Burton Posted October 21, 2010 Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 So, welding ability aside, is there somewhere with a how to on welding the coupler, or at least a pic somewhere of one done? If new couplers are unavailable, and used good ones are gonna get harder to find, then there's gonna have to be some welding goin on eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedog_37 Posted October 21, 2010 Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 ^ Agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted October 22, 2010 Report Share Posted October 22, 2010 i'd think some thing out there has to have a couplying that could be use'd with slight moding,, after all every thing has one of some design welding the couplying means no colum adjustment , and road feel,, it'd be super sensitive to every bump and even diff road surface willl cause you to feel every stone bump and uneven part of the road surface Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxzillian Posted October 22, 2010 Report Share Posted October 22, 2010 The coupler contains a CV joint so if you're only welding the rubber section, the column should still tilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satty07 Posted October 22, 2010 Report Share Posted October 22, 2010 The coupler contains a CV joint so if you're only welding the rubber section, the column should still tilt.Yup. And an increase in road feel? Yes please. But I know longer have to worry about that stupid coupler anymore. My rack and pinion conversion is done. S13 rack, S14 inners and outers, reamed out stock knuckles (to fit S14 outers), poly rack bushings, 2:1 quickener, and a MR2 elec. power steering pump. Cant wait to get the swap done to take her for a spin. I may even consider doing this as a service for members, its really not all that hard once you figure it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOOSTED88tsi Posted October 22, 2010 Report Share Posted October 22, 2010 you put a 2:1 quickner on a s14 rack?! going to whip stupid hard haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satty07 Posted October 22, 2010 Report Share Posted October 22, 2010 (edited) S13 rack, but yeah. Primarily my drift car, with some auto-x and road course from time to time. Probably a bad idea, but should be fun. 1.4 lock to lock. Haha. Edited October 22, 2010 by satty07 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstieg Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 What are the measurements of the stock steering coupler? Length, spline count, diameter of each end, etc. A pic wouldn't hurt either if you have one out. I'm looking to find something to retro fit in there with minimal modification. Possibly a rag joint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
importwarrior Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 (edited) artinist was the one who welded the steering coupler. i remember seeing the pics on one of his posts. here is a link to another post i found. check page 5 and 6 for pics. http://www.starquest...ic=126030&st=80 Edited September 12, 2012 by importwarrior Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 A few years ago I had a how-to thread on welding the coupler. It actually was nothing more than a few pictures illustrating a technique another member posted a few years prior to that (I forgot who it was). Due to a lot of drama that resulted in this modification, I pulled the thread. Also in recent discussions with Tim C, he presented a loading condition where welding the coupler could be diverse to safety. I'm still torn on the issue....as in if welding it is a good idea or not. What we really need is a spline joint coupler similar to the joint between our rear differential and axles. Something that is robust but still would seperate in the event of an accident. kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstieg Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 (edited) Something like this rag joint would reduce transfer of vibration. They use em in many other cars. Need the stock spline count, shaft diameter, and over length to find one close & get it to fit. http://image.automotive.com/f/tech/12158553+soriginal/0611cr_17_z+1956_chevy_truck_billet_specialties_steering_wheels+rag_joint.jpg Edited September 12, 2012 by mstieg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skullzaflare Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 old thread is old. could have made a new thread lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jszucs Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 (edited) i'd think some thing out there has to have a couplying that could be use'd with slight moding,, after all every thing has one of some designwelding the couplying means no colum adjustment , and road feel,, it'd be super sensitive to every bump and even diff road surface willl cause you to feel every stone bump and uneven part of the road surface Somebuddy has never run 30 series tires on big rims. I prefer to feel everything as long as it's not in my Lux daily driver. And am I missing something but what would be the safty issue??? obviosuly other then if your welds broke free. Are you worried about a crash pushing a solid monunted column into you? If you hit something / something hits you that hard you got bigger things to worry about. Edited September 12, 2012 by jszucs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbrad511 Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Is there a flex somewhere else in the column to give the tilt wheel room to move? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 The coupler itself has a ball joint that links it to the steering column on its input end. If a sideways crash were to occur, say directly into the LH front wheel...the coupler would seperate and leave the column basically in place while the front of the car mangles to heck. If the coupler wouldn't seperate, the column will go for the ride. I personally see the column getting pulled into the firewall or twisted to the side. I don't see it coming towards the driver....and if it did the knubs in the column itself would buckle prior to putting the wheel in your face. http://www.hotrodders.com/gallery/data/500/medium/DSC064761.JPG Like I said, I'm still on the fence as to if this is a safety issue or not. But I do agree that having the column able to seperate (if a tension load is put on it) is a good idea. I will say that I have welded a coupler. I drove the car with the welded coupler for 5 years. I got rid of the car in 2008 and I know for a fact that it is still being driven with that same coupler. There were no noticable effects to welding the coupler in terms of normal driving. Collision may be a different story. kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jszucs Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Not to side track but Kev u have got to change your sig pic....... You are going to make me paint my car. That paint looks perfect. I see what your saying. Yeah I could see it moving to the side, maybe worse case pinning an arm or leg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RF600 Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 I have not looked at one except in pictures. The pics have been after the rubber has been taken off of it. Is there a way to get some poly compound from mcmaster and redo the coupler? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Saw a post once about filling it in with the rubber compound used to hold the windshield in. If I get a coupler I would try it. Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Not to side track but Kev u have got to change your sig pic....... You are going to make me paint my car. That paint looks perfect. I see what your saying. Yeah I could see it moving to the side, maybe worse case pinning an arm or leg. lol, nah I like that picture there. Everytime I see it myself, it makes me want to get in the garage and actually finish the darn thing...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skullzaflare Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Saw a post once about filling it in with the rubber compound used to hold the windshield in. If I get a coupler I would try it. Dadi remember that, i might try it, i have 2 extra couplerslol, nah I like that picture there. Everytime I see it myself, it makes me want to get in the garage and actually finish the darn thing...loleverytime i see it i have to stop scrolling for a minute, and convince my self not to come steal your car lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jszucs Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 everytime i see it i have to stop scrolling for a minute, and convince my self not to come steal your car lol It's not driving me that far, but I have considered asking you to paint mine Now that im working on it again I hope to get her running well enough (need to really learn to tune, and work out allot of kinks) then I plan to run her hard on track auto X so no point in messing up a nice paint job for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obsolete Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Saw a post once about filling it in with the rubber compound used to hold the windshield in. If I get a coupler I would try it. Dad3M Windo-Weld is great stuff. I filled the motor and trans mounts on my LeMons car with it. Nice improvement for $20, and it's holding up well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 3M Windo-Weld is great stuff. I filled the motor and trans mounts on my LeMons car with it. Nice improvement for $20, and it's holding up well. wonder how well that'd work on Eclipse engine mounts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obsolete Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 wonder how well that'd work on Eclipse engine mountsIf there are air gaps that can be filled, it will work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kenmarrow Posted September 14, 2012 Report Share Posted September 14, 2012 Well let me chime in here and tell you all what I did. My steering was bad about a 1/4 turn on the wheel before the wheels moved. The steering gear has been replaced a short time ago when I built the engine. When I pulled the column out the coupler come out in two pieces, so you know it was bad. Even with the rubber almost completely gone the coupler did what it is supposed to do. I had just talked to "Dad" ,Randy had no parts to replace it and was talking about the windsheild rubber thing, this made sense to me. So now that I have this all apart in middle of my garage, with no windshield companies anywhere near me I thought about welding it as others have said they did so I got the rest of the rubber cleaned out and was contemplating the welding job, there is a lot of room inside the coupler to move the two pieces about so how am I to keep the two positioned correctly to weld? Have a beer and thinking about Windshield rubber and what else is available to a country boy. Well what did is this. JB Weld. Mixed a big batch of it pushed it into the female side of coupler and then eased the male into the mixture and let it ooze out and center itself in there. Allow it to harden up over night. In the morning it was hard and solid looked good, I installed it. Here is where anyone doing this job needs to know before you start. What is the correct length of the coupling? As now the total length is a 1/4 short from the coupling bolt to the steering box up to the column mounting bolt holes. I pushed to male too far into the female ( go figure). Well I am into this and so now I have to redrill the mounting holes and push to whole column a 1/4 inch further into dash. The job was finished up and test drove the car for a few days. I really like the better steering feel of no slop and I do not get any more vibrations from the road than I had before. I am happy with the repair as it went and I feel confident it will do the job. In closing here I just want somebody out there with a new coupling in hand to, get and post for all to see the correct length of it, so when peeps like me that have no way of checking it ( remember it came out in two pieces ) will know what the proper set should be. In closing a note here, the coupling even if it has no rubber or any other filler in there will still turn the car as the male side of the coupler will not rotate more than a third of a turn within the female side and it can not come apart due to the way it mounts. So pick your best mixture for the coupling set the depth and let git r dun. Good Luck Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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