change connector box
- Thread starter tet68
- Start date
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Divenut
Well-Known Member
It should slide off the gearbox shaft when you pull the column out. Some times it needs a little tap to persuade it.There may be a very small dowel pin on the coupler housing that needs to be driven out as well (mine had one). After that it should come right off, and you are ready to throw in the rebuild kit.
Hope this helps,
Pat
First clean steering gear splined shaft of its crud, drive out split pin with drift, then gently use a pickle fork & hammer to persuade steering coupler to slide off of steering gear’s splined shaft.
To remove coupler from steering shaft:
First disconnect battery and multi wire connector to directional light switch.
Remove three bolts holding steering shaft floor plate, remove nuts holding steering shaft to dash, and remove steering wheel and shaft from car. Mark location of “O” ring at floor plate so steering shaft easily returns to its correct distance from steering gear.
Slide coupler and its guts off steering shaft, pay attention to which way the little shoes slide into coupler housing, or if reinstalled wrong you will have three or more inches of free steering wheel play.
To remove coupler’s cap & grease seal to replace with new, the steel pin at end of shaft that locates the little shoes within coupler can easily be removed damage free as follows:
The pin at end of shaft is just a press fit. To remove it, place a socket over one side to receive pin when pressed out with a heavy vice.
Use a five gallon joint compound pail or like to balance steering wheel and shaft while pin is pressed from column in vice. Pin will resist initial movement, once it moves it goes rest of the way easily. When end of pin is pressed flush with shaft, use a drift punch close in size of pin & hammer to tap it out the rest of the way from shaft.
To replace pin, gently start it into its hole, and press into shaft with vice & socket until centered.
Don’t beat on it with a hammer, it will mushroom and never be removed easily.
To remove coupler from steering shaft:
First disconnect battery and multi wire connector to directional light switch.
Remove three bolts holding steering shaft floor plate, remove nuts holding steering shaft to dash, and remove steering wheel and shaft from car. Mark location of “O” ring at floor plate so steering shaft easily returns to its correct distance from steering gear.
Slide coupler and its guts off steering shaft, pay attention to which way the little shoes slide into coupler housing, or if reinstalled wrong you will have three or more inches of free steering wheel play.
To remove coupler’s cap & grease seal to replace with new, the steel pin at end of shaft that locates the little shoes within coupler can easily be removed damage free as follows:
The pin at end of shaft is just a press fit. To remove it, place a socket over one side to receive pin when pressed out with a heavy vice.
Use a five gallon joint compound pail or like to balance steering wheel and shaft while pin is pressed from column in vice. Pin will resist initial movement, once it moves it goes rest of the way easily. When end of pin is pressed flush with shaft, use a drift punch close in size of pin & hammer to tap it out the rest of the way from shaft.
To replace pin, gently start it into its hole, and press into shaft with vice & socket until centered.
Don’t beat on it with a hammer, it will mushroom and never be removed easily.
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