Viva rubber steering coupling

[iwilko]

Has any one replaced this with a steering UJ?

This is one area of the Viva that I feel could be better.

I was thinking about cutting the two female splined heads off
and welding a kit car steering UJ in.

Or has this already been done?

[1972nail]

I've seen it done but don't know the details of the engineering.

The problem of doing this is that the Viva rack is solidly mounted and the feel of every ripple and pebble on the road is transferred up the column. The rubber joint acts as an insulator and prevents the 'road buzz' reaching the steering wheel. Without it driving becomes a tiring experience very quickly on anything but smooth asphalt.

Alright on a race or rally car where steering precision is everything at the expense of comfort.

If you look at cars with a UJ (escort, capri etc) the rack is mounted in rubber mounts to absorb the buzz. The Viva system is much more effective in doing this than the f@#d system. Another Vauxhall design feature better than f@#d!

Sorry but I can't bring myself to use the 'f' word or even give it a capital F!!

So, while replacing the rubber ring with a UJ looks like a great idea you need to consider if you want to risk getting nerve damage in your hands or arms on long journeys!

[iwilko]

Ah yes your quite correct regarding the vibration traveling through the steering
rack to the steering wheel. I'd over looked that. Wouldn't be worth trying to mount the rack
on rubber mounts.
I guess the best way to upgrade this area for better feel and improved quality would be to find
some were that could make a poly one. I.e poly bush or supaflex.

[1972nail]

Ah yes your quite correct regarding the vibration traveling through the steering
rack to the steering wheel. I'd over looked that. Wouldn't be worth trying to mount the rack
on rubber mounts.
I guess the best way to upgrade this area for better feel and improved quality would be to find
some were that could make a poly one. I.e poly bush or supaflex.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I seem to remember that Superpro do suitable polybush - BMW origin possibly? I may be wrong of course.

[iwilko]

Ill look into that.

[dann01]

My droop has a UJ steering joint I was told adopted from Bedford CF system. Can't verify this, never seen a CF rack.

Have nom plans to change this as when it was on the road, steering was nice and crisp, if a little heavy (But then arn't they all)

Dan

[black8driver]

I made mine into a uj pretty easy and works nice..
Will find photos..
Si

ok here ya go copy and past from my retro rides thread..
today I managed to get a half hour to do something ive been meaning to do..
get rid of that nasty rubber stearing joint and replace it with a better uj..

after all you get better fealing without the rubber right.. ;D ;D
old rubber coupling next to a new uj and a bit of old steering shaft


cut orig coupling and lathe up a spacer to centralise the shaft


tig around rear of shaft to fix spacer


then slot into bit of cut off coupling and tig round spacer sleave


note I didnt wend to splined shaft here only the other end as it will help not have a stress point as a backup to the next weld...

belt and braces here as its is after all a streering component.. so its drilled through the spacer sleave and into the splined shaft and plug welded both sides



then slot into spline on uj


and apply heat resistant gel to uj as not to fry it.


weldy weldy


here it the new joint next to the cut out rubbery nastiness


and finally paint the begger...




si

[junkyarddog]

Thats lovely work B8D,
very impressed

[lambaj]

Just a thought about the poly bush replacement material. Dont miss the fact that the rubber bush is reinforced with canvas rope type of material so its much much stronger torsionally than just a simple piece of rubber. Poly could simply tear out, so please understand the forces involved to avoid having the steering column shear away from the rack when you bump a kurb......

Uj, of course not a problem.

Tony (Ha21)

[iwilko]

Very smart B8D !!
You fancy making me one??

Does it fit all ok, and what uj did you use?
Thanks Iain