pin stuck in steering coupling

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Billy the average guy

Billy the average guy

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Huntington Beach, California USA
Spent 6 hours trying to remove the in on the coupling with no success. Trying to remove the power steering box in order to rebuild. Tried pounding out with numerous punches, screwdrivers, rods, nails, etc. Also tried drilling but I only wood bits.

Also tried removing steering column but it attached inside the coupling.

It’s a hollow tube pin that I guess was machined into the coupling. Any ideas how to remove?

I’m thinking of investing in a steel drill bit.

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Did you turn it over and try the other direction? It really does just require the right size punch and good solid hits. If you can't reach in and hit well with a big hammer get a helper and use an extension of some sort. Worst case, pull the coupler apart and slide the column back to remove the box. The guts of the coupler will slide out once you release the upper cap.
 
Try spraying it with some sort of penetrant oil, maybe it's just seized inside. I wouldn't drill due to the fact of the splines one the steering box input shaft.
 
it is a spring pin, they at hard spring steel. Not sure if cobalt will drill them. Good chance you would break a bit. If it is sticking out you should be able to start it with a direct hammer hit. Then push it through with a punch. I sometimes compress them by grabbing the sides away from the slot with a vice grip. that will help break it free if rusted to the surrounding metal. Use PB blaster or other penetrating oil.
 
I've had better luck bracing it with something from underneath so it can't turn while hitting it, too.
 
I had to brace mine as well, from underneath,,to make the coupler more solid as i hit it,,,the slop in the coupler, box and column absorb and soften the impact if the blow, and keep you from getting a good solid hard strike. Think of an autobody mans dolly that is used to back up sheet metal when using a body hammer. As soon as i braced the opposite side of the coupler,,i was able to get solid smacks on the punch, and it broke free. The exact size punch is critical. I used a cheapie punch,,and it mushroomed the end,,,i stopped to see a snap on truck,,bought the 5/16 punch,,it held a nice square, flat tip even after a dozen good hits,,and worked like a charm. Mind you, my car sat in a forest for 27 years,,so it was probably rustier than yours. It'll come out
 
I remove a LOT of those, so I've seen it all. There are a lot of good suggestions above. PB Blaster is a MUST. I made my own tool by cutting off the head of a large Phillips screwdriver. It gives you a flat drive surface rather than a pointed punch which can spread the hollow roll pin as you hit it.

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If you can't get it in the car, you can pull the steering box (as mentioned above) and work it on the bench.
Pull the steering column and separate the "guts" from the coupler. There is a small drive pin on the top of most couplers that you need to tap back to let the guts slide out.This is probably what is holding you up.

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Once you have it on the bench, you have a 50/50 shot of drilling the pin out without breaking the bit. If you
break the bit, you will have to destroy the coupler to save the steering box.
Take a die grinder and cut the coupler where the pin slides in. You will not be cutting into the steering box splines, you will be cutting into the pin itself. Once you have a groove cut all the way into the pin, the pressure will be off and it should drive out. Buy a new/used coupler and use your "guts" Good Luck!
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Guys! Its OUT! Thank you everyone for contributing! Took a little of all your advice: braced it, wack directly first with hammer, flipped it over on other side, and got the proper size flat punch, and lots of penetrating oil. Can't thank you enough! I love this forum!
 
A buddy of mine just made this steering coupler split pin removal tool out of a tapered punch for me.

The tip that locates in the inside of the split pin keeps the punch from slipping off.

Should make removal and installation a whole lot easier.


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also helps to use a dead blow vs a regular hammer..
 
I didn't have any trouble getting the pin out. The coupler was a different story. I had just enough room between the coupler and the box to get a ball joint removal fork, and it was still a ***** kitty! The good thing about the fork is that the slot in the middle fit right over the shaft, so I could bang it out without boogerin' up the splines.
 
I believe those pins are called roll pins. Their are special punches made for the different sizes. the punches are not flat on the business end, but have a little "tit", that fits in the hollow part of the roll pin. They come in sets, and are available at most tool sales places. Ask for roll pin punches.

Dave
 
Wait till you try to remove the %@#!$#%#%^&$ T bars on a Dakota!!!! Tiny little bitty roll pins which are driven into the sockets and no possible way to get a punch and hammer in there.
 
Spring pin. Roll pins are a couple layers wrapped.
I have used a pin punch,socket and a lon extension to get a good whack on it from a more suitable location.
 
Tooljunkie said:
Spring pin. Roll pins are a couple layers wrapped.
Click to expand...
While I would have agreed with this definition of the 2 types previously. Looking them up recently...They are both spring pins because they are larger than the hole the go in and compress/spring to fit and hold. They are also both roll pins 'cause they are rolled steel. To clearly differentiate, I see most manufacturers use terms spiral/coiled or split/slotted. A good spiral is supposed to handle movement and vibration better than a slotted one. But it varies a lot depending on the steel they are made from. The coiled ones tend to be harder steel (more of a true 'spring' steel). I have bent slotted ones but never a coiled one. On the other had, I have found both types made of such hard steel that the slotted ones cracked in half and the spirals shattered into several pieces lengthwise.
That said they can both be installed and removed in the same manner. I prefer roll pin punches with center point.
 
I have a long brass drift the right diameter, it works slick.
 
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