It's Always Something, I Suppose...

[dobie]

Well, thankfully it ended well..... Out driving with the gf and her parents, and I got on it a bit in a parking lot. The whole damn steering column came out of the coupler. I thought we fixed it several weeks ago. Obviously something gave way. Had to get it towed home as I had no steering. Ive got another kit on the way, but no clue what caused it to fail.

So, the bird's down, again, for awhile.

:brickwall:

Lucky for me, I was in the parking lot of work when it happened...... Here's the better half getting a ride home from a friend so she could get another car


And she's home, ready to sit...

 

[V269]

:facepalm: That sucks. Get her fixed and hit the road again. :drive:

 

[Jim S.]

Man o' man, that could have ended bad. Glad you were in a parking lot also and not on two lane road doing what Roadrunners do.

 

[dobie]

So any ideas on what happened? The steering column shaft came out of the coupler box. Am I missing something that keeps it in place?

This is what I put in several weeks ago, and I now have another one coming. The first kit came from Steer and Gear. The second is coming from Year One.

https://yearone.com/Product/DisplayProduct/82875

Has this happened to anyone else? My uncle thinks there may be something in the coupler/box itself. We sure didnt miss anything before though, and we worked right from the shop manual.

 

[69hemibeep]

Unless the housing is expanded or split I don't understand how it would come apart with new parts

 

[dobie]

I wonder if the clip which fits over everything came off, allowing the shaft to pull out??

 

[ACME A12]

Unless the housing is expanded or split I don't understand how it would come apart with new parts

I was thinking the same thing...and wondering if a new kit was even needed... Something is just not right here... :huh:

 

[dobie]

I don't know. I called up Steer and Gear and spoke to their tech guy. According to him, the only way possible is if the column and shoes weren't seated in the housing. I remember beating the heck out of it trying to get it seated. I needed a new kit as the seal ripped and I lost the spring clip when it came out.

We'll try it again on Thursday and see what happens I guess.

 

[69hemibeep]

After the center pin is pressed in if it even needs replaced its a matter of grease putting it together slipping it into the housing and bending the tabs. I'm not sure what your beating on :huh:

 

[dobie]

Fitting the shaft down into the housing, if I remember right.

Any ideas on what would've caused it to slip out?

 

[69hemibeep]

Fitting the shaft down into the housing, if I remember right.

Any ideas on what would've caused it to slip out?

That should be a slip fit a little tapping at best, sounds like something didn't go together right.

 

[dobie]

It may not have been a total beat down, but I sure don't remember it just slipping in either. Maybe when it gets tore down Thursday there will be a bit more evidence of what went wrong...

 

[Roadcuda]

I remember having trouble getting mine back together when I did it on my car. IIRC it didn't go together right the first time and I had to re-do it. I think it was because I didn't get the shoe spring squeezed together around the shoes right while sliding it into the body. The other problem I had was getting the body cover crimped to the body right. That was a real pain getting the small tabs bent over to hold the cover tight to the body.

 

[dobie]

Yeah, I had the same issues. I sure thought we had it right though.

I still have no idea how it failed.

 

[Basketcase]

I wonder if the clip which fits over everything came off, allowing the shaft to pull out??

If this is the part you mean, no, it has nothinh to do with it. Every Power Wagon I ever had had that part halfway up the shaft at one time or another.
And don't feel like The Lone Ranger having your bird come home on a flat bed...but at least I didn't post a pic of mine... :basketcase:
did you have the steering coloum out of the car? If so, are you sure you got it in all the way? Did you have the couple housing off? If so, maybe you put it on too far? I've replaced the shoes on the trucks by unbolting the steering gear, so everything went back in place.

 

[roadrunnerh]

I can't offer any explanation, but I'm glad it didn't end up much much worse......

 

[dobie]

Ok. Yeah, that's the clip I was talking about.

Thanks.

 

[generaljmwlee]

on mine I put mine together my steering wheel was upside down. when I took it apart to spin it 180 deg I had to take steering wheel off and remove a snap ring type clip to allow shaft to pull out of the coupler far enough . is your clip in under the wheel? just a thought.

 

[abodybill]

Steve,
Did you rebuild the upper part of the steering column?

If so did you put both the C clips on the column shaft?

As you can't get the shaft out of the upper housing if the clips are not taken off.

One on the top of the column bearing and one below the top housing of the column.

As the column tube is bolted to the bracket and like I said the C-clips hold the steering column shaft.

Jason knows what I'm talking about.

Didn't read his post till I posted.

 

[dobie]

on mine I put mine together my steering wheel was upside down. when I took it apart to spin it 180 deg I had to take steering wheel off and remove a snap ring type clip to allow shaft to pull out of the coupler far enough . is your clip in under the wheel? just a thought.

Yeah, the snap ring is underneath the steering wheel.