1966 Steering Coupler Rebuild ?

[AR67GTX]

I’m getting around to swapping in power steering on my 66 Satellite. I bought a power steering 1966 steering shaft and coupler to swap in, and a coupler rebuild kit from Steer & Gear. Both shafts (original manual and purchased PS) have the same type coupler with the same internals, and I’m guessing it’s unique to 1966?

The rebuild kit has slightly different shoes and individual shoe springs than the generic rebuild kit with the single spring and slightly different shaped shoes.

Will these kits and the different shoes and spring work in the 66 coupler body OK? I’m still soaking the old parts and cleaning the 60 year old grease off of them. I can probably reuse the shoes and springs and figure out which set and which coupler body seems to have the best fit and reuse them. The shoe pin was a pretty loose slip fit in the MS and PS shafts both, but the kits pin feels like it’s going to be a press fit into the shaft and the shoes fit OK on it. I haven’t seen any kits with parts like the 66 couplers have.

And lastly. Both 66 couplers had a plastic, circular disc inside that I seem to have failed to notice exactly where it came from. I’m thinking it probably fits right under the cover seal and retainer plate. The only other place it could fit would be in the bottom of the coupler body before the shaft, shoes and spring are inserted. But I bet it goes up under the seal. None of the parts kits have a piece like this so can someone confirm this? Photos of disc below. The other side of the disc can be seen in the first photo above.

 

[gtx6970]

Isn't the spline size different between PS and MS ?

And Ive never seen a plastic disc inside any coupler Ive ever taken apart

ps, But I think the coupler body is unique to 1966 AND OLDER ?
As I think its the 1967 and later take the newer style body most commonly seen ?

 

[AR67GTX]

Bill, no the shafts are identical except for length. Now I haven’t counted splines but nothing struck me as different. In my case it wouldn’t matter as I have a coupler body from both shafts.

It seems like all the 67 (including my 67 GTX) and up couplers lose the waist between the coupler and the pinned hub to the steering box and look like this.

Part of my question is are the internals interchangeable?

 

[gtx6970]

ck the size of the splined shaft coming out of the 2 steering boxes

 

[AR67GTX]

My error Bill. Having a brain freeze and thinking about the splines on the shaft. Yes the box input is larger for PS. I have to use the body for it but I have several sets of internals to work with.

 

[AR67GTX]

I think I found at least part of the answer here. No rebuild kit specific to 66 but can use some pieces in standard rebuild kit for it.

Mopar steering coupler info

I guess once I get it cleaned up I will just have to trial fit everything and try to figure out where the disc went - unless someone comes up with the answer.

 

[QuickBpBp]

I think I found at least part of the answer here. No rebuild kit specific to 66 but can use some pieces in standard rebuild kit for it.

Mopar steering coupler info

I guess once I get it cleaned up I will just have to trial fit everything and try to figure out where the disc went - unless someone comes up with the answer.

Are you sure that seal isn't from up in the column end of tube? You talked about that in another thread a few years ago...

66 steering column exploded view of parts

 

[jimbosride]

I think that is what is left of the tube seal. When they go bad they just slide down the shaft.

 

[AR67GTX]

No, that’s a much bigger seal which I do have. Also, both 66 couplers I have had one of these discs in them. I have one each. I think they came off with the seal and clamp and I just didn’t note it as I was paying more attention to getting the coupler pieces out.

Thanks

 

[pnora]

Here is a pic from the fsm.

 

[AR67GTX]

Thanks, that is for a column shift column which is considerably different from a 66 floor shift column, but in peering at it closely it does appear to be showing the correct coupler and at the front it just shows a seal and clamp. I’m now sure the disc came from up front behind the seal - maybe it was part of the seal assembly. Both 66 couplers I have, had the disc. Ive been soaking the parts overnight to get the 60 year old grease off. I’ll go out after bit and play around with it and figure it out. We have about 9” of fresh snow and still falling so the garage is beckoning.

 

[AR67GTX]

I concluded the disc goes under the front seal - I can only guess in case the shaft get extended out too far, something semi-rigid to keep the shoes from getting into the seal(?). There’s plenty of room so I guess I’ll put it back in.

It’s interesting that as much difficulty as I had getting the shaft and coupling apart due to hardened grease, once it was all cleaned up and the springs/pin/shoes trial fitted back in the coupling body it was a very loose fit. Neither coupling body seems to be greatly worn. Same loose fit in both coupling bodies and with either set of original shoes and spring plates. I think the springs have probably lost some curvature. The new, single spring in the rebuild kit didn’t look like it was going to work but maybe if it was played with it could be force-fitted. I measured the rebuild kit shoes and they are considerably thicker than the originals so I tried them with the original spring plates and they fit in the coupling body very snuggly with no play so that’s what I intend to use on reassembly.

Maybe all this will be of some help to anyone rebuilding a 66 coupler.