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steering coupler

flatheadgary

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what is the unit that attaches the steering shaft to the box called on a '63 belvedere? also how does it come off the shaft?
 
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Changed the rag joint to Flaming river

11.14.16 014.jpg
 
so...."steering coupler" if it's a solid piece of metal & commonly called a "rag joint" (as HemiItis says) if there is a piece of rubber/cloth/etc. sandwiched in the middle.

I'm not familiar with the '63 setup, but for the newer Mopars (eg 70), there is a rolled pin that comes in from the side. You drive out the pin & the coupler slips off the gear box (with some prying usually)
 
what is the unit that attaches the steering shaft to the box called on a '63 belvedere? also how does it come off the shaft?

Steering coupler. My 62 is the same as my 69. There is a roll pin that needs to be punched out (see below) before the coupling body can be slid off the splines.

735_steer-coup_low_res.jpg
 
factory '66 and down are different. I have a '65 coupler that, IIRC, has a smaller spline than the later couplers.
 
It's just called a coupler. "Rag joint" was just that, not the same.

It is held in place by the clamp. No pin.

There is one spline that is wider, at the steering box and one at the steering wheel end to line them up.

The steering column needs to be loosened under the dash to pull the shaft back far enough to remove.
20170720_173032.jpg
 
yea khryslerkid that's the kind i have. i have had the column out from the gear box but didn't see a way to take the coupler off. once off the box, do you just pry over the fingers on the cover plate? maybe i need to tell you what i have going here. i had the box rebuilt but i still have a little to much play and thought this coupler could be contributing to that. i have adjusted the box and i thought about buying that valve for the pump to slow it down a bit too.
http://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS-Performa...ing-Fluid-Flow-Control-Valve/2088411/10002/-1
i could turn the steering wheel and see if it has play in it but, i am by myself. i might be able to grab somebody passing by but i might either get a punch in the family jewels or get the law on me.
 
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Damn, you don't want a punch in the nads, for sure, lol!

I'm not up on the power steering box adjustment. Hopefully it's spelled out in your factory service manual. I can look it up in mine if you don't have one.

As far as taking the coupler apart, having the whole column out of the car is ideal.

Yes, you fold back the tabs just on three sides and only enough to get it off. You don't want to break any off because finding another for the '62 - '64 are hard to find.
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Once you have it off, the housing can be slid off. Pay attention to the orientation of the shoes and the spring clip to the housing.
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That spring clip holds tension on the shoes. They do break and cause some slight play in the coupler. The spring in these are specific to these years and are not the same as the newer couplers with the split pin. The newer coupler has a taller spring clip and won't fit in the housing.

The rubber seal is removable without removing the pin, if you are doing this in the car. If you are replacing the lower column seal too, you have to remove the pin and that means removing the column from the car.
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The only place that I found a new rubber seal (a black one) was Hemi Eddy on ebay. If the spring clip is broke, you'll have to do some searching for a new one or settle for a good used one. The shoes, pin and housing on mine looked real good, so all I had to do was clean it up and repack it.
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Replacing the pin requires it to be located exactly centered.
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Here's a good article with measurements on the location when installing it on the steering box.

http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/ml-houstons-steeringcoupler.html
 
wow!! you are very good at responding to threads. that answered all my questions. thank you very much.
 
I don't remember for sure if the clamp on design of the coupler has a keyed spline for lining up with the steering box. Point I'm trying to make is that when the box or coupler has this spline always be sure the steering wheel is oriented correctly at the top when doing assembly. You can put this coupler together 180 degrees out and not know it...When reinstalled the steering wheel will be 180 out messing up the turn signal cancel cam. Then you get to re-do it correctly...
 
I don't remember for sure if the clamp on design of the coupler has a keyed spline for lining up with the steering box. Point I'm trying to make is that when the box or coupler has this spline always be sure the steering wheel is oriented correctly at the top when doing assembly. You can put this coupler together 180 degrees out and not know it...When reinstalled the steering wheel will be 180 out messing up the turn signal cancel cam. Then you get to re-do it correctly...
They are "keyed" at each end. If you were to assemble the housing wrong on the shoes, it will be 180* out. Good point :thumbsup:
 
thread bump!

thanks for the clear pics and info on this khryslerkid. goin through this right now on my 66; installed a borgeson box. borgeson kit from bergman autocraft has a modified coupler to make up a gap due the the shorter borgeson box.



watermelon
 
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