Ok, kind of a general Q here:
I have an 81 F250 w/ 6+3" lift, spring over, 460, runnin 38.5 TSL's, Dana 60 up front and rear. Yesterday I was dropping down into a washed out ditch and my steering linkage busted at the rag joint before the power steering box and then sheared off the return line. I was turning the wheel right at the time and the wheels were being forced left by the embankment. I don't know if it was pulled apart because of frame flex or it failed because of too much turning force or both. There is a slip yoke that allows the shaft to slide but how much is the question.

Luckily I was able to piece it back together, run the busted line in through the fill tube and slowly get it back to town to be towed. I can fix it no problem but don't want this to happen again. Other than carrying around a spare, anyone have any ideas? Even if it took some fabrication it would be cool w/ me. I checked out a $225 u-joint style replacement from Borgeson but it's a little to expensive for me.
Check it out here if you'd like.
http://www.borgeson.com/TruckProductFord.htm

-Barry

Not sure of the spline count on the ford box but I have a waggy box on my M715 and replaced the rag joint with a ujoint set up out of a mid 80's GM van...SWome steering shaft mods were done but it worked great..No more rag joint to fall apart!!

Get the Borgeson shaft......It's not worth risking your life or others because you wanna be a cheap and weld something up!!! :rolleyes: Get a stock one or get the Borgeson set up......you will never have that problem again.....:beer:

Whoa, didn't know I was being so cheap and irresponsible. My rig is very safe but $225 is expensive to me. It's not like this problem would ever happen on the road! My truck was at 50-60 degree angle ramming into a dirt wall.

Basically, what the Kaiserman posted is exactly what I was looking for - alternatives. Thanks!