Any tips for removing a stuck steering coupler?

[BaltimoreBimmer]

Any tips on getting the coupler out? Can't seem to find anywhere to reasonably pry or use a punch or anything like that without risking damaging it. Already have the rack out of the car and off the lower end of the coupler. I was able to easily tap it out from that end. Not so much the top.



I'm doing an e46 rack swap though so I think I may just leave the top part on and do the coupler modification on the car if this proves to difficult.

[vpilarrt]

I assume you've completely removed the pinch bolt (not just loosened it). Drive a small chisel into the pinch slot to relieve the pressure on the shaft.

[BaltimoreBimmer]

I assume you've completely removed the pinch bolt (not just loosened it).

Yes, although that's not necessary for the top half of the coupler. There is no notch in the splines like there is on the steering rack side. Therefor, having the bolt in wouldn't snag on anthing.

Drive a small chisel into the pinch slot to relieve the pressure on the shaft.

Does this actually help though? I've obviously done this to a degree, however legit driving it in there would probably cause more harm than good no? If you "open up" the pinched area by putting the a wedge in there, it would just put more pressure on the spines just in the opposite direction. The splines be mad fine.

Due to the fineness of the splines, I've decided it's better to just leave the coupler on than risk complications. Not worth the frustration and time lost imo. I doubt it has been replaced in 30 years, although the fact the steering guibo shows very little wear makes me think otherwise.

[jeffnhiscars]

you need to spread that puppy to get it off. i use a large screw driver mainly cause it's long enough to hit w a hammer from below the car

[BaltimoreBimmer]

Jeffnhiscars,

Do you agree that theoretically you should be able to push the coupling farther onto the steering shaft as well as further off? The steering shaft is splined all the way up to the firewall. So I don't see why it shouldn't, unless is for some reason enlarges as it goes.

The reason I ask is because for the life of me, I cannot figure out how to pull this thing off. Instead, assuming it can be pushed farther on (and people have been convincing me it can - over in the e46 steering rack thread), I can get actual force along the axis of the shaft as opposed to trying to hit it OFF by being off center and using part of the U-joint.

So I decided to give it a go. First things first, I put a big chisel into the coupler slit and POUND it in. I then removed the drivers side engine mount arm so I could get room to hit the coupler farther on. I got my old man to hold a brass block as a punch, directly on the coupler piece that connects to the shaft, while I STOOD half on a ladder, and half on my strut bar, while wielding a 20 pound sledge. With the added clearance without the motor mount arm, I was able to get a solid arc/pendulum motion with my big sledge. I, under control, hit the coupler in an attempt to get it farther on the shaft. I hit it until I was afraid I would damage things. No dice. Didn't even budge a single bit. Nothing.

So Here I am. After having done all of THAT and having it not move.....I am convinced I cannot realistically ever get this off. It just doesn't make sense to me how I could generate even more force than that in the opposite direction, off axis...

So the question is, is what I was attempting to do even possible. Here is how it sits, I need it to move just the tiniest bit so the coupler and the steering shaft are flush, not one recessed into the other. This is quite the obstacle for me. I can't mentally convince myself it will work. Please give me some advice here.

Pictures w/ explanations:

Here is my big punch. This picture is after I bolted everything back up to see if anything had moved (it hadn't) so I couldn't actually get things into position properly for the photo. With the rack and motor mount arm out of hte way, I am able to line this punch up perfectly square on that coupler piece it's touching. And by that I mean it is in line with the steering shaft when I was stricking it with teh sledge



Here is my setup with the ladder and the strut bar. Picutre me standing on top of those two, with my dad leaning in holding the brass block (we found the block to be easier to keep on the coupler wihtout moving), my head almost touching the roof, penduleming the big sledge lol



And here is the view without the motor mount, showing all the glorious space I have to hit this sucker: Ended up rotating the coupler just a bit to get the right angle. with it along the axis of the shaft, the punch/brass block would end right next to the motor mount - which is why i had to take off the arm.





And here is the recessed area I am talking about: the goal is to get those two flush with each other. I hope this all makes sense.

[jeffnhiscars]

There is a genuine possibility that there is some corrosion or crud in there or that the splines are galled which sugggests that the more you try to worse it will get. It's early and I haven't Re read thie entire thread in detail but...short of giving up here are my thoughts:

1 I hope you've been hitting it with PB Blaster or the like for sone days if not longer.
2. Protect the guibo and surrounding area with wet rags and heat that joint as much as you dare. Needless to say EXTREME CAUTION
3.always always re & re the upper joint with the rack detached. (Reinstallation hint is to remove the drivers side rack to subframe bolt and use the PS bolt to pivot the rack. Since it and the slip joint only have one place to go, once that's done you can tweak the upper joint as needed)
4 dremel it off as in a wheel bearing race i.e. Don't cut all the way thru and risk damaging the splines... see what's left of your splines, replace as necessary
5 not seeing a screwdriver in the slot. This is a must and no it will not put pressure on the other side, but it WILL relieve pressure on much of the circumference..perhaps enough to make the difference.
6.. IMO amcold chisel on the joint itself is too much concentrated force and is more likely to do damage than move anything. Use a drift and try to apply pressure inside the yoke rather than on the bearings. I've had good luck with a pry bar against the firewall

Not sure why those need to be flush if you're trying to remove it and again, its early so I hope this makes sense

[BaltimoreBimmer]

1. Tons. Over several days. Soak it each day. It's been about a week. I've heard others say due to the kind of metals, PB blaster technically isn't doing anything to help. Not sure in the truth there, but regardless, I've been hitting it daily for a week.

2. Not too fond of heat cuz of the brake booster so close but as a last resort possibly.

3. Rack is obviously out while I'm trying to remove the coupler, I thought that was clear

4. Dont' want to dremel. Just not worth ruining the steering shaft and also having to buy a new coupler.

5. I don't use a screw driver, I use a chisel/wedge hammered into the slit (as explained). And pound the living piss out of it. Believe me. It's spread.

6. How could you use a drift legit on the yoke in this scenario? The coupler is just too bulky and in the way. I'm assuming a drift is a slide hammer? I googled "drift tool" and "drift" and mostly am seeing "drift pins" which look just like tapered punches.

I feel like I'm not explaining things well.

The reason I need this to move ON just a bit, is to add clearance for my lower pinch bolt to slide through it's cutout on the rack splines. As it sits now, with the e46 rack and the added spacers in the coupler, the bottom bolt still does not quite line up. See the photo, you can see the cutout for the through bolt slightly poking out above the coupler. That cutout needs to be level/in line with the hole on the coupler:



In order for it to work, the coupler needs to be backed off the rack side splines just a hair. My options are to a) make the spacers I put in bigger (not really feasable as the ones that are in there are basically as big as I can get while still being able to reassemble b) fucking with the guibo and removing space there (i prefer not to have my body shaking when I hold onto the steering wheel so I will not be doing that) or c) simply move the coupler the tiniest bit onto the steering shaft. So easier solution in my mind is to move the coupler slightly back, b/c everyone is saying that is completely possible. Regardless, it clearly is corroded or something, if it will not move even under this force. I am NOT going to be messing up the steering shaft so I will have to think of something else on my own I guess. Or basically compromise somewhere. I am going to walk this by my mechanic and see what his opinions are. (ah shit, i just realized he out in Israel. damn)

Who would have thought removing the freaking subframe would be a walk in the park compared to this simple steering coupler. God Damn

I'm not convinced that a drift would pull this out. The punch/brass block and hammer method were about as direct of force as you can get. Completely in line with the axis of the shaft/coupler. I think my picture may be throwing you off. That is NOT how everything is lined up when I was actually striking. That picture was after I bolted everything back together, but just wanted to show the area where I was hitting. It's legit what, 1/4 inch away from the dead center of the shaft? How could that not be sufficient or 'too concentrataed?'

I appreciate your input though, not trying to be sassy or anything. Just difficult to explain this process with words

[Steve Corbett]

I had issues with mine too, I ended up reattaching the rack to allow more leverage and used the rack to pull on, it popped right off.

[BaltimoreBimmer]

I had issues with mine too, I ended up reattaching the rack to allow more leverage and used the rack to pull on, it popped right off.

I'm not comfortable using my rack to pull on this. Additionally I have noticed that you can't pull anywhere below the guibo as it simply pulls on/deforms the guibo itself, so that's a no go. ive literally have my hands on the coupler, and my feed on the freaking subframe to get good pulls. Nothing. Thougjt I was making progress but it's just the guibo stretching (not good)

I'm telling you. This thing is stubborn!

edit: ended up not being able to get the coupler off the steering shaft. Good luck to anyone stumbling over this in the future. But I did figure out the rack lower pinch bolt issue.