Ran into my steering column today and remembered I need a coupler repair kit.

[Dino]

The original steering coupler looks too damn nasty. Are these repair kits any good? The cheap Dorman kit doesn't get very good reviews, citing quality control issues. Some of these kits are $30 or more and look the same as the cheaper ones. Any proven kits out there?

[69wannabe]

I also need to re do my steering coupler, will be glad to hear which is a good kit to use.....

[VegasCharger]

What a coinkydink me too. 

I was considering DMT thru their eBay stores.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DMT-MOPAR-66-72-Steering-Column-Coupler-Stainless-Cover-Retainer-Black-Seal-3/291757089344?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

[Dino]

I like DMT's kit but it's only half of what you need. There's no shoes, spring, or pins with this one.

[VegasCharger]

I like DMT's kit but it's only half of what you need. There's no shoes, spring, or pins with this one.

Oh okay gotcha. I only need to do the new seal, retainer and clamp. Plus pack with new grease.

[Dino]

I like DMT's kit but it's only half of what you need. There's no shoes, spring, or pins with this one.

Oh okay gotcha. I only need to do the new seal, retainer and clamp. Plus pack with new grease.

Then I would go with the DMT kit for sure. I'm getting the clamp as well. I should just open up my coupler. For all I know it's not that bad in there. The seal has been damaged though so I do need that. Something to play with on the weekend...

[Nacho-RT74]

Clamp is an extra, not part of the original. Was dealer installed after a service due the dificulty to reinstall the seal bracket.

Usually shoes and pins are hard to beat, not the spring though, but spring only comes with the full kit.

Search on Rockauto by PN.... Mopar 4443436AC... $15.55 ( only two left )

I bet Dorman kit is the same than the Mopar one. It floats on the search too... $6.04

[igozumn]

The difficulty in getting the top plate attached and have it stay there, means I won't rebuild/install another coupler kit without that external clamp/spring.

[ODZKing]

Still available thru Chrysler Dino. 4443436AC
If your dealer wont order you can get it through Mopar Parts America. Includes way more than the other pictured.
https://www.moparpartsamerica.com/parts/index.cfm?searchText=4443436&make=Dodge&action=oePartSearch&siteid=214583

[Nacho-RT74]

The difficulty in getting the top plate attached and have it stay there, means I won't rebuild/install another coupler kit without that external clamp/spring.

I could make it without the spring clamp. And even MOUNTED in car LOL. sure wasn't easy

[69bfan]

I have a customer who rebuilds steering columns and he told me that the Dorman kit was not of the same quality as the Mopar piece.  He purchases 30 plus bearings from me approximately every six months and he told me that the Dorman roll pin was the wrong size.  Some would be too small and others were too large, no quality control.  So spend the extra dollars and purchase a known quality piece.

[igozumn]

Still available thru Chrysler Dino. 4443436AC
If your dealer wont order you can get it through Mopar Parts America. Includes way more than the other pictured.
https://www.moparpartsamerica.com/parts/index.cfm?searchText=4443436&make=Dodge&action=oePartSearch&siteid=214583

Been gathering parts for my buddy's Superbee p/s conversion.  I'm pretty sure I got the kit for him locally (bought mine off ebay, I think) and if I recall it was only 10 or 12 bucks wholesale.  List was around $20???

[VegasCharger]

The difficulty in getting the top plate attached and have it stay there, means I won't rebuild/install another coupler kit without that external clamp/spring.

I could make it without the spring clamp. And even MOUNTED in car LOL. sure wasn't easy

Me too but with the column removed while restoring it. I don't see what the big deal is about getting the retainer to hold down the seal.

If you just attempt to hammer down the tabs with the retainer just floating and using you hand to keep it still then yes you will have NO success in achieving the task. You'll have the bounce factor.

However if you use bar clamps to secure the retainer down onto the seal while you're bending down the tabs then viola.

[Nacho-RT74]

For whatever reason I couldn't remove the coupler from steering box splined stud, and since 74s got an extra articulated shaft, didn't need to remove the full steering column. Is hard try to fit any kind of clamps to hold the retainer while coupler is on car, so used couple of cable ties, tightened as much as posible, bent the tabs and got success

[bakerhillpins]

I like DMT's kit but it's only half of what you need. There's no shoes, spring, or pins with this one.

Personally, I'd be picking up the Chrysler kit but could you simply clean up the shoes/spring/pins and use them with the DMT kit?

[oldcarnut]

https://m.advanceautoparts.com/web/PartSearchCmd?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&pageId=partTypeList&suggestion=&actionSrc=Form&langId=-1&searchTerm=dorman+425-253&searchedFrom=header&vehicleIdSearch=-1
No problems when I used this one a while back.  Order it online for additional 20-30% off

[Nacho-RT74]

That same one is at RA in $5

[VegasCharger]

...used couple of cable ties, tightened as much as posible, bent the tabs and got success

Clever ideal. 

That's thinking outside the box.

The reason for failure is the bounce factor, no win battle.

[cavemanno1]

Mine is out as well but I didn't know there is something wrong with these.Do they need to be rebuilt when restoring the car?

[Nacho-RT74]

What I have found on this assembly making them to work unpropperly is the shoes spring broken! This piece broken makes spin the shoes on the stud shaft along with no pressure of these shoes against the coupler walls and there begins the play.

With just this spring, seal an seal clamp should be really enough to rebuild it. No need really for shoes, studs etc... unless run totaly out of grease and they really weared bad enough.

[VegasCharger]

Dino (Dirk) I have one shoe if only one of your shoes needs replaced. No charge.

I agree with what Nacho said, these shoes really don't need replacing unless extreme wear and tear due to no grease (dry). But I was in the same boat when I went to do mine thinking that they needed replaced.

[Dino]

Oops, lost this thread for a bit. It's been a crazy week.

I'll open the coupler up tomorrow and report back with my findings.

[Nacho-RT74]

Since the kit includes those there is no reason to no change them, but if was posible just to get the spring allong with seal and seal retainer, that would be enough


If they shoes got extreme wear, coupler should be checked inside too.