TheSamba.com :: View topic - Steering Coupling Disc 211415417 (coupler)

Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:01 pm

Got a question , how much are they supposeto flex when turning steering wheel ?

Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:08 pm

68IHscout wrote: Got a question , how much are they supposeto flex when turning steering wheel ?

Probably exactly zero degrees. They are intended to take small vibrations form the road and engine out of the steering wheel, not flex……

Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:16 pm

asiab3 wrote: 68IHscout wrote: Got a question , how much are they supposeto flex when turning steering wheel ?

Probably exactly zero degrees. They are intended to take small vibrations form the road and engine out of the steering wheel, not flex……

There are occasions where misalignment actually makes them flex, but their real job is to break/bend away in an accident, so the whole column, collapsible bracket, and steering wheel shaft can splat wherever your body rams them. Early solid steering shafts (splitties) could rupture your internal organs with a unyielding steering wheel rim.
Colin

Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:18 pm

Ah- I thought that was the web-like internal section on the shaft that did that.

Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:18 pm

They really won't deflect much when new providing your front end is in
good condition all the way from proper tire pressure to steering box and
all in between
Ball joints
center pin
Etc..

if in doubt and you have looked at the previous posts in this thread
buy a new GERMAN one from www.wolfsburgwest.com.

don't buy a cheap euromax or others that claim to be good.

Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:20 pm

asiab3 wrote: Ah- I thought that was the web-like internal section on the shaft that did that.

That is only on Beetles and Type 3s where they also have to *collapse the shaft* as the steering box and front suspension jump at your feet in the crash.
ColinDeathOfTheParty

Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:21 pm

asiab3 wrote: 68IHscout wrote: Got a question , how much are they supposeto flex when turning steering wheel ?

Probably exactly zero degrees. They are intended to take small vibrations form the road and engine out of the steering wheel, not flex…… we install one on a 74 and tbe darn thing flexes like about half maybe more inch before the wheel starts turning , brngs the steering wheel up too and now the horn honks when turning , I wonder if the disk flexing that much will cause it to honk?

Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:25 pm

old DKP driver wrote: They really won't deflect much when new providing your front end is in
good condition all the way from proper tire pressure to steering box and
all in between
Ball joints
center pin
Etc..

if in doubt and you have looked at the previous posts in this thread
buy a new GERMAN one from www.wolfsburgwest.com.

don't buy a cheap euromax or others that claim to be good.

WW all out of the German VW... i bought off there site two weeks ago and was sent generic. I ended up buy 3 from Cip1.com ..

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC%2D211%2D415%2D417%2DGR

Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:45 pm

68IHscout wrote: asiab3 wrote: 68IHscout wrote: Got a question , how much are they supposeto flex when turning steering wheel ?

Probably exactly zero degrees. They are intended to take small vibrations form the road and engine out of the steering wheel, not flex…… we install one on a 74 and tbe darn thing flexes like about half maybe more inch before the wheel starts turning , brngs the steering wheel up too and now the horn honks when turning , I wonder if the disk flexing that much will cause it to honk?
Sounds like you got a bad coupling, where did you buy it?

Mon Feb 04, 2013 8:04 pm

If you don't have something that will flex in the steering shaft there is a real chance of the shaft fatiguing and breaking with time. I have known this to happen on several older vehicles. I have never heard, but perhaps the flex couplings were mandated at some point to address the breakage problem.

Mon Feb 04, 2013 8:23 pm

Wildthings wrote: If you don't have something that will flex in the steering shaft there is a real chance of the shaft fatiguing and breaking with time. I have known this to happen on several older vehicles. I have never heard, but perhaps the flex couplings were mandated at some point to address the breakage problem.

It was the Big Deal Safety Update of 1968. Check the advertising.
Colin

Mon Feb 04, 2013 9:56 pm

@busdaddy.....dont know where it came from , it looks well made but then again it doesnt say vw on it. But definetly will take a look at suspension parts and preasure on tires ..thanks for replies...

Wed Mar 20, 2013 3:03 pm

curtis4085 wrote: old DKP driver wrote: They really won't deflect much when new providing your front end is in
good condition all the way from proper tire pressure to steering box and
all in between
Ball joints
center pin
Etc..

if in doubt and you have looked at the previous posts in this thread
buy a new GERMAN one from www.wolfsburgwest.com.

don't buy a cheap euromax or others that claim to be good.

WW all out of the German VW... i bought off there site two weeks ago and was sent generic. I ended up buy 3 from Cip1.com ..

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=VWC%2D211%2D415%2D417%2DGR

I received and installed a German VW shift coupler from WW today.

Wed Mar 20, 2013 7:37 pm

68IHscout wrote: asiab3 wrote: 68IHscout wrote: Got a question , how much are they supposeto flex when turning steering wheel ?

Probably exactly zero degrees. They are intended to take small vibrations form the road and engine out of the steering wheel, not flex…… we install one on a 74 and tbe darn thing flexes like about half maybe more inch before the wheel starts turning , brngs the steering wheel up too and now the horn honks when turning , I wonder if the disk flexing that much will cause it to honk?

The horn honks because the wire touches as the wheel turns. Make sure the lug is bolted on the bottom side of the rubber coupling thru the middle hole of the rubber
. The top side will make it honk.

Sun Apr 07, 2013 5:32 pm

Got my new coupler, it isn't marked at all... But doesn't look or have the shape of the Euromax ones.
Was told, it's German... But well, you know how that goes.

Worth installing? It seems to have a layer sandwiched in it, not sure if it's the mesh described herein but I'll defer to the general opinion...

Sun Apr 07, 2013 7:11 pm

obnoxiousblue wrote: Got my new coupler, it isn't marked at all... But doesn't look or have the shape of the Euromax ones.
Was told, it's German... But well, you know how that goes.

Worth installing? It seems to have a layer sandwiched in it, not sure if it's the mesh described herein but I'll defer to the general opinion...

Richard at OE Vee Dub before he sold out shipped me a genuine VW one. Only it didn't say VW so he sent me another that did. When I compared them I found that the only difference was that the VW was ground off the first one. All other marks and casting flaws were the same identical. Whomever VW contracted out to also sold them on the market but had to grind off the VW Audi logo. If you have one made in the EU or Germany that has a grind mark on it, it still may be an original VW one.

Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:26 pm

good to know. I parted out my bus and found that the ~4 year old coupler had already started degrading noticably. will check the new one on the new bus.

Sun Apr 07, 2013 8:33 pm

Wow, that fast?

The one on my bus is badly cracked, it has a chunk missing too.
So I'm inclined to say anything is better than the ticking time bomb I have.
This one has no VW marks on it however it does have the letters LEGAR on it. It feels very firm, resists my attempts to flex it, and seems to have a middle layer in it, I don't know if its a mesh or just a higher density rubber.
Going to try to get it in tomorrow. I really want to avoid pulling the column apart again.

Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:20 pm

what I did and got away with, is crawl underneath and remove the 1 pinch bolt that holds the lower flange to the steering box, then you can pull the whole thing up w/ the column and everything. then you don't need two people or 5 foot long arms to hold a wrench above and below the floor!

Mon Apr 08, 2013 4:07 pm

Done