<VV> 1966-9 steering coupler

Kent Sullivan kentsu at corvairkid.com
Wed Feb 28 12:36:41 EST 2007


Hi,
 
I am hearing a "clunk" noise every time I turn the steering wheel in my '66
500 coupe 1/8 - 1/4 turn to the left of center. With a friend and a
stethoscope, we tracked down the noise to the coupler between the steering
shaft and the steering box. What we think is happening is that there is too
much space between the bearing blocks and the bearing surface on the inside
of the coupler. So, when I turn the wheel, the block moves and then clunks
against the bearing surface, then turns the shaft.
 
I have been reading what servicing info is available and have not found
much... Even the shop manual is light on details. For example, I can't find
a spec for how worn is too worn for the bearing surfaces inside the coupler.
Does anyone have that info, or, long shot, a NOS coupler that could be
measured with calipers?

A friend was able to sort through ~15 used couplers and find one that seems
to have minimal wear, but we'd like to know more empirically what is good
and what isn't.

Also, I ordered new bearing blocks from a vendor and intend to install
those, in case the issue is those being worn. Not sure how likely that is
because I think they're hardened.

Finally, in several of the used couplers, there are remnants of a very
thick, sticky grease. Does anyone know if something other than chassis
grease was used to pack these couplers from the factory?

Thanks,

--Kent




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