Hey fellas. long time kustom, first time hot rod here. I’m redoing the suspension on a 29 rod and saw this part that popped off when I was taking the car apart. What’s it called and what’s it’s purpose? I feel like I might just remove it and add the proper joints to my column.
Right on fellas! Thanks seems someone just adapted the coupler to the 3/4 d rod. Now I can confidently replace that knowing what it is. Thanks!
Mopar used an identical setup for many many years on a whole lot of vehicles, infact they may have been the first to use it so widely. Rebuilt tons of those couplers back in the day, infact most local parts stores around here used to keep rebuild kits in stock.
Take it off and toss it as if you were throwing away a busted rubber ! My OT Power Wagon had one of those also . I worked at a Mopar dealer ship years ago also when they were on new models . Junk is the best definition . Install an aftermarket u joint or coupler and never look back . When I was installing Vega boxes years ago , I would look for the flat looking Porsche model cars , they had a super nice steering coupling that fit the Vega box as if God made to work .
The technical term is called a mechanics style universal joint . GM used it for many years on steering shafts with little trouble. Chrysler and AMC used larger ones on their drive shafts with less success. I worked as a mechanic for the Border Patrol in the mid 70's and Jeep Cherokees used them for the front end of their drive shafts. We kept overhaul kits in stock and used them regularly. The design consists of a housing built with two slots 180 ° apart with a shaft using a trunion pin pressed into the shaft and a roller mounted on each side of the pin. In and out movement was accomplished by the trunion rollers sliding in the slots and rolling forward or back as the drive shaft moved up and down with the suspension. The GM steering unit is a smaller version and doesn't move in and out much at all, but still rolls on the slots in the housing. Since rag joints and modern u joins came into favor, mechanics joints joined the pile of spats buggy whips. I forgot to mention the dust boot that keeps crud out of the joint. Once it splits, dirt and grime can be introduced, and mixes with the grease in the joint and makes a gooy grinding compound that quickly destroys the joint. Thus rag joints and sealed Cardon styled u joints came easily into favor.
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