Abstract: The universal joint shaft, particularly for a steering column of a motor vehicle, includes a tubular outer shaft, a tubular inner shaft slidably mounted in the outer shaft for axial telescoping movement relative to the outer shaft and engageable for rotation therewith, a bearing between the inner and outer shafts, and a guide tube member between the inner and outer shafts for guiding the inner shaft relative to the outer shaft and transmitting torque between the inner and outer shafts.

Abstract: A slide bearing construction, comprises a first part having a hollow receiving end portion with a second part telescopically slideable in the first part. One or both of the parts are adapted to have outer or opposite ends which carry universal joint structures for supporting other elements. The inner surface of the hollow end portion of the first part and the periphery of the second part defines complementary axially extending ball circulating groove portions. In addition, the second part has a cavity receiving an insert which is advantageously made of plastic material which defines an axially extending ball circulating cavity groove part which extends substantially parallel to the groove portions forming the upper ball circulating groove. The cavity in the second part also has a radially extending groove portion at its inner end with deflecting means defining a first curved ball circulating groove communicating between the radially outer ball circulating groove and a radially inner circulating groove.