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  #16  
Old 09-18-2009, 11:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meltedpanda View Post
I will look but I dont think my 72 has an access through the cabin
Where the steering column passes through the firewall in the cabin, there is a rubber bootl about 6" in diameter. Remove the 4 attaching screws and slide the boot up the colunm. From there, the steering coupling is 2-3 inches away and in plain sight. You'll need to pull the steering shaft out of the coupler by loosening the 2 bolts, remove the steering wheel, unscrew the blinker stalk, remove a couple of bolts that center the shaft, then remove the big snap ring. Slide the steering shaft up and out of the coupler then replace coupler and put all back together.

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  #17  
Old 09-19-2009, 07:46 PM
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and that my friends is the issue!

Got under and looked and sure enough the steering coupler is toast. I had my wife to turn the wheel while I looked and it just gyrated all over , It looks like it may have been jury rigged. One of the bolts on the D end look half way in and there is 1/2 -1 of play there! Anyhow,see the plate and the screws, just too weary to remove tonight, looks like a tight fit but workable. SO 450, the steering wheel has to come off and then pull on the shaft??
And the big snap ring you speak of? that is on the box side??
How can I insure that the coupler goes on so I dont otherwise get things
"out of square" so to speak??
Gotta love ol cars,always something to do! But this HAS been bothering me, just too loose up front, and in fact now that I see it , well - downright scary

More to follow ...pearls of wisdom appreciated
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2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth
2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond
Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING !
99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD
62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD
72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD
16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR
19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels
14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green
84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD
71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD
73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace
81 380 SL - Rest in Peace
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  #18  
Old 09-19-2009, 09:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meltedpanda View Post
Gotta love ol cars,always something to do! But this HAS been bothering me, just too loose up front, and in fact now that I see it , well - downright scary

More to follow ...pearls of wisdom appreciated
I just had the shop do my engine and subframe mounts - Decided it was just too much grunt work for me.

But now you have given me yet another thing to check and worry about!
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85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5
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  #19  
Old 09-19-2009, 11:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meltedpanda View Post
SO 450, the steering wheel has to come off and then pull on the shaft??
And the big snap ring you speak of? that is on the box side??
How can I insure that the coupler goes on so I don't otherwise get things
"out of square" so to speak??
Gotta love ol cars,always something to do! But this HAS been bothering me, just too loose up front, and in fact now that I see it , well - downright scary

More to follow ...pearls of wisdom appreciated
It is tight and kinda a back breaker working under there. You'll be half in the car and half out. A few cushions will save you ribs from breaking while your working. Trust me one that one.

Yes, remove the steering wheel. Once off, you'll see a 3 or 4 small bolts surrounding the the shaft, remove them. You'll also see a large snap ring around the steering shaft, remove that too.

You'll also have to remove the blinker stalk from the steering column. Remove the rubber cover boot. The stalk is held in by 2 screws and the electrical connector, remove all and pull the stalk out.

Once everything is removed, loosen the 2 coupler bolts through the hole in the firewall. Get a 1/4 drive socket with a metric hex bit (6mm?) and also have a regular allen key wrench (I used both). I remember having to shorten the length of the allen key wrench a bit for better turning radiance.

After everything is loosened, wiggle the coupler and shaft upwards through the column just enough to remove the old coupler (2"-3"). Slip the new coupler on the steering box end (Important...bolts mush pre threaded in new coupler), them tap the steering shaft down into the coupler all the way. Tighten everything up and put everything back together.

Important.... Make sure before you start to mark the position of the shaft in relation to to the steering column. You want the shaft to be seated in exactly the same spline position that it came out as..... If you don't line it up exactly, your blinkers won't cancel out after making a turn.

I probably left something out somewhere, but that's pretty much what's involved. Took me about 2 hours, much of that time removing the damn coupler bolts through that access hole.
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Last edited by 450slcguy; 09-20-2009 at 12:09 AM.
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  #20  
Old 09-20-2009, 08:17 AM
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great explanation, thanks much 450, part ordered, hope to start removing today
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2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth
2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond
Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING !
99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD
62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD
72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD
16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR
19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels
14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green
84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD
71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD
73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace
81 380 SL - Rest in Peace
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  #21  
Old 09-20-2009, 07:24 PM
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this was bad

basically a mess, took about an hour to remove, part on its way , I basically had no bushings,really no connection take a look
no wonder I had play!
Attached Thumbnails
Here is my issue - steering box adjustment  72-450-sv300139.jpg   Here is my issue - steering box adjustment  72-450-sv300142.jpg   Here is my issue - steering box adjustment  72-450-sv300143.jpg  
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Ron
2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth
2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond
Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING !
99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD
62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD
72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD
16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR
19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels
14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green
84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD
71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD
73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace
81 380 SL - Rest in Peace
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  #22  
Old 09-20-2009, 08:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meltedpanda View Post
basically a mess, took about an hour to remove, part on its way , I basically had no bushings,really no connection take a look
no wonder I had play!

The steering with the new coupling will be nothing less than spectacular.
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  #23  
Old 09-20-2009, 10:15 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meltedpanda View Post
basically a mess, took about an hour to remove, part on its way , I basically had no bushings,really no connection take a look
no wonder I had play!
I notice that the manual says that up to mid '73, the bushings were replaceable. After that they were rivetted in.

Are you able to get just the bushings, or the whole thing? MB part or aftermarket?

Must have a look at mine!
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85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5
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  #24  
Old 09-20-2009, 10:56 PM
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I got the whole deal , this one as you can see is all walloed (sp?) out, just hanging there
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Ron
2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth
2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond
Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING !
99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD
62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD
72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD
16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR
19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels
14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green
84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD
71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD
73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace
81 380 SL - Rest in Peace
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  #25  
Old 09-26-2009, 03:52 PM
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I take it the way to check and see if the steering coupler is bad is to move the steering wheel left and right while watching the front wheels. If the steering wheel play noted and wheels not moving then "bingo" it is the coupler.
If the subframe bushings are at fault then the wheels will move but the car's subframe will float left and right while driving. I am hoping I am correct.
My 450 SL is going through the same problem and I am going to check it.
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  #26  
Old 09-26-2009, 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Genbiltstein View Post
I take it the way to check and see if the steering coupler is bad is to move the steering wheel left and right while watching the front wheels. If the steering wheel play noted and wheels not moving then "bingo" it is the coupler.
Forget the watching front wheels.

Look down between the brake vaccum booster and inner fender. You'll see the coupler from there. Looking at the coupler, have someone move the steering wheel back and forth. If the steering wheel is moving left and right, and the coupler isn't mimicking the motions, the coupler's shot.

Chances are if it's never been swapped out, and the steering is sloppy, it's a gonner.
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  #27  
Old 09-26-2009, 05:25 PM
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I am always open to suggestions and that is one of the reasons why I am on this forum. This car loves to drift to the left and right when driving.
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  #28  
Old 09-26-2009, 05:34 PM
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mine was obvious when I looked, the play there translated to over an inch at the steering. BTW - got her back together but have to go out and get a torx wrench to tighten it, the old one was allen and I did not want to use the old bolts. Of course I dont have the size I need (lol). Also got major sidetracked , I have been wanting to get my idoit lights correct as I upgraded to a nicer pod awhile back ( not the guages , just the pod and idiot light configuration) problem was the original wiring did not match up. SO today for about 2 hours figured out the traces , ran jumpers , fabricated some connections and all is well. Boy that has been bothering me ....
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Ron
2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth
2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond
Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING !
99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD
62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD
72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD
16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR
19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels
14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green
84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD
71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD
73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace
81 380 SL - Rest in Peace
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  #29  
Old 09-26-2009, 06:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meltedpanda View Post
mine was obvious when I looked, the play there translated to over an inch at the steering. BTW - got her back together but have to go out and get a torx wrench to tighten it, the old one was allen and I did not want to use the old bolts. Of course I dont have the size I need (lol). Also got major sidetracked , I have been wanting to get my idoit lights correct as I upgraded to a nicer pod awhile back ( not the guages , just the pod and idiot light configuration) problem was the original wiring did not match up. SO today for about 2 hours figured out the traces , ran jumpers , fabricated some connections and all is well. Boy that has been bothering me ....
I know the feeling, always something else.

I just finished up fixing my odometer last week. Noticed last summer it started to get stuck on the 9's. Typical problem, the tumbler shaft on the pot metal gear was slipping. A quick crimp on the shaft fixed it right up. After putting everything back together, It now reads 300+ less miles than when I started. Close enough.

Next project I started today are the chain rails. Looks like I got about 3 degrees stretch. I'll replace the rails guides tomorrow and leave the chain for early next spring.
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Last edited by 450slcguy; 09-26-2009 at 06:11 PM.
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  #30  
Old 09-29-2009, 08:44 PM
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Back on the Road

Well , yes it has taken me this long , just a lot going keeping me from the project ... BUT the result is nothing short of fabulous, tight , nimble, responsive, totally changed how she drives. Cant believe what I have been missing.
Pesky parking brake light out , but save that for another day

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Ron
2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth
2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond
Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING !
99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD
62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD
72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD
16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR
19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels
14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green
84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD
71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD
73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace
81 380 SL - Rest in Peace
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