Steering coupler fix

[Tony B]

For all of you that have a sloppy steering coupler and don't want to spend $200+ to replace it (either the one from Dodge or Borgeson), here is a trick that I just successfully performed on mine. Inside the coupler at the steering box end is a very primative type of C.V. joint which can be repaired. First remove the shaft and coupler from the truck, then remove the rubber seal and retainer from the coupler. To remove the shaft from the coupler, you must pull the small roll pin from the coupler housing. Seperate the shaft from the coupler being careful to notice the pieces that make up the C.V. joint. There is a 3/8 pin that goes through the steering shaft and holds the two plates that make up the joint, these plates allow the steering shaft to move telescopically within the coupler housing. The sloppyness in my coupler was caused by the steering shaft hole (where the 3/8 pin goes through) being worn out and enlarged. The fix in this case, was to weld the pin inside the hole of the shaft, then carefully grinding the weld down so that it doesn't interfere with the side plates of the joint. Then reassemble the joint and pack it full of grease before putting the rubber seal and retainer back on. Install the shaft back on the truck, take the truck for a test drive and start smiling!!!! Now for all of you that may object to this drastic measure to have better steering, I realize that I could have just given in to buying a new shaft, but I refuse to pay big dollars for a device that is relatively simple when it can be fixed with a little ingenuity and a "what the hell I have nothing to lose" motivation. After all, isn't that what us first gen's are all about......INGENUITY!
CHEERS. TONY