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Banker
Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2010
Posts: 124
Location: OHio
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 Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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Also don't forget about the ground wire for the horn 
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Brian
07 Charger Sublime
03 Goldwing
74 Thing |
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///Mink
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2000
Posts: 5051
Location: Fair Oaks, CA
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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| hodnov wrote: |
Thanks to those who replied!
That actually explained it perfectly.
Sadly my coupler is installed correctly. I was just hoping I was in the same boat as //Mink
The two flanges are offset on mine as you guys say they should be.
But as you can see in the one pic, the coupler is all warped.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
The previous owner did this. Or is it possible my problem is not the coupler, and the steering box further down is the problem?
As you can see the collapsing column on the shaft twisted right off.
The previous owner left me an old steering column with a weld patch job, so obviously this has happened to him previously, so there's an issue somewhere.
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The only thing I can think of is that maybe the steering box is installed on the beam incorrectly. The bracket that clamps it to the beam has two positions - one way for Type 1, the other for Ghia. If it was installed the wrong way, the steering box could be at too extreme of an angle which is stressing the column.
It's a reach, but the only thing that comes to mind at the moment. |
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BugZyla.com
Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2004
Posts: 642
Location: Mesa, AZ
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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| ///Mink wrote: |
| hodnov wrote: |
Thanks to those who replied!
That actually explained it perfectly.
Sadly my coupler is installed correctly. I was just hoping I was in the same boat as //Mink
The two flanges are offset on mine as you guys say they should be.
But as you can see in the one pic, the coupler is all warped.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
The previous owner did this. Or is it possible my problem is not the coupler, and the steering box further down is the problem?
As you can see the collapsing column on the shaft twisted right off.
The previous owner left me an old steering column with a weld patch job, so obviously this has happened to him previously, so there's an issue somewhere.
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The only thing I can think of is that maybe the steering box is installed on the beam incorrectly. The bracket that clamps it to the beam has two positions - one way for Type 1, the other for Ghia. If it was installed the wrong way, the steering box could be at too extreme of an angle which is stressing the column.
It's a reach, but the only thing that comes to mind at the moment. |
Agreed. The column should not be in a bind Just make sure the shaft comig out of the steering box is lined up with the steering shaft, and all is good. If its at an angle the crush sleeve will probably break.
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Daryll http://www.azbaja.com P.R.
http://www.bugzyla.com
"Why is there Braille on a Drive Thru ATM?" |
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hodnov
Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2012
Posts: 5
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:19 am Post subject: |
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Ok Thanks for the reply guys! Greatly appreciated.
I think I'm probably going to replace the coupler and attempt to adjust/set the steering box all for good measure anyway.
Since I dont' really feel like putting on another shaft and having it twist off in no time.
Just out of curiosity, does anyone know why nobody makes replacement steering shafts?
I have looked at 4 or 5 different parts sites (mtmfg, cip, wolfsburg west, mid america) and nobody sells the shaft itself. Is it a safety thing, like maybe these old shafts aren't legal or something?
I was just thinking if I could find a solid shaft (no collapsing portion) I might be less likely to have issues down the road.
I saw a steering shaft from a 71 beetle on ebay that was solid, not sure if it would fit or not though. |
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///Mink
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2000
Posts: 5051
Location: Fair Oaks, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:28 am Post subject: |
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Looking at this picture, you can see that the lock tab for the steering box clamp has been unbent. That tells me that someone has removed it in the past, and that would make me even more suspicious that it was installed wrong.
There is no reason to use a solid column - the collapsible ones work just fine if installed right.
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hodnov
Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2012
Posts: 5
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:52 am Post subject: |
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Ok, that's all super helpful stuff. Thanks again!
I'll check it out tonight when I get home.
The previous owner definitely did work on the steering.
He gave me an old steering shaft that had been welded in the exact same spot that mine broke. And those bolts on the coupler look brand new.
I'm a litttle weary of installing the old shaft that he welded.
So i'll have to try and source a new-used shaft I think.
Thanks! |
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Dustman985
Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2015
Posts: 170
Location: Iola, KS
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| Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 9:35 am Post subject: |
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| This actually happened to me just the other day in my '70. Did you have to replace the whole column to fix it? |
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///Mink
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2000
Posts: 5051
Location: Fair Oaks, CA
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| Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 10:02 am Post subject: |
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| Dustman985 wrote: |
| This actually happened to me just the other day in my '70. Did you have to replace the whole column to fix it? |
Yes. I had a spare one laying around that I used. |
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lizs5150
Samba Member
Joined: July 17, 2020
Posts: 20
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2022 6:50 pm Post subject: Re: Steering column broken in half...why? |
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| This just happened to my 74 Ghia, what did you replace it with? |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50353
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2022 3:58 pm Post subject: Re: Steering column broken in half...why? |
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| The rag joint is there to relieve stress in the column, but if the joint has been altered for some reason this may not happen. I see at least one added heavy washer which might stiffen the joint beyond what is acceptable. The hole in the center of the joint is also important, and some joints have holes that might be unacceptably small. |
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Hot Rod Harp
Samba Member
Joined: March 02, 2008
Posts: 186
Location: Englewood, New Jersey
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| Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2022 2:30 pm Post subject: Re: Steering column broken in half...why? |
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It does matter which way the bolts go. The bolt head should be next to the
bracket then the coupler with the nut and washer on the other side.
That over sized washer is a no no.
before
after
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74 Thing 1600DP
76 Westfalia 2.0L FI
69 Beetle 1500SP sold
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RinTinTin in Waldorf Astoria 1956 |
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