Steering shaft coupler.....
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Steering shaft coupler.....
I have a 1969 f350 dually im working on to get back on the road. Im currently swapping out the manual gearbox for a power steering gearbox. On the manual gearbox it used the cloth coupler to attach the steering shaft to the gearbox. Im going to change that to the socket style but i also need to take the steering column off so i can shrten the steering shaft. The steering shaft has this flange on the end that attached to the cloth coupler. Can anyone tell me how to get the flange off of the steering shaft? I see no eye skrews holding it and have tried a puller to pull it off thinking it might have splines on the end. That hasnt worked. Is there somthing in the end holding it on as it has a small indention.
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I have a 1969 f350 dually im working on to get back on the road. Im currently swapping out the manual gearbox for a power steering gearbox. On the manual gearbox it used the cloth coupler to attach the steering shaft to the gearbox. Im going to change that to the socket style but i also need to take the steering column off so i can shrten the steering shaft. The steering shaft has this flange on the end that attached to the cloth coupler. Can anyone tell me how to get the flange off of the steering shaft? I see no eye skrews holding it and have tried a puller to pull it off thinking it might have splines on the end. That hasnt worked. Is there somthing in the end holding it on as it has a small indention.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
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From: San Jose, CA
Have you ever tried grinding just the tip at the bottom of the rag-joint (if it's even possible to get a grinder in there?) so you can just pull it off the splined shaft? This at least retains the full length of the shaft, and the splines intact.
We've run into this on Early Broncos and I think someone even was able to use a jaw-puller to yank the rag-joint off of the shaft, past the swadged part. And of course others have cut theirs off.
And rather than welding, if you're using u-joint type yokes at the upper end after this modification, you can take the 3/4" diameter round shaft and grind two flat spots on the side of just the right depth to create a 3/4" DD (double-D) shank to mount a matching u-joint to.
We have a video showing how to do the grinding part (but not the rag-joint removal I don't think) here: https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/produc...ation/tech_faq
Sorry it's not loading at full size for some reason. But you can still see the basics here. I'll see why it's not going to the link to our fill size video.
Paul
We've run into this on Early Broncos and I think someone even was able to use a jaw-puller to yank the rag-joint off of the shaft, past the swadged part. And of course others have cut theirs off.
And rather than welding, if you're using u-joint type yokes at the upper end after this modification, you can take the 3/4" diameter round shaft and grind two flat spots on the side of just the right depth to create a 3/4" DD (double-D) shank to mount a matching u-joint to.
We have a video showing how to do the grinding part (but not the rag-joint removal I don't think) here: https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/produc...ation/tech_faq
Sorry it's not loading at full size for some reason. But you can still see the basics here. I'll see why it's not going to the link to our fill size video.
Paul
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I did get the cloth coupler off. I tried heating it up and then hammering.
Im going to have a machine shop take it off and make me some flat edges that fit the u-joint. Then i can cut it to fit.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Im going to have a machine shop take it off and make me some flat edges that fit the u-joint. Then i can cut it to fit.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 9,618
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From: San Jose, CA
If you grind, or even if a professional grinds it, I would wait until you have the yoke in-hand so the shaft flats can be sized perfectly. A good tight slip-fit is not only desirable, but safer in the long haul.
And as a PSA, when you get your final setup done, and the new u-joint/yoke is installed and the little divot taken out of the shaft so the set-screw has a place to land, DON'T FORGET THE THREAD LOCKER!!!!
Did I shout that loud enough?
Just making sure you never have something come loose. A welded joint does not come loose normally, but can still crack or fail if the weld is not perfect. A bolted Double-D joint will never spin even if the set-screw comes loose, but left loose long enough will eventually work it's way off.
And you know what that means!!!!
Paul
And as a PSA, when you get your final setup done, and the new u-joint/yoke is installed and the little divot taken out of the shaft so the set-screw has a place to land, DON'T FORGET THE THREAD LOCKER!!!!
Did I shout that loud enough?
Just making sure you never have something come loose. A welded joint does not come loose normally, but can still crack or fail if the weld is not perfect. A bolted Double-D joint will never spin even if the set-screw comes loose, but left loose long enough will eventually work it's way off.
And you know what that means!!!!
Paul
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