Hey everyone, I'm in the middle of a straight axle swap on my 88' pickup and decided to replace the power steering box while I was doing it.

After installing the "new" power steering box (off a 94 4runner), I noticed that I wouldn't be able to get the splined u-joint to fit back onto the steering box unless I loosened the splines up top by the firewall, or took the rag joint apart.

I loosened the splines near the firewall and pushed the steering shaft as far into those splines as I could, but couldn't get enough clearance to fit the splined u-joint back onto the steering box, so I took off the 2 12mm bolts holding the rag joint together and was able to get everything installed. My only concern is that the splines up by the firewall are a lot further in the yoke than they were before.

For example they looked something like this before. Now, they're in so far that the shaft is kind of coming out the back. Is that fine?

 

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116.../#post52418398

 

@maco35 Thanks, I know that they have a slipjoint, my question is just how far should it be inside of the splines near the firewall? My column shaft is sticking out the back of the female splined u-joint.