62 steering shaft coupler

[nuttyprof]

I have looked but not found anything on the early steering shaft couplers. The only ones I found anything on were the ones with what looks like cast housings that are secured with roll pins, mine looks like a stamped housing and uses a clamp and bolt to secure it to the steering box. The cover came off the housing and I cant get it to stay on. I have seen a clamp made of wire rod for the "cast housing" couplers, is there anything like that for the "stamped housing" ones? I have the fsm for my 62 Valiant and do not see anything as far as repair on the coupler in it. I tried for about 2 hours to get it to stay but it keeps popping off when I shift into low/ reverse ( 3 on tree) does not take that much to pull it into l/r fork on collum, coupler just pops apart easy!

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[RedFish]

Another aftermarket vendor offers a molded rubber boot that fits over the coupler like a second skin. I don't know if that is available for both type couplers.
More importantly is why that cover came off. Getting it to stay in place after servicing/rebuilding the coupling is typical. If human hands didn't cause this issue... something mechanical did. Coupler worn out ? Steering column bearings worn out ? Steering gear loose at K member mounting bolts ?

 

[nuttyprof]

I was fighting an issue with the shift tube when that happened. I think I probably pulled it apart.

 

[RedFish]

I was fighting an issue with the shift tube when that happened. I think I probably pulled it apart.

A lot of hot rodders have replaced the factory box coupling with a universal joint like coupling for header clearance. That could be your solution if you cant service/repair the very early A-body coupling. Good luck with that and the shift tube.

 

[nm9stheham]

Look on the top of the coupling; that is a plate that has ears that crimp over the upper edges of the sides. Are the ears all distorted and broken? It takes a lot of force to get the clips to clip back in place like a clamp. (See the link below)

If the ears are all distorted or broken, and you don't have the $$ for a kit, you might try to tack weld them back together with very light MIG welds, being careful to apply a wet rag quickly after each small tack weld to keep the heat away from the rubber.

Here is an article on rebuilding these early couplers:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/ml-houstons-steeringcoupler.html

 

[nuttyprof]

Thanks for the link. Hopefully it is the information I needed, now to get the seal, cover, and bearing. Or maby just go with the universal joint style. Don't know, got to think on that. The clips on mine don't seem to want to hold, not broken, just don't stay.