    My VIN:    02100

    Club(s):   (NCDMC) (DCUK)

    By popular demand.. pictures.
    Attached Images
    Jon
    1981 DMC-12 #02100. July 1981. 5-speed, black, grooved w/flap.
    restoration log, March 2011 to present
    full and detailed photo restoration log

  3. #3
    President, DeLorean Industries
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  CLE/PHX

    Posts:    2,588

    My VIN:    5646,5080, 5880, 10234, 3639, 2518, 10586, 1538

    I have yet to see one of these in person. Is the shaft the only stainless part or are the U joints stainless as well? They look to be an exact OEM replacement which is awesome!
    www.deloreanindustries.com Every Detail Matters

  4. #4
    My friends think I'm nuts jawn101's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Sacramento-ish

    Posts:    4,408

    My VIN:    02100

    Club(s):   (NCDMC) (DCUK)

    Quote Originally Posted by DPI JOSH View Post
    I have yet to see one of these in person. Is the shaft the only stainless part or are the U joints stainless as well? They look to be an exact OEM replacement which is awesome!
    I just added some pics above if we cross-posted and you didn't see them I am not certain if the joints themselves are stainless as they are painted, but the shaft is a huge chunk of stainless stock.
    Jon
    1981 DMC-12 #02100. July 1981. 5-speed, black, grooved w/flap.
    restoration log, March 2011 to present
    full and detailed photo restoration log

  5. #5
    Senior Member DMC5180's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Reedsburg, WI

    Posts:    4,026

    My VIN:    5180

    Club(s):   (DMWC) (DCUK)

    Are the Cast Yokes broach cut for the HEX stock? It kinda looks like 6 contact points in a round hole. The Joints appear to be cast steel like the original which is fine and keeps the cost to a minimum. You can always go high end with Toby's Custom ALL stainless version (beautiful piece)
    DENNIS

    VIN 5180, Frame 3652, STAGE II​, DM-eng Solid State Solutions (RPM Rly, Dm.Lt.Mod., Fan Fail Mod. , FAN Rly, HS.Rly) , HID headlights, SPAX user since 2009, Eibach springs, M Adj. Rear LCA's, DPNW poly-sway bar kit, DMCEU LCA Stabilizer link kit, DMCMW Illuminated door sills, Aussie Illuminated SS Shifter plate, REAL MOMO EVO Steering wheel, DELOREANA Extended View Side Mirrors w/ Heaters, DELOREANA LED Door Lights.

  6. #6
    President, DeLorean Industries
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  CLE/PHX

    Posts:    2,588

    My VIN:    5646,5080, 5880, 10234, 3639, 2518, 10586, 1538

    Quote Originally Posted by DMC5180 View Post
    Are the Cast Yokes broach cut for the HEX stock? It kinda looks like 6 contact points in a round hole. The Joints appear to be cast steel like the original which is fine and keeps the cost to a minimum. You can always go high end with Toby's Custom ALL stainless version (beautiful piece)
    Note all vendors have access to the part DMCNW also sells. All components available from Borgeson.
    www.deloreanindustries.com Every Detail Matters

  7. #7
    My friends think I'm nuts jawn101's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Sacramento-ish

    Posts:    4,408

    My VIN:    02100

    Club(s):   (NCDMC) (DCUK)

    Quote Originally Posted by DMC5180 View Post
    Are the Cast Yokes broach cut for the HEX stock? It kinda looks like 6 contact points in a round hole. The Joints appear to be cast steel like the original which is fine and keeps the cost to a minimum. You can always go high end with Toby's Custom ALL stainless version (beautiful piece)
    Yes, the yoke holes are hex-shaped with deep channels for the bar stock to fit very tightly in. The DMC franchised all-stainless unit is definitely beautiful, but sometimes price has to be a factor. This setup is 1/3 the cost!
    Jon
    1981 DMC-12 #02100. July 1981. 5-speed, black, grooved w/flap.
    restoration log, March 2011 to present
    full and detailed photo restoration log

  8. #8
    Senior Member DMC5180's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Reedsburg, WI

    Posts:    4,026

    My VIN:    5180

    Club(s):   (DMWC) (DCUK)

    Quote Originally Posted by DPI JOSH View Post
    Note all vendors have access to the part DMCNW also sells. All components available from Borgeson.
    I was aware of the Borgeson unit. I was also under the impression, The Spline size of the Column shaft and steering rack was a non-standard size that Toby or Darryl-T had to have those ends custom cut for the assembly. Either way the The cost of Pieces alone are quite high so you have to put in some Margin for profit.

    Either way it is good to have options to consider. I doubt I would try to go rouge and piece one together . Not worth the trouble for me.
    Last edited by DMC5180; 02-12-2012 at 01:33 PM.
    DENNIS

    VIN 5180, Frame 3652, STAGE II​, DM-eng Solid State Solutions (RPM Rly, Dm.Lt.Mod., Fan Fail Mod. , FAN Rly, HS.Rly) , HID headlights, SPAX user since 2009, Eibach springs, M Adj. Rear LCA's, DPNW poly-sway bar kit, DMCEU LCA Stabilizer link kit, DMCMW Illuminated door sills, Aussie Illuminated SS Shifter plate, REAL MOMO EVO Steering wheel, DELOREANA Extended View Side Mirrors w/ Heaters, DELOREANA LED Door Lights.

  9. #9
    President, DeLorean Industries
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  CLE/PHX

    Posts:    2,588

    My VIN:    5646,5080, 5880, 10234, 3639, 2518, 10586, 1538

    Quote Originally Posted by DMC5180 View Post
    I was aware of the Borgeson unit. I was also under the impression, The Spline size of the Column shaft and steering rack was a non-standard size that Toby or Darryl-T had to have those ends custom cut for the assembly. Either way the The cost of Pieces alone are quite high so you have to put in some Margin for profit.

    Either way it is good to have options to consider. I doubt I would try to go rouge piece one together . Not worth the trouble for me.
    All off the shelf components from the manufacture. I stocked up on the joints only a few days prior to Martins solution. Which from a price stand point really does make sense. For many it is hard to drop 400 in a part plus install for something so simple.
    www.deloreanindustries.com Every Detail Matters

  10. #10
    Tweedledumber DCUK Martin's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  DeLorean Cars, UK

    Posts:    592

    Hi guys, thanks for the discussion and for Jon's glowing review!

    The problem with the paint coming off the joints is not something I can address: I buy the joints in as they are, so I can't get the parts powdercoated prior to assembly. The bottom line IMO is that in terms of finish they're no worse than originals which when available were $$$ - and how good do you really need a steering joint to look anyway? You can't easily see it; what matters is that it works reliably.

    The joints are way better than OEM DMC/Rover joints which have just peg-in-hole trunions. Modern roller bearing equivalents are used today on the Range Rover but unfortunately the shaft is too long and it's illegal to sell a welded steering components here in the UK. They're also pretty pricey.

    The joints come from a production european car which has the exact splines on one side and a 17mm hex on the other. Putting a kit together was a no-brainer from there As with everything I sell, it came from my own need to repair/replace without spending a fortune. I'd been repairing the original joints for a while but it annoyed me that they're so crap to begin with!
    Martin Gutkowski
    -------------
    Very part time DeLoreaner...

Page 1 of 8 1 2 3 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •