Quick steering coupler question
Thread Starter
|
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 504
Likes: 0
Quick steering coupler question
I've Read the how to's and I get how it's done but it looks like most pull the entire steering column out. Does this have to happen or can you just loosen the bolts on the coupler/shaft and pull the steering wheel off to swap
Thread Starter
|
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 504
Likes: 0
Is the dorman kit they sell at the autostores as good as anything else? Quality wise there doesn't seem to be a significant difference
Looks like most people use the doorman 31000 because the 31002 seems too small. Here's what I'm working with. Should the shaft end be this curved...? Seems warped and unusually shaped for this function. And then maybe yet again I just don't know what I'm talking about.....almost looks like the PO installed it wrong who knows how long ago....
I'm gonna fire up the old google machine and see if I can find a clean correctly installed one to compare
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,935
Likes: 4,123
From: Angier, NC
Looks bent to me.
See the 2 different size metal pins that fit into the cut outs of the wheel side of the coupling? They should be up inside that cut out so if the rubber part fails the pins will hit the sides of the cut out.
You will have a lot of play in the wheel but will not lose steering all together like you would now.
I would look into why / how it got bent as it would have taken a lot of force to bent that part.
I would not go hammering on it to get it flat again with out pulling the shaft out of the column as you could hurt the bearings (top & bottom) and other things.
Dave ----
See the 2 different size metal pins that fit into the cut outs of the wheel side of the coupling? They should be up inside that cut out so if the rubber part fails the pins will hit the sides of the cut out.
You will have a lot of play in the wheel but will not lose steering all together like you would now.
I would look into why / how it got bent as it would have taken a lot of force to bent that part.
I would not go hammering on it to get it flat again with out pulling the shaft out of the column as you could hurt the bearings (top & bottom) and other things.
Dave ----
Thread Starter
|
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 504
Likes: 0
Looks bent to me.
See the 2 different size metal pins that fit into the cut outs of the wheel side of the coupling? They should be up inside that cut out so if the rubber part fails the pins will hit the sides of the cut out.
You will have a lot of play in the wheel but will not lose steering all together like you would now.
I would look into why / how it got bent as it would have taken a lot of force to bent that part.
I would not go hammering on it to get it flat again with out pulling the shaft out of the column as you could hurt the bearings (top & bottom) and other things.
Dave ----
See the 2 different size metal pins that fit into the cut outs of the wheel side of the coupling? They should be up inside that cut out so if the rubber part fails the pins will hit the sides of the cut out.
You will have a lot of play in the wheel but will not lose steering all together like you would now.
I would look into why / how it got bent as it would have taken a lot of force to bent that part.
I would not go hammering on it to get it flat again with out pulling the shaft out of the column as you could hurt the bearings (top & bottom) and other things.
Dave ----
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
It's not bent. Look at the rubber, it is misshapen. When you put it back together, the pins will end up inside the cutouts.
I used the Dorman kit too, here's a quick and dirty how to on how to change them.
Loosen the two bolts under the dash that hold the steering column but don't remove them completely.
remove the bolts that hold the bottom of the column to the floorpan.
remove the crossbolt in the coupling.
remove the four bolts that go through the coupling.
get back in the cab and pull back on the steering wheel. This will separate the column from the coupler.
Remove the coupler from the steering box.
Then you can take it to the bench and replace the rubber.
Install is the reverse.
I used the Dorman kit too, here's a quick and dirty how to on how to change them.
Loosen the two bolts under the dash that hold the steering column but don't remove them completely.
remove the bolts that hold the bottom of the column to the floorpan.
remove the crossbolt in the coupling.
remove the four bolts that go through the coupling.
get back in the cab and pull back on the steering wheel. This will separate the column from the coupler.
Remove the coupler from the steering box.
Then you can take it to the bench and replace the rubber.
Install is the reverse.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 294
Likes: 1
The shaft flange is fine. The rubber is shot! The Dorman rubber replacement works fine. You have to completely remove, not just loosen, the 12 pount bolt on the steering box side of the coupler to slide the coupler off the splined input shaft. There is a cutout in the shaft that the bolt fits into.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Gabrielc1925
1967 - 1972 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
3
Oct 13, 2014 04:51 PM
countryshiz87
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
14
May 26, 2012 02:38 AM
