Mopar Muscle Association UK

Has anyone rebuilt one, i've got very tight steering and after checking everything else, i think it might be something in the column, it's making me wonder if the plates inside are twisted or damaged.
Mick

The columns are a real pain to take apart and reassemble so I would advise not piling in unless absolutely necessary.

Disconnect the coupler first and have a test before you go too far. It could be a bent shaft but I think that is unlikely, does it have an after-market steering wheel that is incorrectly installed or binding?

Yes it does have an aftermarket wheel, some no name ugly piece of Bananarama! and i've had to mess about with it because i suspect it's got the wrong parts in it. I put a new ind switch in the column and i had to make a collar to stop the press on piece binding. I suspect something is wrong but i'm just curious if the pot coupler can cause issues as well. The box has a clean sweep when you turn it by hand with the column out and pushes fluid out without a problem, likewise when you turn the pump pulley by hand. With the column attached, you cant turn the steering with the front wheel, it is solid, obviously the front end is on jacks.
Other than top up and belt tightening, power steering issues are a new one for me, so i'm on a bit of a learning curve. I've had cars with power steering but never needed to fix any.

Is it possible the crush pins could cause issues like this!

I was about to take a hammer to mine to get the original wheel off last year.......this is when it came to light (on US forums) about the collapsible column, and in not using a wheel puller and using brute force can cause issues........?

Maybe nothing to do with it, but if it works without the shaft connected, this would be my next port of call!

Those collapsible columns take quite a bit to collapse them - I have modded several for race cars, but in essence the inner will slide in the outer to reduce length; so it may be less likely to cause the binding.

There are 2 top cheap and nasty bearings in the top housing (underneath the area where you change the indicator switch) and these are held by snap rings. These are very shallow and can jump out.

The top housing is held on by really nasty "hook bolts" that grab into slots in the column, it is all very badly engineered and I am sure many have been thrown across the workshop in frustration.............however, if removed from the car (5 bolts and wiring loom) then it will be easy to spot any trace of bind and where this is taking place..........

I can't see the coupler itself being the problem unless it has seized up. It should be loose and floppy when you disconnect the column from the box. I would pop the track rod ends to see if you've got a seized ball joint. If you can't turn the road wheel by hand with the wheels off the ground something is seized, you just need to isolate it.

With the coupler disconnected, the steering turns perfectly, i made my own puller for the steering wheel years ago. The steering wheel is not factory and i have my doubts about the parts underneath it but it's not a common aftermarket wheel, it's some ugly heap of crap with 5 allen screws in it and the centre nut is not going on fully because i had to make a collar to make it clear the ind switch, which makes me think the press on piece may be too deep.
The whole end piece is off the coupler and i'm wondering if the plates inside have cocked and jammed inside making it very difficult to turn. If it was my Dart i'd stick the flaming river joint on but i've got enough time and money in this car already, just a point for all those people who think importing cars is a breeze and a massive money maker. I've bought 3 dusters over now and none of them made great profits for the time and money put into them.
I suppose it's all an education. Lol

Coupler re-build kits are cheap and easy to install (once the pin is out....) but I am sceptical that it is the cause, the one on the Dart was very sloppy as they wear, not seize - they also are a horrid design, no wonder people ditch them and weld one UJ'S......

It isn't the coupler, it's the retainer plate for the ind switch, as soon as i took it off the column moves freely, it goes up against a bearing with a rubber sleeve, i'm at a loss as to what's missing ?

Are the screws for the indicator plate too long and binding?

You are well on the way to finding the problem, you just have to work through it methodically............

There's a snap ring missing, that goes in front of the bearing but there's no cutout in the shaft for it.

I think one goes on the shaft, the other is into the Housing.....Long time since I did one.

I am sure Mr Robson will be along shortly saying "buy a workshop manual!"

I've got a haynes 69 dart manual and the trusty internet.

God knows what will happen when you Google "Snap Ring"!!!

Make sure the missus is out when you do!

There should be a snap ring either side of the bearing, sounds like the column has a collapsed a bit which is no doubt why the steering wheel is binding. There should be 2 grooves up by the spline for the boss, the bearing should sit between them.