Steering coupler needed

[mbnewp]

Thanks Fury Fan !

So, how do I go about removing this sommagun?
I seem to be working with a tough particular version of said rag joint. I loosened up the nuts on the bottom half of the coupling but am at a loss of how to actually remove them since the spindle inside the cleat seems to move with the ratchet for starters - is there a method to this or am i being a bonehead with a lack of tools? I need to review the thread, it's the hex key isn't it? haha

my second question is the removal of the unit. I see some folks have the whole two shafts out of their car.

is that assumption correct. Mine is a bit more funky than this here or the other way around.

Do I have to remove the whole steering wheel or pump to get to this?

Here is my current work space - should i be working on a bench?

left to right towards firewall.

I appreciate any insight and feedback given.

 

[fury fan]

You'll need allen wrenches to hold the bolts, they are socketheads. You can barely see one in red.

It's been years since I replaced one, but I believe you can leave the shaft pieces in the car.
Remove the allen bolts, then pry somehow in the blue area to push the shaft down into the housing, might need blocks of wood to push from. You'll need to un-bend the tabs on that seal if you want to remove the shaft or to clean/grease it. But your seal looks shot anyway, so would be a good idea to R&R that assembly also.
Look on ebay or resto websites for that coupler kit?

 

[mbnewp]

Many thanks again.
Yeah the problem is my lack of the keywords in my searching. Not working from a book which i suspect may help my case a lot then whimpering on google when thems like seal, coupler, rag joint dont turn results that look as blown out as mine haha, tough to compare which is correct.
I DID order the Land Rover rag joint which arrived earlier today so was eager to swap and test.

Really appreciate the patience of the forum and willingness to help a newbie with an assortment of questions.

 

[SF-66TC]

Thanks Fury Fan !

So, how do I go about removing this sommagun?
I seem to be working with a tough particular version of said rag joint. I loosened up the nuts on the bottom half of the coupling but am at a loss of how to actually remove them since the spindle inside the cleat seems to move with the ratchet for starters - is there a method to this or am i being a bonehead with a lack of tools? I need to review the thread, it's the hex key isn't it? haha

my second question is the removal of the unit. I see some folks have the whole two shafts out of their car.
View attachment 148710
is that assumption correct. Mine is a bit more funky than this here or the other way around.

Do I have to remove the whole steering wheel or pump to get to this?

Here is my current work space - should i be working on a bench?

View attachment 148711
left to right towards firewall.

I appreciate any insight and feedback given.

mbnewp, sorry but I'm not understanding your question. The bottom photo is the assembly in the car, did you remove it and that is what's pictured in the top photo? Or is the top photo a separate unit and you're just showing it for reference.

Looks like whoever Macgyvered the rag joint in the bottom photo just got some blocks of rubber to replace the joint entirely - not a smart solution. I will comment on the bottom photo only - when you remove the 4 allen headed bolts the rubber blocks will simply fall out. To install the replacement rag joint the coupler shaft itself has some play in it and can be shifted towards the front of the car. You'll need an allen wrench or socket to hold the bolt to remove the nuts

First remove the first two allen bolts with the nuts, then turn either the coupler of the steering shaft to give you access to the other two bolts.

I've attached photos of my "old" rag joint and a photo of the "old" and "new" side by side.
Notice the spring in my photo. It looks like the PO just wrapped it around the coupler shaft. I don't know what purpose it serves, but it must do something - perhaps someone else can chime in about it.

 

[Polara_500]

The spring is the ground wire for the horn circuit. The column itself doesn't have a really good ground point so that gets the 'tricity past the rubber up to the horn ring.

 

[SF-66TC]

You'll need allen wrenches to hold the bolts, they are socketheads. You can barely see one in red.
View attachment 148713

It's been years since I replaced one, but I believe you can leave the shaft pieces in the car.
Remove the allen bolts, then pry somehow in the blue area to push the shaft down into the housing, might need blocks of wood to push from. You'll need to un-bend the tabs on that seal if you want to remove the shaft or to clean/grease it. But your seal looks shot anyway, so would be a good idea to R&R that assembly also.
Look on ebay or resto websites for that coupler kit?
View attachment 148714

To add to fury fan's comments, if the coupler does NOT move, the steering shaft is spring loaded and you can push it in towards the dash to give you extra clearance.

If you want to remove the coupler shaft entirely, you will need a punch pin to knock out the pin that locks the coupler onto the worm gear on the steering box.

In the photo below you can see the location of the punch pin on the LEFT and on the FAR RIGHT of the photo (closest to firewall) can see the spring on the steering shaft. Not sure if all cars has this, but my ride is a '66 TC Wagon.

 

[mbnewp]

mbnewp, sorry but I'm not understanding your question. The bottom photo is the assembly in the car, did you remove it and that is what's pictured in the top photo? Or is the top photo a separate unit and you're just showing it for reference.

Yes sir just reference; mine is the bottom photo. But you have gems of information here in your reply. Understood.

Yeah I am not even certain how anyone would feel good about that current set up .... without a note.

 

[SF-66TC]

The spring is the ground wire for the horn circuit. The column itself doesn't have a really good ground point so that gets the 'tricity past the rubber up to the horn ring.

Per Polar_500, we got the answer for the spring. Though your spring is stretched out from California to NY, I'm sure you can still wrap it around one of the allen bolts to get the ground.

 

[SF-66TC]

Thanks Fury Fan !

So, how do I go about removing this sommagun?
I seem to be working with a tough particular version of said rag joint. I loosened up the nuts on the bottom half of the coupling but am at a loss of how to actually remove them since the spindle inside the cleat seems to move with the ratchet for starters - is there a method to this or am i being a bonehead with a lack of tools? I need to review the thread, it's the hex key isn't it? haha

my second question is the removal of the unit. I see some folks have the whole two shafts out of their car.
View attachment 148710
is that assumption correct. Mine is a bit more funky than this here or the other way around.

Do I have to remove the whole steering wheel or pump to get to this?

Here is my current work space - should i be working on a bench?

View attachment 148711
left to right towards firewall.

I appreciate any insight and feedback given.

One other thing mbnewp, not sure if your steering is centered now or not, but it would be a good idea to mark everything as it is (I use nail polish). This way when you install everything back you'll install it at the same positions otherwise you could be anywhere up to 360 degrees OFF.

 

[mbnewp]

@SF-66TC noted. i shall take the precaution thanks for the tip

 

[mbnewp]

Bottom (left side) out and clear right side half done. Thanks everyone

 

[SF-66TC]

Bottom (left side) out and clear right side half done. Thanks everyone

???

 

[MrMoparCHP]

View attachment 148730

If I had this setup and didn't care about originality I'd dump this and build a new connector with two u-joints as the hot rods do, eliminate both couplers.
Flaming River probably has everything.
Flaming River - Classic Auto Parts - Vintage Automobile Steering Components - Steering Accessories - Electrical Components


Alan

 

[fury fan]

I can appreciate that, but I'd be wanting to know why the factory engineers designed it the way they did. The lower coupler will accommodate sliding/change in length, while 2 u-joints will not. plus, 2 u-joints requires a carrier bearing in-between, and that's not gonna be an easy bolt-in component.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I can appreciate that, but I'd be wanting to know why the factory engineers designed it the way they did. The lower coupler will accommodate sliding/change in length, while 2 u-joints will not. plus, 2 u-joints requires a carrier bearing in-between, and that's not gonna be an easy bolt-in component.

This is the only application (Mopar) that I have seen with both couplers. My Barracuda and the other 69 Polara I had only had the one like the lower here, my CHP car only only had the upper, so only one was needed.
They were probably put in for manufacturing tolerances, and noise reduction.
With only two u-joints no carrier bearing would be needed (driveshafts do not have them on most cars).
I know a few people that have done this on their cars with no complaints.


Alan

 

[fury fan]

Correct on 2 joints not needing a support bearing, I was misremembering that.

I don't recall any of my 65-88 RWD Mopars that didn't have the lower sliding joint, but I could be wrong, sometimes you don't notice what's missing.

The rubber coupler seems to be on 65-66 C-body, and then some Fusey cars with Saginaw steering columns. That may tie to Dodge and Chrysler, or maybe more toward the tilt/tel column? FWIW, my 70 Fury did not have the rubber coupler, my 70 300 with tilt/tel did. Some musclecars use them too, but I don't pay much attention to them.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

It might have been a CHP thing,

The other Polara

Both 69 Polara's one power steering, one manual.


Alan

 

[fury fan]

That's what I was thinking. I've been re-reading the 'Mopar police car' books again recently, and they did lots of things unique for CHP, and I do remember that manual steering was something the CHP specified.

Your green Polara looks similar to the way my 68 Fury is done, so it must be based on the Saginaw column, not the carline.

 

[BLIMP]

Just a heads up, I bought a couple of these couplers for $7 a piece!
NTC3486 | Flexible Coupling - Ste.U/J Rrds(Ea - Land Rover Part NTC3486

 

[BLIMP]

Mine was in tough shape haha