Fenderwell headers, steering shaft u joint?

[urbex]

I have a set of Schoenfeld BBC fenderwell headers on the way to me for my K5...Schoenfeld's web site says 73-87 requires u-jointing the steering column unless a 3" body lift is used.

Anyone know just what they mean here? Just replacing the rag joint with a u-joint? Or making a 3 piece shaft with a pair of u-joints in the middle? I can't see how just adding one in the middle would do any good without altering the angle of the column mount and/or steering box....

Yeah, would have made a lot more sense to call and ask Schoenfeld before ordering...I know, lol. Just didn't really think about it much until now, lol...

 

[nvrenuf]

Just a guess but I’d say they mean for you to build a 2 piece shaft to reroute it around the headers.

 

[H20 Toie]

its actually 3 joints and two shafts to go around the header, had to do the same thing with my coil springs, in the pic there is another u joint behind the coilover and a bracket with a bearing to support the one shaft

 

[urbex]

its actually 3 joints and two shafts to go around the header, had to do the same thing with my coil springs, in the pic there is another u joint behind the coilover and a bracket with a bearing to support the one shaft
View attachment 360173

That makes more sense. I just couldn't picture how making it a two piece shaft was going to alter anything at all without changing the angle of the steering gear and/or column as well. I was hoping to find someone that's already done this with the headers just to see how far out it gets, though finding anyone running fenderwell headers in a squarebody has been difficult, Schoenfeld or otherwise. Seems all the pictures I've seen so far have been with most of the front end removed from the truck as well.

I'm kind of leaning towards just taking the easy route here, and doing the body lift instead. I could use the clearance on the front fenders for the tires anyways, and don't really want to go to a higher arch in the spring. I'm also hoping to be able to keep the AC in the truck, and I suspect I'll need the body lift so the evaporator housing will clear too.

 

[H20 Toie]

body lift causes way more issues, doing the steering is a piece of cake and actually improves steering
moving ac isn't a big deal if needed

 

[Capt Ron]

This is a square body chassis at least. I used 1 borgeson joint {not yet installed in this pic}and everything lined up ok.

 

[yblow]

I used maddog fenderwell headers and they worked fine with my stock steering shaft.