Steering coupler needed

[SF-66TC]

I had the same problem, so I had the thickness ground to the same size as the old one, then counterbored the holes so the bolt head would fit. Dropped right in! Of course, I work in a machine shop, so it was no extra $$ for me.

Hey dcjoe22, maybe you could provide your services. Get a hand-full of those Landrover rag joints and work them up and re-sell. I'm sure no one would have a problem with you making a little bit for your time - just a thought since you had access to a shop....

 

[SF-66TC]

And here is the steering end.

So Frank, what ever was the result of the angle of your couper shaft?

 

[dcjoe22]

Hey dcjoe22, maybe you could provide your services. Get a hand-full of those Landrover rag joints and work them up and re-sell. I'm sure no one would have a problem with you making a little bit for your time - just a thought since you had access to a shop....

Believe me, I did think of that, but when I called a local LandRover dealer, they said the couplers were obsolete. And I bought the last one I saw on E Bay. I never really looked into any other year that might have had the same coupling. Does anyone know?

 

[Frank Brooks]

So Frank, what ever was the result of the angle of your coupler shaft?

I still have the problem. I do have a correct (tilt) steering column that I bought, but there are significant mods required to the turn signal switch wires to install it. I'm kind of at a standstill because I don't know WHY the column is crooked. The car still drives perfectly fine.

 

[SF-66TC]

Believe me, I did think of that, but when I called a local LandRover dealer, they said the couplers were obsolete. And I bought the last one I saw on E Bay. I never really looked into any other year that might have had the same coupling. Does anyone know?

You won't find them at the dealer, but there are other places that stock them still. You just need to google NTC3486 Here's a source that shows stock of them - Steering Flex Coupling - 1987-1990 (NTC3486 Same Fit As Part # NTC3486 ) - Land Rover steering from Atlantic British

 

[SF-66TC]

I still have the problem. I do have a correct (tilt) steering column that I bought, but there are significant mods required to the turn signal switch wires to install it. I'm kind of at a standstill because I don't know WHY the column is crooked. The car still drives perfectly fine.

Have you checked with anyone else who has the same year, model, type car as yours and see how theirs looks?

 

[Big_Red]

Mine was from a Jaguar I believe, might be easier to source stateside?

In the end to deal with the additional thickness we just slackened the column off a bit and moved it 'in board' by about 1/4". Seems ok.

 

[MagicManAmps]

Great info, just ordered one of these for myself.

 

[Frank Brooks]

Have you checked with anyone else who has the same year, model, type car as yours and see how theirs looks?

They are supposed to be straight. It's weird...there are no signs at all of a major collision and a bent frame, which should be the only way to misalign these parts. Still, they are on a universal joint, so some angle deflection was planned for.

50 years ago.

It's possible that nothing is wrong, but I kind of doubt it.

 

[zep058]

Long time listener, first time caller...just wanted to express my thanks to Wollfen for discovering the Landrover coupler "hack"! Thanks for posting up, you saved my life as I was doing some maintenance on my 66 300 and discovered my original had torn. So $45 AUD later, counter sunk the holes and bam! Fits like a glove!

Thanks again.

 

[fjrdoc]

I will be working on rebuilding the steering coupler and trying to track down a rag joint for my 72 New Yorker. I have the rebuild kit for the coupler and have been looking for options regarding the rag joint. I refuse to spend $299 on a NOS unit that has 40+ year old rubber.
Could somebody please post the size of the factory rag joint. In particular the following: diameter, thickness, bolt locations and bolt hole size.
Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[fury fan]

Old thread but a good one. Should be a sticky!
I've had a number of cars with these couplers, and have had some cracks, but cracks only. Never had one break that bad, but maybe it's YMMV.

Here are the problems I see in Frank's picture.

The red dots show where the stub-shaft seems to be non-concentric going onto the steering box coupler-joint.
The red line looks as if the connection shaft's flange is bent? Soemthing just doesn't look right, but maybe it's just the picture.
The blue lines show a small crack closer to the fender, but a big cleave at what appears to be the triangular metal insert at the bolt for the steering shaft, on the engine side.
And what is the green circle - is this related or just coincidence?

 

[fury fan]

Pics I just took from my 65SF and my 65 300L. Angle is not the same, shows more misalignment than I expected, but not as drastic as Frank's.

 

[Frank Brooks]

I sold the car some time ago with the problem unsolved.

I do have a nice 1966 Sport Fury tilt column, complete, with a perfect factory rag joint if anyone wants to buy it. 150.00.

 

[fury fan]

Is it for column shift or floorshift? Include steering wheel and horn ring?

 

[Frank Brooks]

Is it for column shift or floorshift? Include steering wheel and horn ring?

It's for a floor shift. It is complete with a steering wheel and horn ring still attached. The wheel is blue.

 

[Jakenks]

Here is a source for the Rover coupling in the US.

Steering Flex Coupling - 1987-1990 (NTC3486 Same Fit As Part # NTC3486 ) - Land Rover steering from Atlantic British

 

[saforwardlook]

Here is a source for the Rover coupling in the US.

Steering Flex Coupling - 1987-1990 (NTC3486 Same Fit As Part # NTC3486 ) - Land Rover steering from Atlantic British

Thanks for the great information in this thread everyone. I ordered a few of them from this site.

 

[mbnewp]

*BUMP*
Pretty thankful once again for this forum, another life saver here. Many thanks Wollfen !!

Question about the rag joint - assuming from the photo here the orange section is that rag joint, correct? I noted some discussions of the angles on the earlier images. Should there be no omni-directional movement there?

Ordered the Steering Flex Coupling just now.

because even the bad ones dont look this bad:

 

[fury fan]

No, the 'rag joint' is the thing I circled - well, what's left of it. Looks like a hockey puck with 4 metal triangle inserts with threaded holes.

If you were driving this car you were probably not hearing some signs that somethign wasn't right. I had one that was cracking between the rubber and the inserts, but it still stayed in place due to opposing inserts (180deg apart) are bolted from opposing sides (2 bolts from front of car, 2 from steering wheel side). It made strange popping/cracking sounds when the wheel was turned, noises unlike any typical old-car noises. Sounded kinda like wood cracking. (if you weren't driving this car, ignore what I said - but future internet readers are encouraged to heed)

The orange boot seals up yet a different degrees-of-freedom component (possibly called the shaft coupler?). There are beveled sliding parts in there, which do wear out. I was not aware it was a wear-item until I took a car in for some repair work and the guy diagnosed it and repaired it. What an improvement.

There are repops for that out there, but you might need to check lengths, etc, to make sure it fits. Some of them have a grease fitting also, but 1 good greasing will probably be sufficient to outlast the rest of any of us.