I got a call from Bobva today alerting me to a serious safety issue with Borgeson steering shafts, and he wanted me to bring it to everyone's attention.

Bob's Borgeson shaft telescoped (all by itself, no impact) and allowed the column to fall apart - meaning he had no steering! Luckily he was at low speed in a parking lot when it dropped, so he was able to get the truck stopped before he hit anything. He was not able to get anyone in tech support at Borgeson today, but I'm sure he'll chime in and let us know when he gets through to them.

He emailed me some pics:
Column in the stock position:


Column ready to fall apart:


Pic of the stock shaft with a tape measure. If your Borgeson shaft is shorter than this, you may be in for a nasty surprise! Go out and measure right now.

 

The full ujoint on both ends or rag joint on one end? does it matter? I have the rag on the top as most of us do I would think.

 

I thought that telescoping steering shafts were the other kind of safety feature...

 

Bob's is a double U-joint shaft, but as long as it telescopes I don't see why this can't happen.

When I rebuilt my stock joint, I noticed that I had to shove the column back together to get the shaft in, so Bob's truck is not the only one with a column that will fall apart without support from the steering shaft.

 

This has me thinking you see the collar directly below the boot and zip tie in this photo? could you remove the boot and slide the collar up to meet the outer telescoping piece and just lock it in place with the Allen screw preventing it from sliding back down. What do you think? It almost looks like it was made that way but I have mine just like this photo and have no issues.

 

Alborda
that collar should work. Im tack welding mine next time. plus after a more longer look at steering column. I think I see what real problem is. The two ujiont shaft you start with taking a hammer and punch and remove roll pin and the rag joint bracket. Idont think Dodge ever intended that part to come off. well with all that tappin that broke louse the plastic break away conection inside the steering column.
Just keep an eye on it.


Oh were did you get that collar at? I didn't get one with my kit! All I got was the two ujoints and the shaft.................

 

Then how does one explain Dave's slipping steering coumn when he rebuilt the OEM joint? (He didn't need to pound on the either of the roll pins.)

 

Mine has the Allen Collier. It is a rag joint kind. Thats a Dodge for ya. Like I have said many times before I bought this truck for the engine and drive train ( none of witch is made by dodge ) I like the way the body looks but thats it.

 

I kinda think that was a steering column failure that would have happened, Borgeson or stock shaft.

It appears to me that some kind of safety retainer feature should have been designed into the column to prevent it's dropping out, like that.

As to the pounding out of the roll-pins, would it be possible to get at them with a drill and simply drill them out, rather than drive them out??

That would put way less strain on things.

 

With the stock shaft it can't compress=can't fall out. Junk made by Dodge.

 

What would be wrong with a stout coil-spring between that set-collar and the u-joint, keeping constant upwards tension against the Dodge piece that wants to fall out??

Or better yet, a coil spring inside the telescoping shaft, that holds tension against it??

 

the stock shaft is solid it wont colaps the borge is two piece it can colaps if your two piece column lets go.
I truely belive if the borgeson was a solid this would have never happend.

when I put this back to gether it will be welded plus other improvements

All I ask is keep an eye it

 

BEAR
the spring betwwen the bering and the ujoint probabley helped pullit apart

 

I meant a spring, that you add, that "stretchs/extends" the Borgeson, keeping pressure against the remaining stock components, such that the stock end of the column-shaft could not drop out.

By welding, are you meaning welding the moving/telescoping portion of the Borgeson, such that it can no longer telescope??

By the way, I would like to see what the engineers at Borgeson have to say about this situation and preventing it happening.

Once the steering mechanism fails, the driving is over, and we are then just along for the crash.

 

Yes, and it is a sphincter pucker power moment with the wonderful Mopar brakes

Could you take a small drill and drill a hole in the shaft in the telescoping area, and install a roll pin or bolt? This would allow you to remove the shaft if desired in the future (sell the truck and want to keep aftermarket goodies), yet reduce the chance of it falling apart.

I had considered buying the double u-joint shaft, but after seeing this, I may just keep the rag joint and live with a little slack. But, that IS a while down the road. I have an OEM coupler off a low mile 2wd half ton. Guess low mile trucks have SOME advantages.

Daniel