70 rr steering column/coupler separated

[rose heiden]

hey, we bought a 70 383 rr a month ago. the steering wheel was grinding some so we removed steering wheel to inspect upper bearing and also noticed shaft at end of the column housing didn't have a bushing. Also noticed steering knuckle cap was loose. long story short while reinstalling the steering wheel the column separated from the knuckle housing. can't get it back together. any ideas on how to fix it?

 

[ACME A12]

The dowel pin is missing, worn, or incorrectly installed. Otherwise it wouldn't have come completely apart.

The assembly is spring loaded. It might be easiest to remove the roll pin and and slide the coupler body off of the steering box, put it back together, and then slide back on the steering box. Here's an exploded view diagram to show you what you are looking at. Make sure that you get the shoes correctly oriented when you slide it back into the body or it will have unwanted slop in it.

 

[rose heiden]

The dowel pin is missing, worn, or incorrectly installed. Otherwise it wouldn't have come completely apart.

The assembly is spring loaded. It might be easiest to remove the roll pin and and slide the coupler body off of the steering box, put it back together, and then slide back on the steering box. Here's an exploded view diagram to show you what you are looking at. Make sure that you get the shoes correctly oriented when you slide it back into the body or it will have unwanted slop in it.
View attachment 33557

The dowel pin is missing, worn, or incorrectly installed. Otherwise it wouldn't have come completely apart.

The assembly is spring loaded. It might be easiest to remove the roll pin and and slide the coupler body off of the steering box, put it back together, and then slide back on the steering box. Here's an exploded view diagram to show you what you are looking at. Make sure that you get the shoes correctly oriented when you slide it back into the body or it will have unwanted slop in it.
View attachment 33557

thanks. that's what we figured was the answer. should we buy a new coupler kit? when we put coupler body back onto the steering shaft how do we get the coupler to meet with the steering box, since the telescoping steering shaft isn't telescoping very well?

 

[quikbird]

If it doesn’t line back up something in the column or where it attaches to firewall is not set up correctly. Just have to go right down the line till find the problem. I can tell you from experience it is definitely a pain.
Ps. The final roll pin goes in after installed on the steering box. Don’t ask how much I’ve worked with this damn roll pin

 

[Roadtrip]

Pretty sure Earlier ones (67, 68, early 69) didn’t have the roll pin to. But being a 70 it should have one.

 

[mopar jack]

earlier couplings may not have the dowel pin to hold the internals but must have a roll pin to fasten the coupler to the steering box. I recommend you pull the complete column, clean and rebuild as needed and rebuild the coupling. There is a good video on columns on E-bodies.org. I always recommend the clamp that chrysler used in their TSB. see link. 4881871-SteeringColumnTSB (5).pdf

 

[Russ69Runner]

Saw a coupler that goes over that one. Almost bought one but rebuilt the hole steering column. I would do the same with that one.