Steering Columns and Gear Boxs ? ! ? !
The steering coupler, which is an extension of the steering shaft, is attached to the steering box by internal splines that slide over the stump shaft of the streering box. This stump shaft has a depressed grove all around its diameter. The roll pin goes through the coupler and passes along side the grove in the steering box stump shaft to prevent the shaft from being pulled of the steering box. The actual roll pin is a small diameter hollow and slotted pin made of spring steel that gets forced into the hole in the end of the steering coupler. To get it out, simply use a steel punch of approx. the same diameter and hammer it out of either side of the steering coupler. You should likely replace the roll pin with a new one or install a new coupler rebuild kit. Check out this picture that shows what I described:
You didn't mention why you wanted to change the steering ratio but if you have power steering, there are very few choices since the system works well together as it is. Changing the ratio requires a new steering box that can be quite expensive and complicated to change since you have to remove the pitman arm from the centre link. Frankly, I'd put my money in the motor or other restoration stuff first. You can see the Dart Swinger front end rebuild on my web site at: www.mts.net/~hpokrant
The steering coupler, which is an extension of the steering shaft, is attached to the steering box by internal splines that slide over the stump shaft of the streering box. This stump shaft has a depressed grove all around its diameter. The roll pin goes through the coupler and passes along side the grove in the steering box stump shaft to prevent the shaft from being pulled of the steering box. The actual roll pin is a small diameter hollow and slotted pin made of spring steel that gets forced into the hole in the end of the steering coupler. To get it out, simply use a steel punch of approx. the same diameter and hammer it out of either side of the steering coupler. You should likely replace the roll pin with a new one or install a new coupler rebuild kit. Check out this picture that shows what I described:
You didn't mention why you wanted to change the steering ratio but if you have power steering, there are very few choices since the system works well together as it is. Changing the ratio requires a new steering box that can be quite expensive and complicated to change since you have to remove the pitman arm from the centre link. Frankly, I'd put my money in the motor or other restoration stuff first. You can see the Dart Swinger front end rebuild on my web site at: www.mts.net/~hpokrant