See my profile, On the lower end of the long shaft, attached to the steering gear shaft is what they call a Coupler (the fat, sorta tapered thing), there is a bolt at the skinny end of it, in a "squeeze clamp"
With a marker, draw a reference mark on ALL REMOVEABLE PIECES, so that during reassembly, you can put the "Splines" into their original positions, by lining up the marks.
You must completly remove this bolt, not only does it squeeze, but IT KEYS into the steering gear shaft, in a half moon slot.
Remove the bolt now, but leave the coupler attached to the steering gear, for now!
The "half moon slot" is facing you, as seen on my similar '77 new gear. See on the extreme left, the skinny shaft, you can kinda see the "half moon slot", in the shaft splines, where there is no paint (you can't really tell the depth)
On the upper end, There is a "U" joint, go to the lower end of the "U" joint and remove the bolt which is sorta off center, on the joint, it also, keys into this long shaft, but this end of the long shaft, does not have a squeeze clamp!.....The "U" joint stays on the steering wheel end.
Next, You may have to soak these older parts with penetrating oil.
Lock some BIG Vise-grips, onto the "In-between shaft"with a hammer, smack the V-grips, driving the shaft towards the steering gear, thus pulling the shaft out of the "U" joint.
I find it sometimes EZ to heat the "U" joint (over the shaft splines, with a propane torch, to expand it bigger than the shaft (Do not heat the shaft, or use "Big Torch" and melt something)DO NOT DO THIS AT BOTTOM JOINT, YOU WILL MESS UP THE COUPLER!
The coupler at the bottom has "IN and Out" play, so you will sorta be "compressing it" (or just sorta sliding it, inside of itself.)
Here is the important part, Have someone hold the removed upper shaft, NO PULLING, OR YANKING!
Your coupler is old and will fall apart, you will spend a long time trying to CORRECTLY REASSEMBLE IT!
Go under the front of your rig, with a hammer and a long punch (or rod), Gently tap (try to make it move slowly) the nose of the coupler, toward the steering wheel direction, and when its about to fall off of the steering gear shaft.
You have already removed the retaining bolt in an earlier step!..........
Go back up top, reach under the radiator, on the drivers side, until you can EZily grab the WHOLE COUPLER in your hand, and with little wiggling, it comes off.
ITS OFF!
You're Done!
Let me know if this helps!
Love, Turddog
"WILLY" JUST DOES IT OUT OF HABIT, NOW----HE QUIT TAKING NAMES AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE 20TH CENTURY.
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Saturday, April 3rd, 2010 AT 11:09 PM
