Steering box or coupling issues

[lobtronics]

I am having trouble with my van's steering. The steering seems as though there is some bearing trouble with a bit on grinding, grauching, notchiness and more play than usual. It's particualy obvious at low speed when parking that all is not well.

My van is a '72 and has this steering box. I have noticed that 72 seems to be the cut off on steering boxes so does anyone kno wwhich type this is?


I have noticed that there is a lot of vertical play in the wheel. I am sure this is not how it was.

Pushing down.........


Pulling up.....


I took these pictures last night in the dark and am only looking at them now. I appears the coupling disc has perished. I guess that's why the vertical play is excessive. Am I right in believing this is the link between the column and the steering box. Is this a normal thing to wear out or fracture(!)?



The more I look at this the more scary it seems, I can't believe I drove home in it.
Anyway, could someone give me advice on the type of steering box I have? And also any advice on changing the rubber coupling etc

 

[marco]

I'd advise you get a genuine coupling, replacing is fairly straightforward, use new locknuts. Hope this helps.

 

[radish]

Hello mate
You have a early box there, its quite easy to change the rubber just a spanner and a rachet. Them bolts can be tricky to put back but just make sure you buy them betterquality one available. Check on vwheritage site they should list 2, a cheaper poor quality waste of time item which will almost certainly make your horn beep when you look at it or them other one which works.

 

[radish]

Hello mate
You have a early box there, its quite easy to change the rubber just a spanner and a rachet. Them bolts can be tricky to put back but just make sure you buy them betterquality one available. Check on vwheritage site they should list 2, a cheaper poor quality waste of time item which will almost certainly make your horn beep when you look at it or them other one which works.

 

[lobtronics]

Thanks Marco and Radish. I'll get the better quality coupling. Hopefully it is just the coupling and not the box. By the way, does the rubber coupling provide isolation in the horn circuit? My horn activation is on a button on the dash rather than the central switch on the wheel.

 

[ozziedog]

That`s exactly what it does and that is why you can see the wire beside it. The cheaper quality ones are continually shorting out so that`s why everybody tells you to get the good one. The horn is permanant live and it`s the earth that`s switched,, hence all that stuff above ^^^. The rubber does look a little past it`s sell by date and really needs replacing, and let`s hope that is that. It`s possible that you ```may' ' ' have other steering issues that aren`t clear until you sort that anyhow, that may have contributed to the rubbers demise. But you has to start somewhere :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,Let`s hope it`s just the rubber :mrgreen:

 

[lobtronics]

I managed to change the coupling yesterday and all seems well with the steering box, phew! Below is a picture of old and new. :shock:



No wonder the steering was a bit vauge..........

A bit fiddly to change but I managed. After removing the steering wheel, I tried to move the tube around the column upwards but struggled due to the rubber bush/isolator at the top gripping it so tightly. Although I moved it enough to change the coupling, I wish to get the horn button working at some point, so are there any tricks to removing the rubber bush/isolator? I wish to remove the tube completely to fix the dents (!) in the cover where the coupling is and also potentially replace the plastic insulator.

Thanks for the advice on the quality of the coupling, the steering is back to how it was.