How do I change this steering coupler.....

[GreggK]

This is the coupler down at the steering gear box. How can I get this on off? Maybe drill out this rivets and replace with short bolt and nut? Anyone do this before. Thanks for any help.
GreggK

[markswagen]

Drill or grind off the rivets and replace with bolts and lock nuts.
Use antisieze, just in case you are the next one in there
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[Glenn]

Looks like you drill it and use bolts to secure it.

Use a thread lock or nylocks.
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[GreggK]

GREAT! Thanks for the help guys.

[E1]

We had both of ours replaced by what turned out to be a slipshod shop last fall.

When time permits, I'm redoing the hardware and using safety wire to assure the nuts can't come out. The result if they did could be fatal.
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[GreggK]

Hey Guys,
So here is what I could source at a trip to the closest Auto Zone. I did NOT use any kind of thread lock paste. Does it look safe enough. Thanks!

[Ahwahnee]

Something I sometimes do in a situation like this is mark the bolts and nuts with a paint pen such that I can tell by casual inspection if anything is loosening.

[E1]

Candidly, No, it does not "appear to be" safe enough without thread lock, safety wire, or lock nuts.

But even with those, there's no way to tell how tight they are — nor make any kind of rational judgment on whether or not it ISN'T safe.
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If ever twice as rich, we’re gettin’ a double-wide
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AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans
The caveman’s first question to the headhunter: “Hey, you got any coffee?”

[crazyvwvanman]

Those high grade lock nuts are fine for this purpose. That is what VW specified for this location and purpose. VW used the same type nuts for the steering parts of many VWs including Vanagons. Look at the list of VW vehicles in this link.

https://eu.vwheritage.com/n0221464-hexagonal-nylock-nut-m8-vw-spare

Mark

[Gizmoman]

They appear to be locknuts - and very good ones as well. In fact, the lock washers may not be necessary at all.
Fine job.
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[GreggK]

In the pictures I posted I was trying to show that I used the nuts in that were in the plastic package labeled "lock nuts". I shouldn't have assumed that would have been understood by everyone but that's what I was trying to show what I used and if you pay a slight amount of attention you can even see that the nuts installed look just like the nut sitting on the label
I did think there was not enough threads showing out of the (LOCK)nut, maybe if I do lose the "split lock washers" I'll get a few more threads out of it, which are also shown in the picture I posted but the label not as easily seen as the label for the "prevailing torque LOCK nuts" that can be seen plain as day to most people with decent sight or a good pair of perscription lenses.

Would it be overkill to add a blue thread lock paste? Im also not fimillar with the saftey wires I've seen suggested by E1 but would include for maximum defense against failure.

[GreggK]

Oh and that was good info on that list you posted Crazyvwvanman. Thumbs up.

[crazyvwvanman]

You don't need to change anything. You used high quality fasteners of the same sort VW uses for that same purposes. If you have a spare nut and bolt of the type you used you can thread the nut on by hand and see how soon the self-locking aspect starts to happen. That should reassure you that the nuts are on far enough to lock. I wouldn't have used split washers for this but at least the ones you used were high grade.

Mark

[GreggK]

And I will be doing the paint mark as Ahwahnee suggested, but only after I torque each fastener to specs as per the Bently.

[GreggK]

Cool guys! Thanks for the concerns and solutions to the issue I had at hand. Love the forums!

[djkeev]

Keep in mind that there are various qualities of these couplers on the market.

Some have reported early failure of new units.

You might do some research and shop wisely.

For my money, I'd see if VW still supplied this part. It may cost more but hooefully the quality would still be there. Much too important of a part to go cheap.

EDIT:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=539620&postorder=desc

Dave
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[Wildthings]

The split lock washers set off alarm bells to me. Too many failures in other places over the years. I would replace them with a Grade 8 "or metric equivalent" flat washers and then probably use high strength loctite even with the lock nuts.

[GreggK]

Hummm... more good points. All I know is the coupler came from VC/RMW. Ill look at the box ot came in when Im back home. Thanks!

[wcdennis]

Your old coupler looks to be in really good condition. I would definitely save it. Judging by all the posted early failures of hoses, boots and mounts, it seems the secret to making rubber that lasts has been lost.

[Ahwahnee]

An alternative to the blue LocTite is the green version - it is applied after the piece is assembled. I have used it but really can't say how well it works compared to the blue formula.

Those nuts look like what I would call Stover Nuts - in my opinion a better choice than the more common Nyloc style.