So my son and I are at the part of repairing the steering shaft, coupler etc preparing for the engine and trans install and of course the previous owner had done some things....after semi educating myself on some of the components of the steering column and coupler to the worm gear we discovered no only was there no roll pin in the coupler to the gear but the coupler body cap and clip were long gone only the partial rubber of the cap remained, and some one had welded an L bracket at the top of the shaft I guess to prevent it from pulling out? seemed pretty dangerous and I'm not letting my 18 year old drive it like that so....
Got the coupler off and all cleaned up got new parts on the way, I can see how it gets put together now however there was a shit ton of grease inside the coupler body is that normal? Is there supposed to be a certain amount of grease? I couldn't find anything in the service manual about it.
A shit ton sounds about right :alan2cents:
Fill the cavity with grease.
I recommend installing a spring clip to hold the cap on and hold the parts together. If your column has been hammered on it will most likely have broken compression pins and the clip will keep the shaft from trying to pull apart. see chrysler service bulletin attached:
:iagree:
Yes that is what I ordered, a new retainer cap and rubber seal along with the spring clip to hold it all down.
Also can I get just any roll pin from the hardware store that will fit in the hole? or do I need to order a special one?
I don't think there's anything special about the roll pin other than the size, but I will defer to the experts here. I've done exactly one rebuild on a column and coupler
I put this post in earlier as a warning of how not to do things on the coupler. Hopefully, you already knew this, but just in case...
https://forum.e-bodies.org/wheels-tires-brakes-suspension-and-steering/12/how-not-to-do-it-shoe-orientation-in-steering-box-coupler/18952/msg242173#msg242173
Also, you can look forward to a bit of a wrestling match getting the external spring clip in place on the coupler. I ended up scratching the crap out of fresh paint on the coupler in order to get the ends of the clip set into the openings on the roll pin.
Some kits come with a roll pin but a hardware store pin should work. The spring clip will keep the pin from moving. For ease of assembly I recommend you install the roll pin in the coupler part way leaving enough clearance for the input shaft. These pins can be hard to start once the column is installed especially if motor is installed.
There are actually two pins & both are important... There's the big roll pin that locks the coupler to the steering box & there is a very small solid pin that prevents the shoes sliding out of the coupler body.....
Quote from: 1 Wild R/T on January 14, 2021, 07:32:39 AM
There are actually two pins & both are important... There's the big roll pin that locks the coupler to the steering box & there is a very small solid pin that prevents the shoes sliding out of the coupler body.....
Exactly! I don't know why that PDF doesn't reference The "DOWEL PIN".
I suspect the dowel pin is one of the reasons for the bulletin. To service the coupling you have to drive the pin out. The pin is tapered, not a roll pin and most people will drive it down to remove. So most likely the hole would stretch and the pin would be loose.
Quote from: Jay Bee on January 14, 2021, 07:47:06 AM
Quote from: 1 Wild R/T on January 14, 2021, 07:32:39 AM
There are actually two pins & both are important... There's the big roll pin that locks the coupler to the steering box & there is a very small solid pin that prevents the shoes sliding out of the coupler body.....
Exactly! I don't know why that PDF doesn't reference The "DOWEL PIN".
The dowel is referenced in step 7. If body has dowel pin hole near cover, drive in a new pin P/N 9431620 flush to the outer surface. This TSB was published pre E bodies.
Cody has these videos on Youtube for disassembly and assembly of steering columns for e-bodies. I used them when I completed
the restoration of mine and they are great.
https://youtu.be/49L2sIR9OYc
Quote from: mopar jack on January 14, 2021, 12:36:03 PM
The dowel is referenced in step 7.
:bigthumb: I need to stop skimming over articles.
So I see the small pin in the coupler body not sure how I got the thing off while this pun was in position but it happend. Should I remove it and replace it after its back together or not bother with the new clip in place or do both?
You will have to press it outwards before reassembly. It's pretty easy, I use a set of common pliers with 2 screwdrivers on either side of the little pin to space the plier jaw up. Then just squeeze it outwards.
BigmanjbMopar, when you get the coupling cleaned I would test fit it to the input shaft. I have had two steering boxes that needed a little touch up with a file on the splines.
As most everyone knows the coupler only goes one on way, there's a missing spline that has to be lined up... What a lot of people don't seem to know is there is an alignment mark to help you line it up since you can't see the missing spline inside the coupler... There is a notch on the outside of the coupler body that identifies the missing spline, line that up with the spline on the shaft....
If your really paying attention there is also a hole in the steering shaft that also lines up with the notch in the coupler so you don't install the coupler body 180 degrees out... And that also lines up with the missing spline where the steering wheel attaches...
How does this look?
Need to see a pic looking down on the shaft with the wheels pointed straight and the shaft centered. When you tighten the column you want to center the shaft in the tube. Why do you have the motor mount on the k frame?
Previous owner supplied the mounts so we were mocking them up to see how they would fit with new rubber. 340 car getting a 383.