Steering column coupler rebuild
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,289
Likes: 3
From: East Waterboro Maine
Steering column coupler rebuild
A few weeks back I bought one of those flex coupler rebuild kits (shown below) and today tried to put it together. After a few hours of trying to figure it out (it didn't come with instructions) I'm pretty much convinced this kit is a total POS, the replacement pieces aren't even close to the same as the original parts. 
Has anyone had luck with similar kits? At this point I'm thinking of just using the flex wafer from the kit and trying to re-use the rest of the parts...
Has anyone had luck with similar kits? At this point I'm thinking of just using the flex wafer from the kit and trying to re-use the rest of the parts...
Friend Request Magnet
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 50,242
Likes: 149
From: ♫ ♪ ♫♫ ♪ ♫ ♪♪ ♫
Originally Posted by Maine Vette
A few weeks back I bought one of those flex coupler rebuild kits (shown below) and today tried to put it together. After a few hours of trying to figure it out (it didn't come with instructions) I'm pretty much convinced this kit is a total POS, the replacement pieces aren't even close to the same as the original parts. Has anyone had luck with similar kits? At this point I'm thinking of just using the flex wafer from the kit and trying to re-use the rest of the parts...
Has anyone had luck with similar kits? At this point I'm thinking of just using the flex wafer from the kit and trying to re-use the rest of the parts... Return it..get your money back
Buy a whole unit and isntall it.
7 bolts total.
4 bolts on the coupling...3 bolts on the gear box...20 minute job.
Start with steering wheel turned to left...undo gear box bolts from underneath.
Please refrain from cussing like a sailor....lol
Jim
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
I had no problem with mine. If you look at all the new parts next to the old ones, it's easy to see where it all goes. The kit I used didn't look quite like that...did you severely overpay for one from the Corvette catalogs? 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
Your picture of the parts in your kit exhibits exactly what has been my concern with these rebuild kits. The two bolts at 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock are NOT shoulder bolts.
When you install them through the rubber disc and connect them to the steering column flange, all that will be compressed is rubber! There will not be sufficient tension in the bolt for a secure connection (even with lock washers and the supplied nuts). The connection between the flexible coupling (on the gear) and the steering column flange will become even less secure as the rubber disc relaxes.
You might get away with using the kit if you use your original two shoulder bolts, lock washers, and nuts. However, it doesn't look like you have two bolt-on stop pins that were supplied in the kit that are the same diameter as the riveted stop pins that came on your production flexible coupling.
Jim
When you install them through the rubber disc and connect them to the steering column flange, all that will be compressed is rubber! There will not be sufficient tension in the bolt for a secure connection (even with lock washers and the supplied nuts). The connection between the flexible coupling (on the gear) and the steering column flange will become even less secure as the rubber disc relaxes.
You might get away with using the kit if you use your original two shoulder bolts, lock washers, and nuts. However, it doesn't look like you have two bolt-on stop pins that were supplied in the kit that are the same diameter as the riveted stop pins that came on your production flexible coupling.
Jim
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 8
From: Knoxville Tennessee
Jim,
I just bought a rag joint from Volunteer Vette. Their bolts did not have a shoulder but there is a sleeve in each hole going thru the fiber so that the bolts have a solid seat to torque against. I didn't like the bolt thou, and will replace it with a 12 point shoulder bolt like the one in it originally. They are easier to get a socket on and torque.
Bernie
I just bought a rag joint from Volunteer Vette. Their bolts did not have a shoulder but there is a sleeve in each hole going thru the fiber so that the bolts have a solid seat to torque against. I didn't like the bolt thou, and will replace it with a 12 point shoulder bolt like the one in it originally. They are easier to get a socket on and torque.
Bernie
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,161
Likes: 3,965
From: Connecticut, USA
Tim,
As the others said, throw that kit out. I have a couple here I'd give away but I don't want the liability for that crap. Use only the GM rag joint for your car. Available from your dealer. #7818568 for the late 69-82's with the flat on the shaft. If you can't find one I should have some new ones here. Be sure that it fit flat too. I had the cloumn up a couple of inches and didn't know it until I went to install the new rag joint.
As the others said, throw that kit out. I have a couple here I'd give away but I don't want the liability for that crap. Use only the GM rag joint for your car. Available from your dealer. #7818568 for the late 69-82's with the flat on the shaft. If you can't find one I should have some new ones here. Be sure that it fit flat too. I had the cloumn up a couple of inches and didn't know it until I went to install the new rag joint.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,289
Likes: 3
From: East Waterboro Maine
Luckily I only wasted about $12 on this POS kit, it now resides in my garage junk bin. When trying to put it together I found quite a few articles on the corvette faq that Jim had written up, as well as a few on the forum that were were very useful.
All I really needed was the new wafer (my old one was pretty shot) and the riveted stop pins. I was planning to re-use the rest of the original hardware. The wafer with the kit seems fine, but there weren't any replacement stop pins (or anything that even closely resembled them) in the kit. Does anyone sell the OEM style stop pins, or am I still better off just buying a new one? What does a new GM joint go for and are there any specific reasons why it would be better than one I could rebuild using OEM parts? I'm not trying to be cheap, but hate the thought of paying $50-$100 because I didn't have two stop pins...
All I really needed was the new wafer (my old one was pretty shot) and the riveted stop pins. I was planning to re-use the rest of the original hardware. The wafer with the kit seems fine, but there weren't any replacement stop pins (or anything that even closely resembled them) in the kit. Does anyone sell the OEM style stop pins, or am I still better off just buying a new one? What does a new GM joint go for and are there any specific reasons why it would be better than one I could rebuild using OEM parts? I'm not trying to be cheap, but hate the thought of paying $50-$100 because I didn't have two stop pins...
