strange steering feel after new coupler

[Wildthings]

[SGKent]

[Fairmounter]

Thanks for all of the help and advice. I am glad there does not seem to be an issue with the drop arm connection, just looks strange that there is a castle nut without a cotter pin. I cleaned up the threads and reinstalled with locktite.

I looked underneath while someone else moved the steering wheel. The play appears to be at the pivot of the swing lever. Now i don't think there is a difference between turning left or right, it just seemed to show up when turning right due to the steering wheel position. Which part wears where the swing arm pivots? Does the arm itself wear out? In the diagram I also see two bushes and a lever shaft.
_________________
1973 Westy Tintop

[badufay]

Not to highjack the thread, but just wanted to say thanks for the info here. Did my steering coupler this morning on my 76 Bay and this thread helped a bunch. New German one installed, seems to work great now!

Ben
_________________
Current: 2023 ID.4 Pro S, 2020 Golf TSi 1.4L, 2017 GTI S, 6 spd man, 76 Bus, 2.0L- 3 spd auto
Previous: 2015 Golf S TDI, 6 spd man; 2015 Jetta SE TDI, 6 spd man; 12 Jetta 2.5L, 04 Jetta 2.0L, 02 Golf 2.0L, 98 Jetta 2.0L, 98 Golf 2.0L, 98 Cabrio 2.0L, 95 Golf 2.0L, 87 golf GTI 16 valve 1.8L, 86 Cabriolet 1.6L, 80 Audi 4000 1.6L, 76 Audi Fox 1.6L, 76 VW Beetle 1.6L, 74 Audi Fox 1.5L, 69 VW Beetle 1.5L

[germansupplyscott]

The OP's steering box looks like cast iron. I am pretty sure you can see the casting parting line in a couple of his photos. If I am seeing what I think I am seeing it means OP steering box is a TRW aftermarket unit not on OE unit.
_________________
SL

[SGKent]

last time I am going to tell you this. In 1973 VW leased rights to make gearboxes designed and built by an American company named Gemmer. Some of the early 1973 buses used the Gemmer gearboxes made by their factory in France because VW did not have a factory in Germany tooled for them yet. Later boxes starting in 1973 were made under license of Gemmer by ZF in Germany for VW. If you have a 1973 Gemmer gearbox, which you might based on the year of your bus, it originally had a plastic ring that sat between the arm and the gearbox covering that exposed area. It also used a different size nut than the ZF made boxes so when the nut gets lost you won't easily find another. As a result people use whatever nut they can that fits. The original nut was thinner than the nut you have on it, and they did use a folding washer to lock it. You can see the black plastic ring (cover) on the 1973 box on the left. If yours is a 1973 Gemmer box then it is missing on yours and that is what makes the big gap where the splines show. You also have a non standard nut so I am guessing you have a 1973 Gemmer box where someone lost the black ring and the nut. You have a 1973 Westy. To be a 1973 Westy the actual bus had to be made before it was converted. That means your bus is likely an early 1973 bus. Some Westy buses are actually the prior year bus because of the delay making the bus and converting them. Since 1972 is a completely different bus than the 1973 it makes sense that your Westy was made in early 1973. Therefore it likely would have a Gemmer box. If you want it original look at every 1973 parts bus you can find for one that has the black ring, correct nut and folding washer. See first photo. Otherwise use a folding washer off a later bus, and medium (blue) loctite on the nut after cleaning it. If it is a Gemmer box it will say so on it. Look. There is a rectangular box on the cover. It will either say ZF or Gemmer on it and a date of manufacturer. See second photo for that.

_________________
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin

[Wildthings]

As suggested use a medium strength thread lock product on the threads before you install and tighten the nut. You need to clean the threads on the shaft and nut well with brake cleaner before applying the thread lock.

I would use a 40cm long breaker bar to tighten the nut if you don't have a torque wrench available.

[Fairmounter]

ok, so with no hole for a cotter pin I am assuming it does not take one. I have been looking through all of the pictures I can find of the shaft and nut (there really are not many). It seems that the older boxes used a cotter pin and the new boxes did not. Does that sound right? Also, there was no washer between the nut and arm. In some pictures I see a washer that gets bent over the edges of the arm. Do I need a washer here? Since the nut is close to the end of the threads, the washer will reduce the amount of thread contact on the nut. Just from looking at it, I would think that the arm should be further up the splines closer to the box. Should I be concerned with trying to tighten the nut to draw the arm further up the shaft? A breaker bar will allow me to apply more torque, but i was tightening it as hard as I could with a large ratchet and it was not moving at all. I guess the next step is to either get a breaker bar and try to force the nut around to move the arm up the shaft (this would be way past the torque spec), or get a torque wrench and basically leave it where it is. I will pick up some locktite while I am there for what hopefully will be the final installation of the nut.

[SGKent]

that may not be the original nut. If that is the Gemmer gearbox then it took a different size nut than a regular gearbox, and a plastic sleeve. Neither will you be able to find. Use blue loctite on it and get a torque wrench. There have to be some near you that are reasonably priced and within a 5% to 10% range.
_________________
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin

[Fairmounter]

ok, i bought the 36mm socket and took off the nut. I found the marks and they are lined up. the splines on the arm are basically fully engaged with the splines on the shaft at this position, so I don't think the splines are damaged. I put the nut back on and tried to tighten it down to draw the arm further onto the shaft. It is not budging. I am using all of my strength with a normal sized 1/2" ratchet. I don't have a torque wrench here, but I am definitely in the range of 104 ft lbs of torque. I was expecting a hole through the shaft so that a cotter pin would go through and lock the castle nut, but there is no hole for a cotter pin. Should I get a large breaker bar and go past the torque spec to try to turn the nut more to draw the arm on the shaft? Should there be a cotter pin here through the castle nut?
_________________
1973 Westy Tintop

[SGKent]

you line the marks up, put the fold washer on, add the nut, maybe blue loctite, and use a torque wrench to the Bentley spec. Peen the washer over. That will do it. You can add some anti-seize on the splines if you like but it will still sound like a 410 going off the next time you take it off.
_________________
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin

[ivwshane]

What’s the proper way to press the pitman arm on to the shaft?
_________________
77 westy 2.0 FI
69 ghia coup 1600dp
70 single cab

[SGKent]

[Wildthings]

[Fairmounter]

Will do, thanks.

[airschooled]

Lucky you…

Advice:
If you are removing one of these arms with a puller for the first time, you must leave that nut on the shaft during operation. (I like it flush with the outer threads on the shaft.) This way the puller can help separate the joints, but the assembly won't come flying off and injure you. This applies to all tapered components as well.

Opinion:
I use a thin smear of anti-sieze or grease on the splines before I put any torque past finger tight on the big nut. The other reason I've heard it called the "Jesus nut" is because that's who you'll be thinking of when you break the joint free for the first time with a puller. The splines are perfectly tapered to match the inside of the arm, so even a light torque on the nut creates a tight fit between the parts. This goes for tie rod/drag link/ball joint shafts, and other tapered assemblies on my car that see harsh environments.

Robbie

Edited for clarity.
_________________
One-on-one tech help for your vintage Volkswagen:

www.airschooled.com

https://www.patreon.com/airschooled

[Fairmounter]

Thanks a lot, I just went to the store to buy a 34mm but luckily they were closed for the day so I didnt get it. I will go back tomorrow and get a 36mm. We have a 6pm curfew here and the stores close a few hours before that.

[airschooled]

If 32mm doesn't fit your '73 steering box, you have a 36mm nut from a later bus. Early bays were 30mm, and some '73 boxes were 32mm.

Besides the early '73 steering boxes, there are no other 32mm fasteners on vintage Volkswagens.
Robbie
_________________
One-on-one tech help for your vintage Volkswagen:

www.airschooled.com

https://www.patreon.com/airschooled

[Fairmounter]

Thanks, yeah that is the only thing that I think could be it. The 32mm did not fit, I am going to buy a 34mm.

[SGKent]

maybe this??

_________________
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it." - George Carlin