I've got my vette pulled into the stalls at my fire department for some sunday afternoon toying around. Bought a new rag joint and read up on easily switching them out. None of my book marked threads mention what to do if the old coupler won't come off the steering box shaft. Here's a pic of where I am at. Suggestions?

Posting my phone number until I get it off! Florida - 813.385.6516

Thanks!



This is only urgent because I can't spent all night with my vehicle in the stalls!

 

 

is it blocking the fire engine?

i'd flip it around 180 and drive a screwdriver in the split to expand it.

maybe someone else will come up with something better.

You have PB Blaster?

 

Not blocking any critical vehicles. Got it flipped around.. your method is being worked. no pb blaster.

 

just about broke my wrist. lol

 

Take the bolt all the way out. I think it may be threaded on both sides of the clamp. Good Luck!

temvette72

 

did you start it and let the PS do the work?

 

success! used your approach with a twist. added a crescent wrench to eat up most the gap and hammered a flat head in as a shim. posting pics lol

 

..maaaaybe.. lol took me a sec to realize what i was trying to do.

Out with the old. In with the new.

 

It looks like the 'new' one has an non-conductive rubber flex disc on it. The original one has steel wire imbedded in the disc so that electrical ground is transferred from the steering box/frame. Don't be surprised if 'stuff' doesn't work right when you test it out. You may need to put some kind of ground strap to each side of the flex disc.

Jim Shea would know what the potential of such a problem might be and how to deal with it.

P.S. Yes, that old one has seen better days....

 

mmm thanks for the electrical heads up. I would have never considered that.

 

The ground wire or the grounding mesh in the face of the Saginaw manufactured flexible coupling was a "belt and suspenders" type situation. It is possible that the horn grounding current may travel through the steering shaft, into the column bearings, and out the steering column jacket into the dash structure. (Rather than down through the steering shaft, through the flex coupling, into the gear, and out through frame!)

Since Saginaw had no control over how the dash or instrument cluster structure was grounded (and also Saginaw went to plastic steering column bearing housings) there was no guarantee that grounding current could go anywhere except down the steering shaft and into the gear and frame. So Saginaw always placed a grounding mechanism in the flexible coupling to insure that the grounding current could get to the frame.

It is very possible that your particular C3 could always ground through the dash structure and your horn functions correctly. (Or possibly never ground through the dash structure and you will have to rig up some mechamism to get the grounding current to the metal bird cage or frame structure.)

Also, I discovered that the ignition switch (mounted on the steering column jacket) also grounds through the column jacket when you turn your ignition key to START. I don't know if you could have starter problems if the flexible coupling doesn't ground or not.

As much as I don't like those offshore, aftermarket flexible couplings (and also those flexible coupling rebuild kits) there doesn't seem to be any grounding type problems even though they don't have any mechanism allowing grounding current to pass across the coupling disc.

Jim

 

If its any consolation, you are not alone. I read up on the removal and assumed I would just stick a screwdriver in and pry the pinch apart easily.

Took the pinch bolts completely out, pb'd, and ended up using an 18 inch pry bar Never thought it would be that hard.

I bought the gm part for $78 shipped and it looks like you got the $50 one from the vendors. I noticed afterward that the stop pins are hot riveted on and you have to drill them out if you get the kit.

Happy your done.

 

#1. Mark the end locations of the outer edge of the end pieces of the coupling so that you can put them back on correctly (or reference where new locations should be for a wider or narrower 'new' coupling.

#2. You must remove the retaining bolts [from the end pieces] because they are a 'trapped' bolt and the ends won't come off until you do.

#3. Use the edge of a flat-blade screwdriver or thin cold-chisel to wedge into the split on the end pieces (you probably will have to use a hammer) so that you can provide some spreading force on them. That will break any corrosion and release any clamping force.

#4. Leave the screwdriver/chisel in the part and slide the end piece back [or off] as you need. Reverse this procedure to re-install them.