U-joint vs pot coupler

[Abodysrule]

Another issue with these rebuilds, covered in other posts, is the reverse switch plastic post (part number 2880948 for '67, 2883211 for '68/later) that is one-use. I believe a great replacement is a 1" long 3/8" O.D. cylindrical female (internal) threaded spacer (the existing hole is 1/4" so you need a bit more diameter on the spacer) and a 1" 10-32 low head profile machine screw. There is plenty of room to install this before the steering shaft is put back into the housing tube (screw is 1" long, I.D. of housing tube is 34 mm). I plan to add some green thread locker after it is installed, you can do that from the open end of the spacer onto the end of the machine screw. Simple fix.

I note that that plastic post was centered in the slot/opening so it hit the switch post properly - but when the housing tube's bottom flange is properly seated against the plastic bottom bearing bushing that post actually scrapes against the bottom edge of that slot. Which means that housing tube's flange was not fully seated against the plastic bearing housing (though the tube did extend and center in the bushing). I may shorten that tube a bit so its flange seats properly against the face of whatever bushing I fabricate for the ER 16 bearing. As I mentioned, I can use the existing plastic one if I bore it out to 52 mm I.D. for the bearing, but it can't be bored all the way through as that tube (35mm O.D.) has to seat/center into the other side of it. I may just fabricate a metal bushing from some pipe and weld a 35 mm I.D. washer on the side opposite the bearing to seat that housing tube. I'll post pics of whatever I end up doing.

 

[Dana67Dart]

is the reverse switch plastic post (part number 2880948 for '67, 2883211 for '68/later) that is one-use

If you have the column out of the car and the steering shaft out you can gently tap the lock pin of the plastic actuator into the column. Then with a little heat up into the tube GENTLY wiggle the actuator pin out.

The actuator locks in place like a drywall anchor

 

[Abodysrule]

I already broke mine, but thank you! Mine was in there pretty darn tight, I was trying to squeeze the anchor lugs from inside the tube, but it was so brittle after 55 years it gave way. McMaster sells a 10-32 cap head screw with a 1/4" shoulder (part # 91223A215), very shallow, that will center/fill the 1/4" hole perfectly. The spacer is part # 91125A373.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Be sure to cover any threads that will come in contact with the tab on the switch. The threads will grind away the plastic tab in no time.

 

[jos51700]

Hmmm , interesting point!

Ok , Ive got the pot replaced with a coupler. As soon as I can, I'm going to remove the coupler and the connecting shafts. Then, I'm going to check where the setscrews tighten into the recesses in the shafts. If there is the kind of movement you are suggesting, I should see witness marks where the setscrew is moving up and down the shaft. Also I'll check the bearing for damage or excessive wear,. If I find evidence of that , I'm removing the works and doing the mods shown by 72bluNblu.

Great comments and suggestions guys!

The plastic pins in the collapsible column have probably already sheared. I'd make a witness mark on the steering shaft and see if the inner portion of the shaft is plunging. If your car has that, I'm not sure when Chrysler started that.

So then you can wear out the actual steering shaft if you ditch the pot.

I did put a grease fitting on my coupler (at the bottom of the pot) so I could pump the dirt n' grit out. I get that it's tight with headers an all, but this is one of those things that I highly doubt Chrysler would've spent the money re-engineering the wheel if they didn't have to.

 

[Abodysrule]

Be sure to cover any threads that will come in contact with the tab on the switch. The threads will grind away the plastic tab in no time.

Thank you, yes, I plan to use an internally threaded spacer, the outside is smooth.

 

[Abodysrule]

The plastic pins in the collapsible column have probably already sheared. I'd make a witness mark on the steering shaft and see if the inner portion of the shaft is plunging. If your car has that, I'm not sure when Chrysler started that.

So then you can wear out the actual steering shaft if you ditch the pot.

I did put a grease fitting on my coupler (at the bottom of the pot) so I could pump the dirt n' grit out. I get that it's tight with headers an all, but this is one of those things that I highly doubt Chrysler would've spent the money re-engineering the wheel if they didn't have to.

Yeah, I hadn't thought about the pins having sheared, I did note some marks on the end of the shaft where somebody did a no-no and hammered on it. No way to know until I pull the shaft. My snap ring plyers broke years ago, slight delay while I get some new ones today. If they are sheared, it's not obvious, the shaft appears stiff/solid all the way, i.e. if I push on the bottom, and hold against the top, there is no play/slide whatsoever.

BTW, unlike the plastic post for the reverse switch, these columns are in NOS and available.

 

[Abodysrule]

So then you can wear out the actual steering shaft if you ditch the pot

Yeah, that is a great point. As we attribute the pot coupler to taking up back and forth motion along the steering column, clearly these shear pins in the shaft come into play. That all said, I will go with the Borgeson U-joint option. I will monitor the setup, and I have a NOS shaft in reserve. Should this ever be an issue, I can revert to the Borgeson pot coupler I just pulled off.

 

[Abodysrule]

...and, I have gusseted my K-frame, have a Borgeson box, and a FirmFeel bearing sector kit to take up excess play in the system. Also, I'm not a rally race or super crazy driver in that regard. My Dart is essentially a cruiser, not much action against my suspension.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I rebuilt my original coupler and put one of these on it.

STEERING COUPLER (SEAL BOOT) - Bouchillon Performance Engineering

Bouchillon Performance Engineering - Specializing in Mopar geniune and custom engineered parts and accessories located in the low country of South Carolina.

www.bouchillonperformance.com

But they are really hard to find now. Those original couplers lasted 60 years so that oughtta tell you something.

 

[jos51700]

...and, I have gusseted my K-frame, have a Borgeson box, and a FirmFeel bearing sector kit to take up excess play in the system. Also, I'm not a rally race or super crazy driver in that regard. My Dart is essentially a cruiser, not much action against my suspension.

That's a good point, the k frames flex like mad, too.

Street cruises are certainly less demanding than some of the stuff we do to these cars!!

 

[Abodysrule]

Thanks, yes, I have the boot on the pot coupler, but it still leaks grease and gets all gunked up. The heat of the engine bay warms it up and there is grease creep.

 

[thesiren74]

Yeah I'm sure all the cars that never had collapsible steering columns aren't driven anymore

 

[Dana67Dart]

Yeah I'm sure all the cars that never had collapsible steering columns aren't driven anymore

My 63 Ford Econoline and my 56 Ford Pickup all had non collapsible steering shafts....

BUT

They were solid from the gear in the steering gear to the steering wheel No need for a joint of any kind. No chance of failure from a shaft sliding when it should be fixed

 

[Abodysrule]

The ER 16 sealed bearing has a groove and a small hole around the center of the circumference, I assume this is for if you want to grease it via a grease fitting. But I thought sealed bearings didn't need grease added? Thoughts/experience on this? Add a grease fitting to my column housing?

 

[mopowers]

The ER 16 sealed bearing has a groove and a small hole around the center of the circumference, I assume this is for if you want to grease it via a grease fitting. But I thought sealed bearings didn't need grease added? Thoughts/experience on this? Add a grease fitting to my column housing?

I'm not sure what the hole is for, but adding a grease fitting is completely unnecessary in my opinion. It's a sealed bearing.

 

[72bluNblu]

The ER 16 sealed bearing has a groove and a small hole around the center of the circumference, I assume this is for if you want to grease it via a grease fitting. But I thought sealed bearings didn't need grease added? Thoughts/experience on this? Add a grease fitting to my column housing?

It’s probably a weep hole. That way if the bearing gets hot the expansion of the grease doesn’t blow the seals out.

 

[Dana67Dart]

That is an odd duck.

The text on Grainger said "Lubrication Openings: Groove with Oil Hole"

Which leads me to believe it requires lubrication????

Assuming it is permanently lubed I would point that hole up, to prevent any leakage in the future????

 

[Abodysrule]

Yeah, my suspicion is the intent was permanent lubrication, no extra grease needed. Since it's an insert bearing this hole and groove will be sealed off anyhow. Perhaps it was an afterthought or an option in case someone wanted to add grease. I think in this application it'll never need new grease. It is a very low wear and rotation application.

 

[Abodysrule]

...or an expansion weep hole, as 72bluNblu says...that is totally plausible. Hot grease could weep through the hole and along the groove, relieving stress on the seals.

 

[72bluNblu]

...or an expansion weep hole, as 72bluNblu says...that is totally plausible. Hot grease could weep through the hole and along the groove, relieving stress on the seals.

And the bearing would remained sealed, since the groove would be inside of wherever the bearing is installed.

And yeah, in this application it shouldn’t need anything, it should practically last forever with whatever grease was added during assembly

 

[Dave999]

ive rebuilt 4 manual steering boxes
the 3 off pot coupler cars had complete, but in some cases slightly worn upper caged bearings for the worm screw.
the one off a U jointed car had an upper bearing where the cage was in 2 bits and 2 of the ball bearings were flat spotted, the bearing surface on the worm screw showed damage and had a patch like the surface of the moon. luckily the balls can't escape unless you allow the top plug to come undone.

no idea what happend to that box. case was good and showed no sign of hitting anything around the sector snout, and action that would flex it on its mounting and take it out of parralel with the steering column .

none of these cars had any other modifications so flex between front chasis and the solidly bolted steering column would have existed.

not enough to make a proper opinion but it did kinda put me off the U joint set up, even though i can't hand on heart say it was responsible.

Dave

 

[AAndrews]

Hey Dave 99 ,

Very easy to see where the pot coupling can be of use. The flex in the factory K Member is very noticible. Covered by Firm Feel and also by Mopar Action Magazine I believe. Firm Feel actually modifies K-Members to reduce or eliminate flex. I'm guessing the pot coupler can help compensate for the flex transmitted back through the steering column but will wear out doing so.

 

[Abodysrule]

Yes, I can say if I hadn't done all the K-frame mods to stiffen it up, I wouldn't think of using a U-joint. And, the factory steering boxes themselves have a lot of play/slop. With the K-frame mods and a Borgeson box, I feel pretty comfortable with the U-joint mod.

I had a question regarding the collapsible steering column. I see the plastic sheer pins in the steering shaft and tube, and the perforated portion of the outer housing, all makes sense. But that bracket that bolts to the column and then to the dash seems pretty solid. How does that give way to allow the column to collapse? The '67 has metal shims, later models had plastic shims, but still the slots for the bolts are closed, does the whole dash crumple or something?

 

[Abodysrule]

Duh! Oh, I see, those metal shims have plastic sheer pins as well....they slide off to release the column...my bad.