Steering Column and Rag Joint: Not What I expected

[sciabola13]

Hey Crew,

I pulled the column and rag joint because getting Ready to do floor pans and easier with it out of the way. Also, old brake master cylinder leaked and turned rag joint to mush.

In my research prior to yanking it, I had a good idea what to expect. As you can see in the pics, my column didn’t have a flange at the bottom and the rag joint doesn’t have the guide pins in it...

H code car, automatic, fmx tranny, PS, PB, AC.

Am I ok or is this thing missing pieces?

The car is very unmolested, still had a factory muffler on it.

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[Bentworker]

Tilt column?

 

[sciabola13]

Tilt column?

Yes, sorry that I forgot to mention that.

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[Don C]

The plate and guide pins are part of the rag joint assembly, not part of the steering box or column. Turn your rag joint assembly around, take a picture of the other side of it, so we can see what it looks like. The guide pins should be on the other end of the bolts that are connected to the hub you show in your pictures.

EDIT: I was wrong, the tilt columns did not have the safety plate and pins. Makes it even more important to inspect and replace them, instead of waiting until you can feel the slop in the steering wheel.

 

[sciabola13]

This is other side of joint, this side was connected to column.

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[sciabola13]

Sorry, the mobile app keeps grabbing wrong pic

This is column side of rag joint.

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[OMS]

You need to rebuild your coupler

They are specific for tilt columns and hard to find

Just buy the new rubber and use grade 8 bolts for the hardware if needed

http://www.ohiomustang.com/store/order_page.asp?itemid=1129

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I simply went to local part house, Advance Auto, went to the Help rack an pulled the rag joint kit for my car. Had everything in the pack, pins bolts and joint. You have to save your forgings from the coupler. Mine is a 73 tilt here are some pics not much detail. Kit was made by Dorman do not remember the number.I think Daniel Carpenter might have some of the forged couplers on ebay right now. Check his discount store. I know he had tail lights saw them couple days ago.







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[sciabola13]

I have the Dorman kit to rebuild, I was just curious because there are no guide pins extruding from either side of rag joint like on many pics I have seen. The rivets are flush on both forged sides of joint.

Good advice on grade 8 bolts.

Thanks!

Jeff

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[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I have the Dorman kit to rebuild, I was just curious because there are no guide pins extruding from either side of rag joint like on many pics I have seen. The rivets are flush on both forged sides of joint.

Good advice on grade 8 bolts.  

Thanks!

Jeff

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Mine had the studs, humm. It was Dorman will see if I can find package I think I stuck up somewhere so I would not forget, lol. That is one of those number I need to write on the wall.

 

[sciabola13]

The plate and guide pins are part of the rag joint assembly, not part of the steering box or column. Turn your rag joint assembly around, take a picture of the other side of it, so we can see what it looks like. The guide pins should be on the other end of the bolts that are connected to the hub you show in your pictures.

EDIT: I was wrong, the tilt columns did not have the safety plate and pins. Makes it even more important to inspect and replace them, instead of waiting until you can feel the slop in the steering wheel.

Thanks for update. It was frightening how easy that joint came apart. Would have failed at any moment... really glad I looked into it.

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[Don C]

Yes, you were very fortunate.

I'm working on a steering column conversion, and found the correct rag joint at Speedway Motors, which has the built-in plate and pins. They have quite a few different combinations of them, but none with a single D. They seem to be very active in supplying hard to find parts, it might be worth a call to them to see if they can come up with something.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Yes, you were very fortunate.

I'm working on a steering column conversion, and found the correct rag joint at Speedway Motors, which has the built-in plate and pins. They have quite a few different combinations of them, but none with a single D. They seem to be very active in supplying hard to find parts, it might be worth a call to them to see if they can come up with something.

I have 4 tilt columns I swear there is pins in there. I know that if joint fails the steering wheel does not just spin for a fact. Go on ebay and check I think Daniel Carpenter sells the forgings for the connections. In his danielcarpentersurplus store.

I went back to pic and if you zoom in on the pic you can see the end of one of the pins up top near where the lock out hooks up. The tilt is at the top of the column the bottom is rigid no reason to be different.

Grade 8 bolts are not really needed that is not a very high stress area or the rubber would never work. More important that you have locking nuts so they cannot come loose.