Author Topic: Upside down steering wheel??  (Read 936 times)

Offline shadango

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Upside down steering wheel??
« on: April 21, 2009 - 01:50:19 PM »
Putting my steering column back together, I looked online and saw a picture of my wheel installed like this:



Then, I found a picture showing it the other way....(cant find that pic right now)

Which is correct?




Offline HP2

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Re: Upside down steering wheel??
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2009 - 01:57:52 PM »
The way it is in that pcture is correct.

Offline shadango

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Re: Upside down steering wheel??
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2009 - 02:34:03 PM »
Bummer......that means mine is off by 180 degrees..... :swear: :banghead:

Offline Purple73Cuda

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Re: Upside down steering wheel??
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2009 - 02:37:48 PM »
Mine is upside down also. I am assuming since the can probably has a master spline, that the problem is at the coupling to the PS box. I assume that the coupling was assembled with the steering wheel upside down. I will check this out soon and let everyone know what I found.
Not only does it look bad, it keeps the turn signals from cancelling properly.
John
'73 Cuda 340
'70 RR 440+6
'66 Charger 383

Offline shadango

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Re: Upside down steering wheel??
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2009 - 02:51:13 PM »
Hmmmmm....

Well, I am not sure what my issue is.....I put the coupler back together at the PS pump the same way it came apart....and made a mark on the steering column in relation to the can.......

So it must have been wrong before I took it apart (wheel was not on the shaft when I got the car).....

The car is up on jacks and I tested the turn signal canceling and it seemed right though........maybe it wasnt.
 :sadwavey: :swear:

Offline quapman

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Re: Upside down steering wheel??
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2009 - 07:06:28 PM »
You'll need to take the coupler itself apart and rotate the "dogs" 180.

Unbolt the column inside the car.
Back to the coupler...
Carefully remove the metal retainer that holds the rubber seal, pull them back toward the firewall.
There's a pin inside that keeps the dogs from pulling out, pry it up/out from the inside with a flat scewdriver. Be careful not to lose it if it falls out.
Pull the column shaft, dogs, sheetmetal dog guide out from the coupler. It will be a greasy mess.
Rotate 180 and re-assemble.

I've done this with the coupler attached to the steering box, but I bet it would be WAY easier with the whole thing out of the car!

Sorry, I have no pics.
My name is Steve and I'm addicted to Challengers...


Offline 426HEMI

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Re: Upside down steering wheel??
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2009 - 07:49:55 PM »
Make sure that nothing is bent before switching it at the coupler.  Could be the tie rod ends were not put on correct also.  If you have it aligned it can be done with adjusting the tie rods correctly.  Hope this helps. 
Got a pretty good start on my M46 optioned Barracuda restoration but now it is on hold till I can gather more funds.  Still need a few parts for it.  SIU Graduate 75 AAS Automotive Tech, 94 BS Advanced Tech Studies, 1997 MSED Workforce Education and Development

1970 M46 Barracuda
1998 Dodge Darango

Gordon

Offline shadango

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Re: Upside down steering wheel??
« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2009 - 08:27:16 PM »
Quapman had it spot on.

Some moron reassembled the dogs ion the coupler 180 degrees out.

...take a guess who that moron was.   :bigsmile:

I had read about marking the shaft etc to be sure the coupler and such went in right......and I did mark everything.....thing is, the thing I didnt pay attention to was the most important part.....marking the relationship between the shaft and the coupler.

DUH!!!!!!!

Well, when I saw what I did it hit me like a ton of bricks.... :bricks1:

Took the column out, steering wheel and all and rotated the coupler 180 degrees.

NOW its right.

Problem is, I split the neck of the rubber sealing boot...... :swear:...when trying to clamp the metal retaining "ring" back down..... :banghead:...I also messed up my beatuful fresh paint on the coupler........bummer.

I am leaving it as-is for now.....its fine for now....will just watch the boot and make sure it doesnt get worse.....will get another kit and redo it a THIRD time to fix the boot.  LOL

For now the steering column is solid, all play in the column itself that I had is gone, and the steering wheel is finally oriented properly and the signals cancel etc.

I do have to say I was able to remove, disassemble and reassemble that coupler MUCH faster this time around! :lol2:

My word of advice to anyone reading this who has never done the jobe?

" The steering shaft , crush can, coupler and power steering pump stem all have master splines....the only thing you need to mark is the relationship of the coupler to the SHAFT!  "

Thanks for the advice and help guys.

I am learing a lot as I go I guess.....have to admit its a blast even though I screwed up!  Betcha I never make that particular mistake again though! :bigsmile:
« Last Edit: April 21, 2009 - 08:31:16 PM by shadango »

Offline Moparal

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Re: Upside down steering wheel??
« Reply #8 on: April 21, 2009 - 08:42:35 PM »
yer not the only one to be in the same boat there.  And it's always after you have it all painted up and right. There is a tab pin that holds the guts in. And a notch. You put them up. You notice that?

Offline shadango

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Re: Upside down steering wheel??
« Reply #9 on: April 21, 2009 - 11:58:19 PM »
Yep....typical me, noticing that notch after the fact...LOL

Had I noticed that notch before I took it apart the first time, would have done it right the first time....LOL

Oh well.....practice makes perfectI guess!

The split seal REALLY ticks me off.....cant figure out how that happened.....
« Last Edit: April 22, 2009 - 06:55:09 AM by shadango »