Steering coupler and master spline questions

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DBlascyk

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Jan 28, 2019
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Hey guys,

I have a 1973 duster im putting back together, I'm trying to put back in the steering column at the moment and I ran into a problem.

I lined up the notch on the coupler with the master spline on the power steering gear and attempted to put it on, it gets to where the groove for the pin goes and won't budge any more.

I took it off made sure it was clean and I had it lined up then I noticed there were 2 master splines one was divot and the other was a wide spline 180° from each other.

which spline do I line the notch on the coupler up to or did I buy the wrong power steering gear.

Thanks,
Damien

P.S. pictures can be provided if y'all need them I'm just at school so I can't take any at the moment.
 
Is the column at the dash (3 nuts and a bolt I think) and floor plate loose inside the car?
 
No mistaking a P/S coupler from a Manual box one the manual one is much larger. Your two piece steering shaft may have collapsed a little. You did remove the roll pin from the coupler, right?
 
I definitely have a PS coupler and the shaft isn't collapsed, I just rebuilt that. I'm trying to figure out which master spline I need to match it up with or if it's not supposed to have 2 master splines. I have 2 master splines so is it possible I bought the wrong steering gear?
 
DBlascyk said:
I definitely have a PS coupler and the shaft isn't collapsed, I just rebuilt that. I'm trying to figure out which master spline I need to match it up with or if it's not supposed to have 2 master splines. I have 2 master splines so is it possible I bought the wrong steering gear?
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If that were the case, it wouldn't slide on at all.
 
Okay thanks, it has to be binding somewhere then, I'll check that out when I get home .thanks for the help.
 
There is a notch on the coupler and a hole in the steering shaft those two are suppose to face up or top.
 
DBlascyk said:
I definitely have a PS coupler and the shaft isn't collapsed, I just rebuilt that. I'm trying to figure out which master spline I need to match it up with or if it's not supposed to have 2 master splines. I have 2 master splines so is it possible I bought the wrong steering gear?
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Here is a picture of my p/s coupling spline and it has only one master spline and I tried to show it in relation to the pin hole. I don't believe it should have two master splines.
20190819_122540.jpg
 
Was the box rebuilt? I know when Firm Feel rebuilt my box they added a new master spline and marked it. You could manually rotate it lock to lock, count the rotations then move it to 1/2 the lock to lock clock the correct master to the steering wheel.
 
DBlascyk said:
Hey guys,

I have a 1973 duster im putting back together, I'm trying to put back in the steering column at the moment and I ran into a problem.

I lined up the notch on the coupler with the master spline on the power steering gear and attempted to put it on, it gets to where the groove for the pin goes and won't budge any more.

I took it off made sure it was clean and I had it lined up then I noticed there were 2 master splines one was divot and the other was a wide spline 180° from each other.

which spline do I line the notch on the coupler up to or did I buy the wrong power steering gear.

Thanks,
Damien

P.S. pictures can be provided if y'all need them I'm just at school so I can't take any at the moment.
Click to expand...
You might look deep into the coupling and see if the splines are uniform all the way to the end. Could be a bad area that needs cleaned up. A triangle file works wonders sometimes.
 
Yup, I followed the manual, it's just reinstalling it is being a pain Its probably just user error on my end.
I've just never read about there being two master splines( one big spline and a blank section) on the steering gear itself. So I thought I bought the wrong steering box
 
Okay when I get home I'll post pictures of my coupler and the steering gear box to get your opinion on it if that's fine. I'm new to rebuilding cars so I'm figuring it out as I go.
 
Stephen Mulkey said:
Look at that. I didn't know Firm Feel did that, good call. Wonder what the reason is.
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I'd have to guess that when they rebuild the box some reworking of the worms to get any wear/slop out moves the center. It may not be true for all boxes they do, but it was for mine.
 
I just got home and went to go take pictures of it upon inspection, the part cleaner I let sit on it while at school did it's job. The second master spline was actually splines from the last coupler stuck on the shaft and it took part cleaner sitting on them to separate it enough to scrub it off.

Sorry for wasting y'all's time

Thanks,
Damien
 
DBlascyk said:
I just got home and went to go take pictures of it upon inspection, the part cleaner I let sit on it while at school did it's job. The second master spline was actually splines from the last coupler stuck on the shaft and it took part cleaner sitting on them to separate it enough to scrub it off.

Sorry for wasting y'all's time

Thanks,
Damien
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Good for you. Not a waste of my time, this old dog got to learn something today ;) thank you guys
 
Never a waste of time. Who knew what a FF gear box was till your post.
 
DBlascyk said:
Okay when I get home I'll post pictures of my coupler and the steering gear box to get your opinion on it if that's fine. I'm new to rebuilding cars so I'm figuring it out as I go.
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Honesty its what the forum is for. To support the A-Body community. Without it the knowledge found here would be lost.

God knows what you can come across on these old, abused and sometimes left for dead cars along with how all the different plants built them on that shift, that day, of that week.
 
DBlascyk said:
I just got home and went to go take pictures of it upon inspection, the part cleaner I let sit on it while at school did it's job. The second master spline was actually splines from the last coupler stuck on the shaft and it took part cleaner sitting on them to separate it enough to scrub it off.

Sorry for wasting y'all's time

Thanks,
Damien
Click to expand...
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Hey Damien, like others have said, there is something to learn every day about these old girls of ours. I read through all kinds of threads just to see what I can learn.

I see you are at Ft Hood. Thank you for your service!!! I started out Army, but switched to Air Force. My son did 3 years at Ft Stewart and deployed to Iraq as an 11B.
 
66fyssh said:
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Hey Damien, like others have said, there is something to learn every day about these old girls of ours. I read through all kinds of threads just to see what I can learn.

I see you are at Ft Hood. Thank you for your service!!! I started out Army, but switched to Air Force. My son did 3 years at Ft Stewart and deployed to Iraq as an 11B.
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I always forget that this is what this forum was meant for so thanks for all y'alls help ill definitely be back since this is my first project car I'm doing on my own.

I'm not in the army but my dad is so I'll pass that along, I personally don't think I have what it takes to join it seems a little too stressful for me.
 
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