65 steering coupler

[Tony S.]

Re: 65 steering coupler

Will do; Thanks Bill!

btw, my two 12 point bolts both have the 3 lines and the capital "A". Both have flat--not dished heads.

Tony

[Jim D.]

Re: 65 steering coupler

On the bolts one has an F with no lines the other has an A with 3 lines .

Mine are the same as yours, with the F marked bolt installed closest to the steering box. Both bolt heads are flat, not indented. This is a 65 with a tele. wheel.

[Bill W.]

Re: 65 steering coupler

Bob Both have flat heads . Also this is a St louis car .

[Jim S.]

Re: 65 steering coupler

Several postings above is the drawing of the 1963 thru 1966 Steering Gear Assembly w/standard Strg Column 5677641.
The actual drawing has a revision block. The drawing was released for production on 2/8/1962. The drawing has 10 revisions noted from 5/8/62 (Rev "A") to 6/22/64 (Rev "L"). As you can see above, the words "CHECK" "LUBE" and the arrows show very clearly on the 5666722 cast iron cover. There are no revisions noted on the drawing that would indicate that the words and arrows were added any time during the time that the gear was in production. There are no revisions to the cast iron cover part number or any revisions that would indicate the addition of the words and arrows.

With just the assembly drawing to go by. I would say that the words and arrows were cast on the cover from the beginning of C2 production through 1966. I have notes that say the cast iron cover was used until very late 1969 production when it was changed to aluminum.

That is the best that I can offer.
Jim

[Bob J.]

Re: 65 steering coupler

Bob Both have flat heads . Also this is a St louis car .

Thanks, Bill

[Tony S.]

Re: 65 steering coupler

Tony here is another drawing of the standard steering box

Jim, that's the first time that I have seen that shop drawing for the standard coupler that calls for black paint. Attached is a prior version of the standard coupler shop drawing that has been shown before. As you can see, there is no note regarding painting the standard coupler black as in the attachment you posted. I think there is compelling evidence from original cars that both the standard and tele couplers were installed before the steering box assembly was painted black. I think the best way to describe the paint coverage on the steering coupler is to describe it as "couplers often exhibit partial to full black paint coverage".

Tony

[Tony S.]

Re: 65 steering coupler

BTW, here is a drawing of the flange assembly pinch bolt 7817271 that was used from 1969 through at least the 1980s on General Motors cars and trucks. As near as I can tell, dimensionally it is exactly the same as the earlier 5686553 pinch bolt that was used from 1957 through 1968. The only difference was the plastic patch that was included on the threads of the later 7827271 bolt. There is no mention on the part drawings of any vendor symbols ("E" for instance) on the bolt head.

Jim, as for the C2 steering box, is it your understanding that the 12 point pinch bolts were installed with the coupler when the steering box assembly/coupler were painted black at Saginaw, or were the 12 point pinch bolts added at St. Louis?

Tony

[John H.]

Re: 65 steering coupler

as for the C2 steering box, is it your understanding that the 12 point pinch bolts were installed with the coupler when the steering box assembly/coupler were painted black at Saginaw, or were the 12 point pinch bolts added at St. Louis?

Tony

Tony -

The pinch bolt closest to the steering gear was installed at Saginaw Steering Gear, and came to St. Louis as part of the steering gear assembly - St. Louis didn't touch it. The pinch bolt on the upper end of the coupler, where the splined steering column shaft was inserted/clamped in the coupler, was installed at St. Louis, just after Body Drop.

[Michael H.]

Re: 65 steering coupler

Tony -

The pinch bolt closest to the steering gear was installed at Saginaw Steering Gear, and came to St. Louis as part of the steering gear assembly - St. Louis didn't touch it. The pinch bolt on the upper end of the coupler, where the splined steering column shaft was inserted/clamped in the coupler, was installed at St. Louis, just after Body Drop.

John

I agree. That's why we sometimes see black paint on the coupler and the pinch bolt at the steering gear end but not on the pinch bolt at the steering column end.

This may also explain why the pinch bolt head design/markings are not always exactly the same. Different batches of bolts at different stages of assembly in different plants, even though the bolts came from the same source.

[Tony S.]

Re: 65 steering coupler

Perfect. Thanks John!
Tony

[Tony S.]

Re: 65 steering coupler

Thanks Michael!