While I did this modification last summer, I only recently became aware of this Forum, and thought you guys would appreciate it.

Ever Since I bought my Van I was irritated with the loose steering. When new to me, I had noticed the Boot over the steering coupler had disintegrated, and there was a lot of slop in the coupler. But It was not broken, and I did not fix it.




When the steering gear started leaking profusely, it was time to address both issues at once. At first I figured I would rebuild the OEM coupler, but then suspected the cup was very worn as well, and the rebuild kit would only help to somewhat to eliminate slack. I then found it impossible to aquire a new coupler and looked for other options.

So After some research, I found that Dodge Steering gears use a 5/8 inch 36 spline attachment point, and that my steering column had a 3/4 inch DD shaft recepticle.

So I ordered these 2 parts: Flaming River U joint
DD steering Shaft

I bought an Reman Steering gear from Autozone, Atsco or Apsco brand, I forget which.

I also bought a cheap fuel filter for flushing the Power steering system and a magnetic inline filter for the return hose. and new hydraulic hoses.

At First I thought I was going to have to unbolt the Column from the floor to remove the old coupler, and gear. Since I knew I was not going to reuse the old steering shaft, I instead took an angle grinder with a cut off wheel and just cut the old steering shaft. I was then easily able to remove the old coupler and Steering gear without unbolting the column from the floor.


I found that the DD shaft receptacle within the Steering column was very deep, and instead of cutting the new shaft short and drilling a hole through it for a bolt, I would just insert it and let it be. The old coupler would allow for some frame flex, and by not bolting the new shaft into the Column it would act like a telescoping Steering column. I have since noticed that no visible telescoping has occured in the subsequent 9 months

I found the Steering column receptacle is 3/4 diameter DD shape and 12.25 inches deep.

Ultimately I had to cut the DD shaft down to a total length of 13 and 3/4 inches with about 10.25 inches inside the steering column. Any longer and I could not get it to slide in without unbolting the column from the floor.

A couple holes had to be drilled in the Gears spline and the DD shaft for the set screws. Only in the photo did I notice the missing spline indicating the center point, and I missed it by a tooth. Oh well.





I wound up going overboard making sure I flushed out all the old fluid. I did fill up the PS Pump reservoir and start the engine briefly with the hoses unhooked from the new Gear. The thing was shooting fluid like a garden hose and emptied the reservoir in under 1.5 seconds.
I then installed the cheap in line fuel filter and closed the loop filled it with new fluid and ran the engine, then drained all that fluid, installed new PS hoses, magnetic in line filter, hooked them to the new gear and filled it up, and Bled the system. There was a lot of debris in the catch pan. I did not bother to open up the cheap fuel filter for inspection.

The steering response improved greatly, but there is still some slack. The U joint from the tilt steering and the rebuilt gear itself are the sources of the slop.

Highly recommended upgrade!

I did this to my 70 Jeep CJ-5 using one from a Chrysler minivan, the low buck method, I hate those old sloppy cup linkages.

Sweet pictorial! Thanks for putting that highly detailed how-to together. Great links too. I'd never seen that coupler you used; it's a great one for the job. Was the magnetic filter you mentioned a Magnefine? I've started using them after reading good things about them. How much mischief was it to pull the pittman arm off of the steering gear? I may be going there in the near future... I think there's a hint of seepage on the output shaft seal.

Clear skies!

I do not recall the name of the Magnetic filter. I do remember reading the directions on the steering gear saying they would not warrant it if one were not installed on the return line.

I bought it at Autozone. I think it was made in Australia. I'll check and get back to you.

That pictoral was easy to set up because I just copied the URL's from a Dodge B van specific forum I originally posted them on, but I did write new text.

Funny you should ask about the Pitman arm. Before I began working on it, I used 2 cans of carb cleaner and many small wire brushes on the Gear and connection points. It had been leaking off and on for years. The Lucas Stop leak was effective, for a couple months here and there, but the build up was impressive.

I was then able to see that the thick lock washer was not flat.
Turns out the nut was just past finger tight. My friend had a seriously overbuilt homemade pitman arm puller. I slid it into place. Tightened the drive bolt by hand. Put the 3/4 wrench on it, applied about 2 inch pounds of torque, and the pitman arm just fell off. Kind of scary really.

I have been applying strong magnets to the exterior of my oil filter for a few years now. I don't know if they are strong enough to pull ferrous particles from the flowing oil, or if they only pull the particles from the paper media with the engine off, but one thing is for sure, they cannot hurt.


I do not know why any URLs I am copying from photobucket are not showing up as a photo, but as a link. This has been happening on other forums as well. If anyone knows what I've apparently forgotten how to do, please enlighten me.

Edit: Thanks for that link, it is certainly an easier method that what I was doing. I think it might be because I am using Google Chrome and clicking on the "enter an image" icon which is being displayed all over the forum as the error symbol, like when photos do not show up in an e-mail.

If they were from Australia, that's almost certainly Magnefine. Does this look like it?



I've been buying mine from a seller on eBay, but I also see them listed at Rock Auto.

I'd read something similar to what you said about the warranties - but in relation to automatic transmission replacements by Honda, Ford and Chrysler dealers; they require Magnefine filters be installed at the time a replacement transmission is installed. The filter removes any leftover debris from the failed transmission, manufacturing residue from the new transmission, and reduces suspended particulates from the new transmission's break-in significantly. I believe I read that they are effective down to 30 microns filtration, and the magnet captures any of the potentially harmful metallic fines which are smaller than that.

Once I discovered them (about 2 months ago) I figured I'd put one in my power steering return line too, since I'd replaced the steering pump and hoses within the last couple hundred miles and the original fluid was ugly and opaque enough that I flushed it all out with nearly 1/2 gallon of new power steering fluid while driving the steering gear into it's limits. The Magnefine filter should police up any remaining residue from the new pump and hoses.

The image link you posted looked odd... I'm not sure why it says IMG:center. Here's an old tutorial on posting Photobucket images that Superbeast put together. Astro did a really nice one recently too; it should be at the beginning of the forums. Please let me know if this doesn't help.



Clear skies!

Got the Photo Sorted, Thanks!

That is definitely the filter I installed. Thanks for keeping me from crawling under my van to check. Wasn't cheap at Autozone. I have been thinking of adding one on my transmission aftermarket cooler lines. I did install a few of those ridiculously strong magnets inside my tranny pan instead of the weak circular one. Added a drain plug too.

If yours is only leaking slightly, the Lucas stop leak steering fluid did work for me. It was only after the real long drives that it leaked, for a couple years any way.

My 94 has a u-joint type coupler instead of the old style coupler. Not sure what year they changed over.

The OEM style couple rebuild kit is available through Dorman.

http://www.dormanproducts.com/search.aspx?SearchTerm=425-253

Yeah, my output shaft is only just barely moist - no actual dripping going on, but I can definitely see some shininess. I figure it'll probably hose me when I can least afford it, like when I'm a gazillion miles from home and things are tight and I need to be at work the next day and I'm driving down a mountain.

The Magnefine filters are one of my better bets at reducing the odds of such failures in the trans and power steering systems.

If you'd be interested, here's links to a couple of eBay sellers of Magnefine filters. These are both for the 3/8" size filters. I bought several from the first guy, and he's fast. The 2nd has a bit lower shipping, though I haven't tried him.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150416159187

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260414779247

Clear skies!

Maybe you should see a doctor

Dang, what abuse!! LOL...

It was just too easy!

I know this is an old thread but I just found it amd I hope you are still here.
What year is your van? I am wanting to do the same upgrade on my dodge motorhome CB350 but everything I find says it's a 5/8 32 spline. You list 89 B250 on your signature it uses the same box but the one in the picture looks diffrent.

HELP!!!

Sorry the original pics no longer come up.

Due to recent interest, I'll repost them, but probably not in the original order they appeared.

That steering shaft, is that to replace the shaft from the steering wheel down?

While the DD steering shaft can be inserted fairly deeply into the column( on this '89 W tilt), it does not reach the steering wheel, not even close.

Am not sure how deep the DD receptacle in the column actually grabs the 2 flats within.

Lets all present a middle finger to Photobucket, and all the threads they made useless with their moneygrab.

I think those are all the pics I included in the original posts. Not sure why the dog is showing up. The pic I linked was the original condition of the SC without the boot.

Been a long time since I;ve done this. No issues with the modification. The reman'd steering gear is stil a sloppy POS. Still cannot justify the cost of a Redhead + core charge since they will not accept mine since I drilled the hole for the set screw.

Excellent Excellent Excellent .... what a good write up 68 !

GREAT STUFF WRC
I have a recently picked up a '90 B350 without telescoping. Would I be able to just buy the coupler and slide it over the current shaft?

Welcome to the site INideaman ...

Thank You, learning a lot more about "Death Wobbles" then I ever wanted to know.

The actual steering column, even on a van only a year from mine, could be way different. I once tried to help someone whose steering gear was apparently way different than my own, and whose steering column was also different, and it was only a year or 2 difference in model years.
They were in Europe though, and could have had a different steering column from what comes with north american vans. I do not know and am uncomfortable saying this is for sure that and to do it this way.

I could not just have cut the original DD shaft from column, and gotten it to fit in the flaming river steering coupler that I employed. A little more length would have been required, if my memory serves right.

My steering column needed a new DD shaft to employ the linked coupler. I cannot speak to other model years, but if your steering coupler looks like mine did, it should be able to accept a new ~18$ 3/4" DD steering shaft which should mate easily with the flaming river U joint linked to back in the early days of this thread many years ago.

It has really been a long time since I expended any brain cells on this modification, I reposted the pics after getting a request via PM to do so since photobucket did their moneygrab, and I deleted my account there and told them what I think of them as I imagine many others did, and now I use Picload.org.

I've no regrets from the modification, other than the reman'd loose as a goose Apsco steering gear, but at least it does not leak PSF. My PS pump did start leaking but Lucas powersteering fix stopped it completely and I just now remembered it did once leak. I bought a PS pump rebuilding kit long ago, but it no longer leaks, so that s that, for now.

A few years ago I did eliminate the inline magnetic filter, as it was slowly weeping PSF from the seams, as did the inline transmission filter of the same deisgn. I simply used a butt splice coupler with hose clamps on the return line to eliminate the weeping filter. I meant to replace it but have not.
My transmission now has a Derale external filter mount, instead of the Magnefine filter on the Tx cooling lines, and nothing weeps any vital fluid anymore and I have about another quart of ATF+4 in circulation, and the filter I use, a fram Ultra XG16, has some very respectable filtering stats, compared to the rock catcher filter in the Tx pan.

To give the inline magnefine filter a bit of a credit in the weeping department, I did not realize I had plumbed it backwards, as the rear line on the transmission, is the return. When I opened the magnefine filter on my TX, all the debris was on the inside of the filter, and had the filter gotten so stuffed with debris, it could not have gone into bypass as designed as I unintentionally plumbed it backwards.

On The a-500 transmission, and I believe most Chrysler tx's, the rear line, closest to the differential, is the return line, and this is important toknow when plumbing an additional cooler, or inline filter.

Most in warmer climates say to plumb the additional Tx cooler inline after the radiator cooler, some in cooler climates say the opposite is preferable.

Dont know what more I can add but will answer any more questions to the best of my ablility.

Well the 10+ year old flaming river steering U joint has developed some slop, and has gone up some 20$ in price to 95.xx$, while the Borgeson is $75.33.

Sorry the pics no longer work.

Blame Photobucket and their internet killing money grab, then picload.org for going under. I've basically stopped using photo hosting sites.

So I got a new FR steering coupler last December, and found the DD steering shaft was frozen/rusted in the column when I went to replace it.

YEA!

I found the some of the slop on the coupler was the set screws. I tightened everything back up, figured it was more than safe enough, then wrapped a rag around the bit where the DD shaft enters the steering column, then covered this with some fat tire bike innertube and hose clamps to form a cup, then soaked the rag with PB blaster, and forgot about it for 10 months, and 2 cross country journeys.

The sloppy ass Apsco reman'd steering gear, which I had already twice tightened to reduce some additional slop within, got it a third time, and this time the adjustment screw went so far until it tightened up. I loosened it 1/4 turn and then it was binding at full lock then backed off 1/4 more turn until it was not.

Rather than risk getting another resealed/reman sloppy ass steering gear, I paid close to 600$ for the redhead delivered, and am eating the 150$ core charge.

My PS pump, has not leaked a drop with all the lucas stop leak in there, but I will likely replace it or reseal it when I redo the gear and coupler. Just kind of bumping this thread to reread it and I will post the original pics and some new ones as well as there has been some PM's regarding this about the missing pictures.

These are pictures from 2009, not quite all of them that no longer show up earlier in the post, but I think these are the most relevant. I am not sure I still have all the original pics, some pic numbers seemed to have disappeared when I moved photos from one laptop to another then to an external hard drive.

I have ordered a new Gates pressure line and am waffling about getting a reman steering pump or just resealing mine, which works fine, just leaks. I did buy some new 3/8 inch magnetic inline filters for the return line.

Magnefine changed their weepy design of thein inline magnetic filters for transmission or power steering, and I bought some clones of the new design magnefine.

I was considering just running one on my existing pump and gear then put a new on on the new gear, but then remembered my PS fluid is at least half, likely more than half, Lucas power steering stop leak, and I'd prefer to not have to use a thicker than necessary power steering fluid and Lucas is thick.

I did put the new FR steering coupler on the Redhead steering gear. The instant I turns the coupler the output shaft also turns. Zero Slop. There's actually more slop in the splined interface.

Thanks for taking the time to repost your pictures! I wish more of the original posters would flow your lead.

I'm glad that your Redhead steering gear turned out well. It's great to know there's still a solid USA quality source for such a critical part!

Well, it is still not installed. I only slid the flaming river coupler onto the splined shaft while it rested in its delivery box, and saw that the output shaft instantly responded to the input rotation, which I think bodes well for steering slop reduction.

Mofo better not leak.....

I'll have more better pictures of new and old soon.

Soon is variable.

I have a redhead box on my 64 T bird and it steers beautifully. No slop, very responsive.

I've gotten new pressure and return hoses, and found the kit to reseal the Saginaw power steering pump aand think I have all the possible parts I need to complete rebuilding most of my steering system.

The DD steering shaft is frozen inside the Steering column. There is no real good way to hold it and apply enough pressure to either push it deeper or extract it.

I unbolted the steering column from teh floor in order to pull the coupler off the gear's splined input shaft which I needed to do to get the old gear out.

I then cut apart the old coupler in order to get a gear puller on it to remove it. It was largely held in place by the Loctite red I used back in 2009.

My master cylinders over the years have wept brake fluid on the areas below, removing the paint and allowing rust to start and fester. I suspect this is also the cause of the frozen DD steering shaft inside the column and I am annoyed as the first leaker was at the seam on the reservoir, the second one seems to be leaking from under the caps, which appear to be larger than necessary, and loose.

At first I was thinking I could just cut the DD steering shaft and then be able to get it out, but then realized if I could not get it out, I'd need a new steering column, so i cancelled that plan.

Also, the Pitman arm did not want to come off. I have a pitman arm puller, and an 18 inch breaker bar, and was right at the limits when metal bends, threads strip, when i stopped and busted out the propane torch heating the arm evenly, slowly. I was braced for it to pop off but it still alarmed the s#it out of me when it let go.

My phone laptop bluetooth connection is not cooperating or I'd have some more pics to share. Next update will include them.

The Lucas power steering stopleak is thick and red, when new, and what came out was thick and brown but did not smell burnt.

The many many reports of NOisy crappy rebuilt steering pumps convinced me to reseal my existing nice and quiet one, but I wonder if it is worn and was being helped along by the super thick Lucas PS stop leak. I guess if it has poor assist at hot idle with new thin PSF, I can always do the turkey baster thing and return the PS stop leak, but the thicker oil has to be eating up some % of crank horsepower over the standard much thinner PSF.

Eric the car guy's videos on his Saginaw pump have been helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnKi-H3yqf8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TIXOCrYPNQ

But, I'm kind of wondering if I should just bite the bullet and get a new, not reman'd pump. Guess I've got to try to reseal my existing first, and if new is required, so be it.

The PS pump has 30 years of grime on it and brake cleaner barely made a dent in it, or perhaps wally world brand brake cleaner spray, is crap.


Removing the pulley from the PS pump shaft went pretty smoothly with a Snap on Pulley removal tool, but then getting the round pump portion removed from the reservoir housing was not easy. There was lots of rust in the seam, and I spent a while with a sharpened dental pick and some PB blaster, and eventually got it apart.

There is a metallic sludge inside of it, and the magnet, a disc, not a donut, was also caked with black ferrous paste, more than I've ever seen on any magnet, but for a junkyard differential with 250K+ miles on it.

This disc seems to not have a proper receptacle, jusy kind of rests up against the inlet to the spinning vanes, likely blocking some flow. I need to get in there and clean some more. It's a mess, and it got late, and excuses excuses.

The pulley had a fair amount of surface rust on it. I hit it with a wire brush on an angle grinder, then the dremel with stainless steel wire brushes, then scrubbed it with OSPHO and a green scotchbrite pad.

There's something about scrubbing rusty and rustless and painted metal with Ospho that is both cathartic, and annoying. Paint does really stick well to a properly treated surface. the V groove appeared all rusted and caked with crap, but the osphoed scrubbie cleaned it so well it looks near perfect. My old PS belt's underside is all cracked, I can't remember when last I changed it, at least 11 years, perhaps 15 ago.

The PS pumps's shaft, there is rust on it inbetween teh pulley and the seal, about 1 cm wide, and it is a bit raised and rough. I don't want it ripping up the new seal, once I remove the old and install the new, which is looking to be my next curse fest

This here be a useless rant.

WTF did chrysler, in their infinite wisdom have almost all the bolts which hold water pump and timing chain cover and accessory brackets penetrate the water jacket???

To get my PS pump off I had to loosen up its bracket. and nearly 2 gallons of coolant pours out these holes.

One of these bolts is also holding on the bracket for the Air pump. it is 6 inches long, and only 1/2 inch of bolt threads are grabbing the block. Only 1/2 inch worth of threads to seal the water jacket..... Old worn out bolt with too thin threads.....

The other bolt holding the PS pump bracket is only 3.5 inches long, but it too penetrates the water jacket. This one seems OK.

I wirewheeled the bolt threads and permatex'd the threads and sent both bolts home waited a few hours, filled the radiator and ......

Drip drip drip.

Where's my sledgehammer? I need to break something.

No 3/8-16 7 inch bolts apparently exist within 100 miles in any direction.
I've ordered some.

Expedited shipping, my keester.

Redhead gear installed. PS pump resealed. New PS filter hardmounted on new return line, new High pressure hose. Watch it too leak.

Yip...back when I had Mopars I kept a bottle of Permatex thread sealant handy at all times! Looks like them threads was dipped in marshmeller fluff! lol

I decided to Order the Permatex High temperature Thread Sealant for the new 7 inch bolts I also ordered, and it quickly made its way to a regional sorting center, and then sat there for 5 days only arriving today, day 5.

Day 4 I walked to Napa, saw they had it on the shelf, and bought it. Giant tube for 15$.

Marshmellow fluff is right.

I added some more threads to the 7 inch bolt as only the last 1.5 inches was threaded, and then cut off 1/2" off the end of the bolt which would just be sticking into the water jacket doing nothing. I found another bolt highly suspect, and cut a 5.5 inch bolt and threaded it.

I left a blob on the wood table surface and 22 hours later was extremely dismayed to see it was still totally uncured. Turns out it needs to be on a metal to activate it. 24 hours to full cure at 72f. No way my engine got over 60f in the 28 hours subsequent.

https://www.permatex.com/wp-content/uploads/tech_docs/tds/59214.pdf

I've not added coolant, and there is a little 200 watt heater below the water pump and some insulation to help speed the cure

I removed the AC compressor and replaced it with an Alternator. Found the original alternator 6mm out of parallel alignment with crank pulley. Been this way for years, but now is intolerable

Second alternator on old Ac bracket is within 0.5mm
Cleaned the throttle body
Osphoed the air cleaner housing and lid
Will be draining my transmission through the drainplug and changing the external spin on filter
Will be changing my differential oil as well, got 3 quarts of Schaeffers 293 75w-90 for my open Chrysler 9.25.

https://www.schaefferoil.com/documents/180-2937590-td.pdf




Gonna drive 2600 miles next week.

Have not yet filled the block with coolant.

Been mounting a second alternator where AC compressor used to ride
Cleaning throttle body
Attending to old hard vaccuum hoses and broken vaccuum nipples on the Air pump/EGR/ charcoal cannister Solenoids.
New Coil and wiring to it.

Lookee that red head steering gear poking out of there.

Looking forward to driving it, one of these days.

Those are HELLA 003427291 Vision Plus with Phillips extreme +140 H4/9003/HB2 bulbs installed.

They make an absolute mockery of regular sealed beams.

The stupid blue banding attenuating light output from the high beam filament, comes off with a sharp razor blade. Best high beams I've ever driven behind

Well the redhead steering gear is nearly as good as hoped for. The response to input is much much better, much easier to stay in the center of the lane as other faster slower vehicles and trucks pass on either side.

There appears to be more power assist than before. Likely as a result of new fresh fluid and a disassembled completely cleaned Saginaw power steering pump.

it is still quiet, and I do not believe any vaccuum bleeding of the power steering system is required, but I want a vaccuum tool anyway so will likely try it anyway.

If I had to do this steering coupler/gear PS pump thkng all over, starting with what I know now.

I would use Anti seize on teh DD shaft into teh steering column, and not use a large length of it into the steering column, only an inch or thee is likely required.

Taking the steering column off of the floor is simple. Just have a good way to hold it securely once the bolts are off, or it can fall and stress a bunch of wires and their connectors in teh area. Removing the steering column and lifting it a few inches, might make the whole task easier.

The quality of regular remanufactured steering gears is highly suspect. The redhead is basically 4 times as expensive, but the steering has never felt better or more responsive.

The flaming river coupler wearing out in 11 years and less than 40K miles, is kind of disappointing, but I think its wear was accentuated by the poor Apsco remanufactured gear which was so loose on day one and just got worse and worse. At the end it was bump steering. usually this is worn stereing components like tres or BJ's but mine are still tight. The master cylinder reservoir just above leaking on the coupler likely aided its demise by rusting the interior of the splines allowing more slop right there.

retightening the grub screws of the coupler, actually took a lot of the slop out of it, when i noticed slop in the coupler.

I used a fat tire bike innertube over the column, coupler and the input shaft of the redhead to protect it. Actually remembered to install it before lowering the steering column onto the coupler, which was the only part of this which required a second set of hands.

Anyway, while Awaiting the Permatex thread sealer to arrive, and for it to cure, I installed and nearly perfectly aligned a second 120 amp alternator, fixed a bunch of old hard leaking vaccuum hoses, and a bunch of other things. It drives better than ever right now, with some fresh fluids awaiting their new home. The transmission pan's drain plug it out right now, as is the external spin on remote filter.

The differential is getting new Schaeffers 293 gear oil as well

Hopefully I'll be done with teh major maintenance items for a while and can get nearly 18mpg highway.
The vaccuum hoses went way too long without close inspection.

The cannister purge solenoid had two inlets snapped off and were repaired badly long ago then hidden with black rtv. There has been a vaccuum leak right here, for who knows how long. Freaking 70$ solenoid. I superglued the inlets backon then once that cured re enforced them with JB Weld.

Also I found that vaccuum operated door which diverts air from cold air snorkkel to hot air stove pipe from manifold, stuck to suck hot air from manifold always, as soon as the engine starts, even up to full temperature.
The temp sensor inside the air cleaner is right on the shelf next to the unobtanium unicorn tears, apparently, but I got some feelers out, but will likely just remove and plug its vaccuum source for now.

Resealing the Saginaw PS pump, was pretty frustrating, mostly trying to get the pump body from teh reservoir housing. I also made a mistake regarding the position of one O ring. I'm blaming my dog for distracting me at that moment I needed to slide it over into the adjacent groove. This mistake caused a lot of cursing, but at least I did not have to remove pump body from reservoir housing again.

I've heard nothing good about remanufactured saginaw pumps, even though one at oreilleys is less than 50$ and I spent 2 days resealing mine. The vanes inside can be put in backwards and the sharp edge can be riding the interior of teh cam, instead of the slightly rounded edges. also the cam gear itself can be put back in upside down. I dont think jose Q employee at rebuilders anonymous cares if the vanes are installed backwards or the cam they slide against is upside down.

I'm glad the mystery of how power steering pumps work is gone, and I am glad mine is not leaking and the kit I bought to reseal it was correct and complete, but If I were to find a new quality pump under 200$, and could go back in time, I would.

I'd also go further back in time and not reuse some of the bolts holding water pump to timing chain cover to block.

Take a look at Ebay Item 363001121692

Very nice, detailed and informative post about the repairs. Thanks for taking the time to type all the info.

Thanks for the product link Nate, cost 30$, shipping 40$.....

I mean overnight shipping, perhaps.

On Dodge TBI systems the engine computer is expecting this air cleaner temperature sensor to regulate intake charge temperature to 100f by vaccuum modulating the blend door from stove pipe or cold air intake.

its not JUST for cold engine improved driveability, as so many people are telling me, but disabled, once warm, it might not make any appreciable difference, or it might.

I've no time to order and await arrival of the part. It's going to get disconnected for now, but part of me wants to see if I can fix it, the sensor itself. Got so be something simple like a bimetal spring closing off an aperture limiting vaccuum
.
Whatever is closing off that aperture could simply be stuck, and perhaps I could free it up.

Off topic from the steering coupler and steering gear, but Oh well.

hey guys...ive been wanting to do this for years and finally got around to doing it...my setup was slightly different than the OPs and thought i would share pics from an 87 dodge b150 steering /coupler and what i done.....the steering column/tube on the 87 is perfectly round and measures 1 inch O.D. and a 3/4 dd steering shaft slides inside of it perfectly and to keep it from moving i thru-bolted it....then from there it hooks up to the flaming river u-joint and finally the redhead steering gearbox.....i went with the redhead,new power steering pump,new hoses,new fluid,etc....

shes smooth as silk ...before final assembly of the greased the hell out of the 3/4 dd steering bar and the 1 inch round steering column/tube to ensure easy dissassembly if i ever have to replace the u-joint....only other thing i will do is grease up the u-joint area really good and then fashion a piece of sheet rubber or tire tube to wrap it all up like a steering condom to protect it from water,etc...

in my opinion it was well worth the expense and steers great....THANKS OP for sharing youre knowledge on this modification....really well thought out...

When you cut off the original shaft, was there a DD receptacle inside for the DD shaft, or is it just round and the flat parts of the DD shaft grab nothing?

If the latter, and if there is only that one 10-24 through bolt, then your entire steering is dependent on the shear strength of that 10-24 bolt, which is not acceptable.

My original coupler has a 3/8" grade 5 through bolt( perhaps grade 8) , AND the DD receptacle.

I see two additional screw heads, do these screws also go all the way through the DD shaft as well?

If it is just the single 10-24 through bolt and no DD receptacle in steering column, I'd not trust the strength.

If that bolt shears, you will have no steering.
It would likely shear when parking and perhaps not be so dangerous, but I imagine getting it out, to replace, would be a nightmare.

That through bolt, I say make it grade 5 minimum, and no less than 5/16" diameter.

I'd hate to think the whole steering was dependent on the shear strength of one 10-24 stainless through bolt, and the worst were to happen.

If there is no DD receptacle inside the steering column for the DD shaft, please make that through bolt thicker and check it often. With no power assist, think about how hard it is to turn that steering wheel with the engine off and when not moving, how much stress is on that through bolt.

Then go see how easy it is to bend a 10-24 stainless bolt. or even a grade 5 10-24.

YES INDEED...YOU HAVE GOOD EYES....I AGREE....the single 10-24 is way to weak...thats why i went with 3 of them thru bolted....and in all honesty i will be making the change to a grade 5 5/16 bolt for peace of mind....

PLEASE USE LARGER HARDENED BOLTS GUYS....i would hate to hear of somebody getting killed by using weak,inferior bolts....i dropped the ball on that for sure and had plans of doing a followup....will be changing to bolts tommorrow

I found this post because I had the similar issue. I purchased the parts and was going to have my ASE mechanic in Ensenada, Mexico do the work but he came up with a different solution. I didn't need the DD shaft. Only needed the universal joint.

My mechanic went to a good machinist and had the tip of the original part modified so it fit in to the DD receptacle of the universal joint and there you go. Just a different way to skin that cat. Drives and steers like a charm! Going to attach some pics.

Enjoy!

That looks really nice! Thanks for posting the pictures. Machinists are great people to know!

My immediate thought is did you use a hardened high strength bolt? Most bolts aren't rated in shear.

Head Marking Grade and Material Mechanical Properties Min. Tensile Strength (psi)
3 Radial Lines Grade 5 Medium carbon steel, quenched and tempered 120,000

6 Radial Lines Grade 8 Medium carbon alloy steel, quenched and tempered 150,000

Thanks for looking up the specs Frske1. Those are tensile strength ratings though, not shear ratings. The sort of specialty bolts which are rated in shear are things like seat belt bolts and bolts for sliding linkages. I'm not even sure that McMaster Carr carries such things. Even the huge eyebolts used for lifting machines aren't rated in shear...