1985 Dodge Power Ram W150 steering

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Brucecmc

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1985 Power Ram W-150
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So, my ongoing projects with my Power Ram includes removing the slop from the steering. I've determined some of the cause of this slop is a coupling between the end of the steering column and the steering box.

I believe this coupling is called the "steering shaft pot coupling" but I need to know for sure and if at all possible, where the heck do I get a part number for it. see attached diag

honestly, i'd like info on where I can find parts (especially with diagrams) so I can quit coming out here and pestering ya'll with the basics (identifying parts).

thanks in advance.

Bruce
 

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Brucecmc

Brucecmc

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steering coupling

heres another picture. this is the actual coupling...to the right goes to the steering shaft, to the left is the steering box
 

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crazzywolfie

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have you tried turning your steering shaft to verify that is where your slop is. only reason i ask is because it looks like someone has probably already rebuilt the steering coupler at one point which is why there is a grease fitting on it. it is really up to you but i think the borgeson steering shaft is really the only permanent fix but they are a bit expensive. you can get a steering shaft repair kit but it may not really do much. DORMAN 425253
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog...0068,steering,steering+shaft+repair+kit,13574
 
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Brucecmc

Brucecmc

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hey wolfie...here we are again...

well, I've considered the borgeson steering shaft (and haven't ruled it out), but I was trying to keep the truck original (as much as possible), I think that would be the perm fix as well...if it was rebuilt before, it seems it needs it again...I don't know if you can tell from that picture, but there is a seal that is destroyed poking out the end of it...and yes, theres a lot of wiggle in that joint and you can see the shaft turn (along with this coupling) quite a bit before it actually engages the steering box spline...

I'm assuming I have to take the Rag Flange apart in order to ultimately get that coupling off....and I noted, there seems to be what looks like a "straw" sticking out of a small hole on that housing for the coupling.....any idea what that is?

bruce
 

crazzywolfie

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haha ya the first gen section is pretty small lol.

from my experience every time i have taken one apart even if i re-used the stock parts i could still never get the steering coupler tight. usually the moment you wash the mud like grease out you end up with slop. i have been told the stock mopar coupler rebuild kits were better for tightening things up but they are almost impossible to find and even then they only last so long.

you do require a 5/16" roll pin and a 12 point 3/8" socket to removed the steering shaft on top of all the basic tools needed to drop and disconnect the steering box.

the straw is likely to let extra grease out. does the whole coupler turn back and forth a bit before the output shaft turns or does the shaft going into the coupler turn back and forth inside the coupler?
 
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Brucecmc

Brucecmc

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The shaft turns inside the coupling before it engages the spline poking out of the steering box. I got the rag flange apart, now I need to get the lower part of the shaft and pot coupler off the spline on steering box. Do you have to have a special tool for that because it certainly doesn't just pull off.
 

Rustycowl69

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do you mean how does the pot coupler come off the steering box? After removing the roll pin, yes, it just slides off the splines. But yours looks pretty rusty, so it might be a little sticky. What's the deal with the hose clamp on the right side of the pot coupling?
 

crazzywolfie

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see that dowel pin in the first picture you posted that hold all the stuff in but even then you still usually need to drop or lower the steering box to make enough to move the steering shaft away from where it connects to the steering column.

@rusty i have pulled couplers off worse. they usually come off pretty easy and having the roll pin punch makes the job very easy.
 
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Brucecmc

Brucecmc

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No idea what the guys before me were doing with that clamp. And that's the odd thing about this. The only hole in the coupling is one that has what appears to be a straw poking out of it. Doesn't appear that a roll pin goes thru the coupling, into the shaft. I'm quite confused by this

Wolfe, I disconnected that rag flange up stream, so the bottom section of the shaft is free floating now. Just begging me to pull the coupling off. Lol.
 

crazzywolfie

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if there is no roll pin holding the coupler to the steering box then yank it off. sometimes a wrench makes a pretty good pry bar for that job. there is most likely a dowel pin holding the other stuff in is easier to get at with the shaft not on the truck.
 
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Brucecmc

Brucecmc

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Gonna work that first thing this morning. That orange straw sticking out of where that pin should be is befuddling me.
 
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Brucecmc

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Has anybody heard of a hard polymer pin that is hammered into the "bell" shaped part of the coupling that connects to the input spline of the steering box ?
 
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Brucecmc

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So I think I know shy that clamp was on that coupling now. It's because of the ****** design. That pot coupling is in place, but the "bracket" that's suppose to cinch down around the pot and holds the guts of this thing in is only connected with these little flanges around the edges of that ring (see pic). In order to hold them you have pound them down (easier said than done with only one pair of hands. And hopefully with 2 pair, those little flanges get mashed in enough to hold. Bad design. Bad bad design. And I don't know ****
 
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Brucecmc

Brucecmc

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My further rant about the design. The little pin that you hammer in the top of the pot coupling, I'm not REALLY sure what it does. I'm sure it's suppose to keep the little metal "blocks" that get installed on the pin that is driven through the steering from backing out, shaft but man oh man, really? I would almost think there should be 2 of them, top and bottom? I dunno. But I don't have much confidence that after wrestling this for several hours that it is going to hold up. I do however think I'll apply that clamp on the shaft as well as precautionary measure to the bracket flanges not holding.
 

crazzywolfie

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removing coupler and all from the steering box is suppose to make rebuilding the coupler easier especially if you have a vice. hopefully this pic will show. if not there is a whole DIY thread on those on RCC
clamped.jpg
Ramcharger steering repair
 
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Brucecmc

Brucecmc

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Yes. I used that DIY. However, I didn't remove the coupling from the input shaft of steering box. Didn't want to have to try and replace the "worm" pin holding it on. And I just discovered my improvised fix with the clamp won't work because the clamp doesn't span the width of the bracket holding everything in. So I now need to figure out what I can use that WILL span that width. DOH!!!!
 

crazzywolfie

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the only thing that holds the coupler to the input shaft is a roll pin. all you need 5/16" roll pin punch to knock it out. the rebuild kit even comes with a new one
 
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Brucecmc

Brucecmc

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Mine is slightly different (think it was rebuilt before). The pot coupling on mine does not have a roll pin that goes all the way through. Ther is an entry hole, but no hole on the opposite side. One of my previous posts, I mentioned an orange looking wire or straw. A buddy of mine postulates that it's a hard polymer pin that is wedged in there. Would need to heat it and melt that polymer. Sounded like a More arduous reinstall, so I opt' to leave the pot in place and just remove the guts and replace. Which is where I'm at. Just trying to figure out a good method to shore up that metal plate that holds it all in (beyond the little flanges)
 

crazzywolfie

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just pound pin and plastic piece all at once. since you still have that plastic piece it sounds like the steering couple probably wasn't removed when the last guy had it apart. it might be a bit hard to see it in this pic since it was after painting it but i got one on my truck too. the steering box was off a 89 with with 45k miles
gQ4v9bAQiBA6Q7C-62QF2Gty6QVwcoebSylW=w1306-h519-no.jpg
 
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