Steering Columns and Gear Boxs ? ! ? !

[BoredandStroked]

Howdy folks got a few questions about the steering column, shaft, gear box and all of that. I have a 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger .... and I was wondering how to separate the shaft from the gear box so I could pull the whole column out. I dunno what kind of steering box it is yet but plan to find out in the next few days. Got to clean off the half an inch of grease to get to the gear box yet so thats going to be a pain in the you know what. Also I was wondering if there is any other Mopar's gear boxs that could fit my Dart Swinger with a faster ratio. I was thinking about 15 :1 ratio if I can get it that quick. If not oh well I can live with the stock ratio. Its 20 : 1 isnt it? Thanks for reading and hope some one can help me with this. Remember MOPAR OR NO CAR!

 

[dart_man440]

The colum is attached to the gear box via a coupler, with a punch drive the rool pin out of the coupler, once yo do that unbolt column fron dash, it should then come straight out, I hope that helps.

 

[BoredandStroked]

Ok I thought it was attached by a coupler but here is one question.... what is a rool pin? Haven't heard of one and I am just curious. Well thank you sir for your information and I will put it to work this weekend! Remember MOPAR OR NO CAR !

 

[Hartman-52]

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

 

[BoredandStroked]

Hey Everyone thank you alot for the help! I did get the roll pin out but in the process I accidentaly hit the punch a little to hard and ended up lodging it casing or hole which ever you perfer to call it. So if anyone has any tips to get the punch out I will be very thankful. I know this was a stupid mistake and hope it never happens again. Anyways thank everyone that helped me and remember...MOPAR OR NO CAR!

 

[Hartman-52]

Easy to get the punch out. Have someone hold a heavy piece of steel (like a sledge hammer) against the steering coupler and from the opposite side, beat the crap out of the end of the punch sticking out of the coupler hole. If it does not protrude, simply insert another punch from the opposite side and drift it out. The heavy piece of metal held on the other side acts as a dead weight resistance backing for hammering from the other side. An old farm trick I learned as a kid is that a BFH (big f__king hammer) usually solves many car restoration problems and is certainly one of my most coveted and prized tools!! The BFH is also very handy to beat on the offending object that caused a bloody and skinned knuckle to help relieve the pain when a wrench slips or to throw across the garage as anger relief (LOL).
:wack: