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is the rag joint still available from gm? I think the correct name is flexible steering shaft coupling,,, part # and price?
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Re: rag joint 1975
David -
Dunno, but Paragon has them for $45.00. -
Re: rag joint 1975
David, The joint is still available from GM. The part # is 7818568 and fits 69-77. GMpartsdirect shows a list of $97.23. Their sell price is $57.64 plus $12.68 S&H.
AGComment
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Re: rag joint 1975
A.G.-----
Very slight correction so that some 1969 guys don't get screwed up here. The Chevrolet P&A Catalog is "slightly incorrect" on this one. The GM #7818568 coupling will not fit most 1969's. It will not fit those manufactured through September, 1969. If it fits any, at all, it will only fit some or all manufactured after that time. These cars would have used the 1970-style steering gear. These can only be discerned from the 1969 style gear by inspecting the input shaft spline configuration. 1969's built through September, 1969 will have a completely round, splined input (like all 63-68, too). The 1970 style steering gear will have a "flat" on the splined section to index the coupling.
The GM #7818568 coupling will also fit, and must be used, on any 1967-69 Corvette that has been retrofitted with the 1970-82 steering gear. The 1970-82 steering gear can be retrofitted to any 1967-69 (even though GM does not tell you that) as long as the 7818568 coupling is also used.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: rag joint 1975
Joe, you are correct. My parts catalog lists a 67-69 (exc. P.S.) as a 7806391 and a 69-77 as a 7818568. When I made the above post, which answered David's inquiry, I wasn't aware of the relevance this had for 69 owners. Ironically, it applied to me as my car is a Sept. 69 build. Armed with your info, I checked out the joint I had purchased for it. Sure enough it was a 7818568 and had the flat spot for indexing. Checking the original steering box input shaft revealed a round splined shaft with no flat indexing. I also have the original joint and it has no flat indexing. Fortunately the 391 is also available.
Thanks, AGComment
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Re: rag joint 1975
A.G.------
Well, that goes to demonstrate that sometimes when I provide supplemental information to a post, it can be useful to some folks. Also, that reference to "except P.S." in the P&A Catalog is incorrect. There was no difference in the couplings used for 67-69 Corvettes, with or without power steering. I'll bet that little error has caused a lot of problems for folks with 67-69 Corvettes with power steering when they go to their local Chevrolet dealer seeking a replacement coupling. When the parts man sees that qualification in the catalog, he will usually ask the customer if the car has power steering. When they say "yes", he's going to be stumped when he looks to find one for a car with power steering. At that point, he'll probably err on the safe side, and just tell them the part they need is discontinued.
Of course, nowadays it probably won't matter, at all---as soon as they tell the parts man that the part they want is for a, say, 1969 Corvette, he'll just say that the part is discontinued without even bothering to look.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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