Coupler seperation

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rumblefish360

rumblefish360

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This is a paste and copy from another post, but I added to it as well.


DGC333, Anyone else whom knows. Once the pin is out, the coupler should seperate. Correct?

(That is slide off the or away from the main unit/stud that it is on.)

That's where the "rust" will be a "Bear?" (As in rust on the shaft exposed and inside?) Below, is where I'm at now. It will not come apart. Not easy at least. I don't want to force it. I'm wonder if I need to get tuff on it. I'd hate to purchase a new parts because I broke it. Never did this before.
(Now wheres that tuff guy hat I used to have? He he he.)

That "Roll Pin" was a red plastic peice. It is out now.

100_0925.jpg
 
there is a steel roll pin filled with red/orange rubber/plastic. I use a ball joint splitter between box coupling and steering gear to seperate.
 
OMG, you mean theres still a metal roll pin in there! OFG! OOOOK, thanks. BAck to the garage to get out the drift pins.

Thanks Redfish
 
rumblefish360 said:
This is a paste and copy from another post, but I added to it as well.


DGC333, Anyone else whom knows. Once the pin is out, the coupler should seperate. Correct?

(That is slide off the or away from the main unit/stud that it is on.)

That's where the "rust" will be a "Bear?" (As in rust on the shaft exposed and inside?) Below, is where I'm at now. It will not come apart. Not easy at least. I don't want to force it. I'm wonder if I need to get tuff on it. I'd hate to purchase a new parts because I broke it. Never did this before.
(Now wheres that tuff guy hat I used to have? He he he.)

That "Roll Pin" was a red plastic peice. It is out now.
Click to expand...

Once the pin is out, the coupler should slide off the spline.

Pickle fork or pry bar should do it. Could try some heat....but you don't want to damage the seals in the steeing box.
 
OK cool, heading out now. Thanks fellas. I'll letcha know.
 
If we're about to rebuild that coupling... very carefully pry 3 of the dust caps tangs, around a corner, out just a little and pop the cap off. Think bottle cap openner . Bending in one area. You need to clean and reuse that cap if at all possible.
 
I'm having a tuff time with that. I'll gat back on it tomorrow. Being the I seperated the shaft in half and not from the coupler, I installed the steering wheel upside down. So....I'll be doing that first, then that cap if I can get it to stay on. I had it at first, but it poped off when I reinstalled everything.

I actually spent more time on that section of the shaft and booo-koo time on the interior. Mr. Murphy showed up. It's actually unbeileveable that a nut can fall right infront of your face and disappear. Thats when I started cursing. Otherwise, it was pretty qiute day just wrenchin away.

Thakns for the help fellas.

100_0927.jpg


100_0928.jpg
 
How do you get that pin out of the coupler? Do you just take a screwdriver and a hammer to it or is there a better way?](*,)
 
are you just taking the coupler off the steering box?



or are you trying to take the coupler itself apart? if you want to take the coupler apart there is a lil pin in this circle you have to push out. then the column will pull right out the coupler.

steering.jpg
 
When I first dragged home my car I replaced the steering box and had a ***** of a time getting that coupler off! I finally sprayed it with a GOOD quality rust penetrant (remember the old Mopar thick grey foamy penetrant? In the blck,white,& grey can? Best stuff ever made...) and I let it soak for a day, then I went after it with a 4' pry bar and a dead-blow hammer. Sonofabitch fought me all the way, but it came apart. And if that drift pin is seized in there forever-tight, drill it out and peel back the remains.

And eventually I replaced not only the steering box, but the coupler & column too....
 
I know others have more rust issues than we have here but Good Grief Charlie Brown ! I never had so much trouble sliding a box coupling off. The pickle fork (ball joint splitter) does work best. That split pin is some pretty tough steel to try drilling out. It should drive out with a 1/4" punch.
Looking at the pictures I can see a cruise servo that would have to go.
I wont work around or over something that is easy to move.
 
Joe beat me to it. You have to take the pin. Once it comes out it should pretty much slide right out.

When I did mine I didn't see that pin either. Took me a little bit until I rolled the coupler over and saw the pin the there.
 
I have never has any luck removing the coupler. I was lucky when I got the Scamp it was all ready apart.
 
What I'm trying to do is get the steering column out of the gear box in order to remove the steering column from the car. My book tells me to drive out the connecting rollpin. Then "prise" the coupling from the wormshaft and withdraw the column. I think what they mean by "prise" is: strap a grenade to the coupling, pull the grenade pin and hope for the best. I guess I'll go find myself a 1/4" punch and go back at it with a hammer. Thanks guys.
 
There is a tiny notch cut in the edge of the coupling that lines up with the master spline on the worm gear and the steering wheel. Put all that t the top and keep it there. If the coupling is taken apart there are not marks inside it and it can go back together 180 degrees wrong.
 
cpthowdy1369 said:
What I'm trying to do is get the steering column out of the gear box in order to remove the steering column from the car. My book tells me to drive out the connecting rollpin. Then "prise" the coupling from the wormshaft and withdraw the column. I think what they mean by "prise" is: strap a grenade to the coupling, pull the grenade pin and hope for the best. I guess I'll go find myself a 1/4" punch and go back at it with a hammer. Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

then slide that lil pin i have circled out and the column will pull right out.. just don'e lose the shoes and lil spring like clip inside the couple.

steering.jpg
 
alright, I got the pin out. I just had to modify a flathead screwdriver with my grinder and with a couple of whacks with the trusty hammer, out she came. I appreciate your help guys. thanks.
 
I bought a Mopar steering coupler kit off eBay, and rebuilt mine off the car. Cleaned out all the old grease, and reassembled it with all new internals. I reassembled it with a grease gun filled with chassis grease and there is NO play at all in the coupler.
The kit comes with a new seal AND a new steel cap. Trying to reuse the original cap is a PITA because the legs are usually bent to hell.

From what I have experienced, a BLACK rubber seal is original, and the ORANGE seal is the replacement part, so by looking at your coupler I would say that someone was already in there rebuilding that coupler because you have the orange seal. Someone is repoping the black seal, but it costs more for his black seal than the entire rebuild kit so I just used the orange one. I have an extra kit here and I'll let it go for $15 plus shipping if anyone wants it. I bought two by mistake.

As a side note, the rebuild kit comes with the tiny pin that ABodyJoe pointed out, but it wasn't used for my 69 coupler. That part might be for later cars.

PM me or email [email protected] if you would like to buy my spare coupler rebuilding kit.

Take care to align the parts correctly in the car because there is a "master spline key" machined into the shaft where it slides onto the steering box. To help you with this, the factory machined a small notch on the OUTSIDE of the coupler body where the master spline is located. Simply match up this notch with the wide spline on the steering box and it should slide right on.

George
 
FWIW, I have taken apart several couplers and only one fought me. Several days with penetrating oil some heat and a number of wraps with a BFH and it came off.

The rebuild kit is still available at your local Dodge for about $8. It includes the two shoes and clip that is inside a seal and the sheet metal clamp. Also, mopar sold a service spring clamp to hold the sheet metal clamp on. It's p/n 2996935, not sure if the dealers have them but I have gotten them from this guy before; http://www.mopar4sale.com/ but his web page is not working right now. There are two lengths and it solves the problem trying to crimp the facgtory clamp and have it stay on. It looks like this;

Coupler Clamp.jpg
 
Dave-
I paid $15 for my kit on eBay. I guess I got robbed!
Thanks for the link on the spring clamp. I saw them for sale too, but they weren't originally used from the factory so I didn't buy one. I think there was a TSB involved which brought them into production.
I may buy a spring clamp for my next Dart; which will be a BB 4 speed hotrod after this resto is complete.

George

P.S. The link Dave provided is now working correctly. The spring clamp is $16.
 
If your not worried about it looking original I would replace the factory coupler with a Flaming River U - Joint set up. Very nice piece.
 
I bought a similar part for my 90 Dodge Power Ram about 12 years ago. I kept having problems with the stock coupling so I replaced the whole thing with a sealed U joint type. I forgot the name of the company, however.
I haven't touched it since I installed it.

George
 
for the roll pin, they actually make a roll pin drift tool. i have several. a regular drift is tapered whereas these are straight so they don't get stuck in the coupler housing. wire brush the coupler and steering gear splines and the apply a small amount of white lithium grease or anti seize compound to prevent seizing.
 
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