Scary steering shaft/coupler failure!

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Trevor B

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This is a picture of the steering coupler coming apart on my ’68 Barracuda AS I WAS DRIVING IT. The shaft is pulling back out of the coupler.
Coupler coming out 1.jpg



In fact, the shoes had come almost completely out of the coupler right as I was turning back into the garage after a spirited tuning/testing drive on a mountain. It was horrifying. Anyway, I need help.

What I did leading up to this:
Newly rebuilt engine,
Brand new transmission
Rebuilt steering box from Firm Feel
Installed front sway bar

When removing the old steering box, I was shocked to find that there was NO roll pin in the coupler. Someone before me had been working on the steering at some point but I don’t know any more than that.

I loosened the nuts and bolt on the clamps on the steering column support and had my wife in the car holding on to the steering wheel as I pried/banged the coupler back off of the steering gear with a large screw driver. The coupler slid up the shaft no problem - it did not appear to be compressing the shaft.

Put in the new box and slid the coupler back on, master spline was lined up, roll pin went in. Thought I was done.

I understand that there are shear pins inside of the column. I have never worked on the column. Is a rebuild something I should take on or should I just seek out a new one? I’d prefer to keep more stock parts on the car if possible but this is truly a safety issue.
I have removed the steering column from the car and it is on my bench.
 
I don’t have my fsm available but there is an adjustment procedure in it to ensure the coupler shoes are properly engaged depth wise in the coupler housing. I don’t remember specifics. If they’re engaged too far it can cause binding as they will bottom out. If they’re not engaged far enough I could see them coming out the open end of the coupler. The “depth” is set by sliding the whole column in or out on the three mounts under the dash. I know you said you hadn’t messed with the column but you did change the gear box etc. That could have changed the engagement depth due to differences in accumulated tolerances in the components. Other thing is the input shaft on the steering box could not be properly preloaded and the gear is walking in and out of the steering box. New or rebuilt parts are not necessarily good all the time. But Firm Feel has a pretty good reputation.
 
My cousin did that on my 64 Barracuda. He was using the steering wheel to counteract the G's from acceleration instead of the seat. Popped right out, lost shoes and steering. Luckily we were on a straight and the Barracuda came to a nice straight stop. I got to drive from Bartlesville, OK to Marion, SD with the sloppy steering without shoes before I got home and fixed it. You need the small roll pin in the body or there is a failsafe wire retainer that replaces the box shaft roll pin. I got one at Carlisle last year.
 
Yes there are plastic shear pins used in the two piece steering shaft, they keep the shaft ridged until a front end impact. Knocking back the coupler will indeed break these pins, although the shafts are "double D" shaped it will not let the two shafts rotate but will let the inner shaft walk up and down as it pleases.
The correct fix is a new used shaft or buy the coupler clip you can purchase from eBay or other resources.

clip.jpg
 
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I personally like the aftermarket universal joint replacement kits available from Flaming River and possibly Borgeson.
 
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Looks like someone didn't put the safety pin back inside the coupler or it sheared off.
 
I bought the entire rebuild kit from Detroit Muscle Technologies (DMT). A little pricey, but includes everything you need, including the retainer. Then I bought separately the lower steering column seal for the 66.

Here's the kit. Mopar A B E Body 66-72 Steering Column & Coupler Rebuild Kit

I'm not a huge fan of the retainer, but safety first!! Glad you made it home safely.

IMG_20190403_191941731.jpg
 
There was no pin in the early couplers. Years ago I solved this by drilling and tapping a hole in the coupler body on one side. Now it has a screw in there.
 
The collar at the floor is loose, when you hammered the coupler back, the column moved rearward on the plastic slides under the dash.
Loosen the collar at the interior floor, push the steering wheel/column toward the front, after re-positioning the"shoes".

Re-tighten floor clamp.

P.S. There is a small pin at the coupler to prevent the shoes coming out, - it would appear to be sheared, or removed.
 
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Looks like someone didn't put the safety pin back inside the coupler or it sheared off.
Huh? If the crimped on rubber seal clamp comes off the top , there's nothing to stop the shaft and shoes from coming out. Where would this 'safety pin' go? I had a similar experience after a romp off a green light. The column pulled up 2 inches through the 2 bolt plate under the lip of the dash on my 65. I felt it move and pushed it down hard, it went back to its original position but scared the **** out of me. I checked the seal the next morning and found I didnt even have a seal! I had bought the car about 2 months prior and didnt know dick about 'em as a 17 year old. There is a dot on the shaft that you need to measure for the correct depth for the shoes off the end of the coupler. Its 13/16 off the lip and the way you alter this is to slide the column up or down the column retainer bracket.

coupler.jpg
 
It's at the top and is designed to keep the shoes from coming out of the coupler.
 
I would first look at the column mounting under the dash. If those slotted blocks and bolts are properly positioned, about centered, the sheer pins in the shaft are likely broken.
Although I haven't studied the engineering, I'm not sure there is enough travel in the under dash assembly to let the coupling come completely apart.
I don't believe the tiny roll pin is a safety devise either. Its purpose in life is only to protect the bottle crimped cap, prevent the coupling accidently coming apart during column handling, vehicle assembly.
A pretty good hit will blow right through that little pin ( been there done that by accident, coupling hung on firewall opening as column was pulled into the cab ) but it is better than nothing.
 
It's at the top and is designed to keep the shoes from coming out of the coupler.
is it the "dowel pin hole" referenced in Dave69's pic at edge of coupler? Im looking at 2 in my stash (64 and a 4/65) and neither have that. maybe it as a running change later? It would make sense to put one there, but maybe something a little bigger. I like the wire cage thing. will have to get one.

Blamo, Jim Lusk and Sedanman for the win! Earlier models do not have this hole...
coupler2.jpg
notch.jpg
 
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I though that clip was the quick fix retainer for the seal cover falling off issue. Seems like it will limit the shaft travel as well. I think the shoes could still bang the seal if the shaft is telescoping.
 
Yep,the dowl pin hole. It may have been a 68 and up safety fix to your problem. I would drill a hole and put a screw in it and be done with it,just make sure it's not too long...maybe sticking in about 1/4 inch when tightened
 
Thank Folks!

So much good stuff here, as usual.
Also, Mattax’s links are absolute gold. The Hamtramck Registry thing is amazing!

My steering shaft doesn’t have the dot on the shaft – I suppose it is possible that it is not the original shaft. And the coupler doesn’t have the small secondary dowel pin hole. I can easily drill/tap one and put in a little screw.

It appears that the shear pins are indeed broken as the lower shaft slides in and out a bit. It doesn’t come out, though.

I will buy the rebuild kit and the clip.

Does anyone have any idea where I might find some replacement plastic clamps? Number “46” in Daves69’s picture. Mine are pretty tired looking.
 
Thank Folks!
Does anyone have any idea where I might find some replacement plastic clamps? Number “46” in Daves69’s picture. Mine are pretty tired looking.
ebay, I forget what part name search term though
 
From my research, using the factory parts book. It looks like the safety dowel pin was first found on the 1970 and later coupling body. Before that, there was no hole or pin in the coupling body.
 
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