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Boy G
Expert
Date registered: Feb 2007
Location: Bushveld, South Africa
Vehicle(s): Diesel G's: 617A and 602
Posts: 1683
| How do you remove a steering shaft?
I have always dreaded doing this job and having just damaged my only good one by beating too hard on the universal, I tried to RTFM but can find nothing.
Getting the splines on and off, even with the fender / wing off makes me sweat.
Is there a good trick you gents can share please? A tool perhaps?
Edited by Boy G 12/20/2017 4:49 AM
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: How do you remove a steering shaft?
PM your VIN to me, and I'll see what the WIS has. |
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bluegg
Veteran
Date registered: Nov 2016
Location: Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada
Vehicle(s): 1985 300GDT, 2003 Beetle 1.8t S, 1982 F350 SC Dual
Posts: 141
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Those are a bugger.
I found soaking 3-4 days before removal with penetrating oil or ATF helped.
They are tight on a good day. If there was any wear in the splines they can mesh together and seem as one.
Heat on the outside of the universal knuckle may expand it some.
A 2"X 2"X1/4" plate of steel with a slot cut in the radius large enough to slide over the shaft can give a better surface to tap on.
You need to tap in even circles because the splines will further bind if you go to far on any one side.
A thin blunt drift punch and mini sledge will deliver precise and focused blows.
One end should be free so the other has somewhere to slide. Splines are pretty long. |
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AlanMcR
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, CA, Los Altos
Vehicle(s): G300DT E300DT 230SL
Posts: 3500
| RE: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Also, remember to fully remove the clamp bolts, not just loosen them.
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Boy G
Expert
Date registered: Feb 2007
Location: Bushveld, South Africa
Vehicle(s): Diesel G's: 617A and 602
Posts: 1683
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Thanks Dutch: 460 332 270 23216 typically, but all 460 and 461 are similar.
Bluegg - you understand! The one I have just destroyed was cleaned, wedged open, and I have the fender and inner tray off..... I am a tad embarrassed.
Agreed Alan. |
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DesertStar
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Vehicle(s): 85-280GE/95-G320/08-G500
Posts: 2156
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
I must have been lucky as I did this 9 years ago and everything came apart without too much difficulty and do not remember anything special...other than being tight for room under the brake booster. I wonder if yours being a right hand drive and closer to the exhaust heat making things tighter and more stubborn to take apart ? My repair is still going strong with no clunking.
I did this twice...first time I removed all intake components for easy access. The second time I did the contortionist method which required more patience. (I did not line up the shafts straight the first time).
Here is that thread:
http://www.pointedthree.com/disc/forums/showthread.php?tid=13073&po...
Mike |
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bluegg
Veteran
Date registered: Nov 2016
Location: Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada
Vehicle(s): 1985 300GDT, 2003 Beetle 1.8t S, 1982 F350 SC Dual
Posts: 141
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Boy G.
Don't be embarrassed. We all try and sometimes these poor trucks have been really pounded.
It sounds like you only ruined the universal knuckle.
Sometimes one of two or three pieces has to be sacrificed to get a system apart.
My advice- figure out which piece is easiest to replace, not always cheapest but available.
Source and secure it then ruin the one you are removing.
Put things back together with anti-seize compound for next time. |
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Boy G
Expert
Date registered: Feb 2007
Location: Bushveld, South Africa
Vehicle(s): Diesel G's: 617A and 602
Posts: 1683
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
QUOTE
"Well, things took a turn for the worse. I have spent 6 hours trying to get the splines to line up, but the top u-joint will not line up, and I cannot get a hammer to tap it in a bit. I have just pulled my intake manifold off just to get some room and still cannot make things happen with that upper spline connection.
It is so frustrating as the shaft came "OFF" so easily....and I expected the same reinstalling.
I hope tomorrow will be a better day and it will magically slip in.
Mike "
UNQUOTE
Thanks Mike. I understand!!!
Edited by Boy G 12/29/2017 1:16 PM
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oskar
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Sep 2006
Location: Lyons, CO
Vehicle(s): 1981 280GE, 2002 G500, 280SE 4.5, Audi A4 1.8T
Posts: 708
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Just FYI:
I believe those U-joints are not available from MB - just the whole column. But the U-joints BMW use are the same and they are available
Oskar |
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bluegg
Veteran
Date registered: Nov 2016
Location: Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada
Vehicle(s): 1985 300GDT, 2003 Beetle 1.8t S, 1982 F350 SC Dual
Posts: 141
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Boy G.
Both bolts must be completely out of each end of the knuckle.
The knuckle is really the locked in mid point of the steering column.
If you loosen the column inside the truck you may get much needed slack to pull the steering wheel and upper shaft far enough to slip the bottom end of knuckle onto lower shaft.
Once that is seated without it's bolt pull upper shaft to align with upper knuckle making sure the steering wheel has correct orientation to wheel position.
Align upper splines and slip down.
Re fasten steering column yolk and put in retaining bolts for knuckle.
Hopefully you did the disassembly with the wheels straight and your steering wheel matched.
If wheels were straight and steering wheel off then it may have been apart before.
Now would be the time to set everything straight.
A BMW steering knuckle might make it go faster. Must always find a little humour.
Anti seize will help with slipping things together. |
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Boy G
Expert
Date registered: Feb 2007
Location: Bushveld, South Africa
Vehicle(s): Diesel G's: 617A and 602
Posts: 1683
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Thanks guys! The above quote that I refer to comes from the link that Mike placed from when he did the job in 2008. I see he experienced what I did also.
My current experience is the same, is a frame off rebuild that I am busy with, AND everything is in the open.
I wailed and gnashed my teeth - that gave my spectators humour Bluegg.
But thanks again guys - i was hoping that someone would say there is a tool or a TRICK.
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bluegg
Veteran
Date registered: Nov 2016
Location: Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada
Vehicle(s): 1985 300GDT, 2003 Beetle 1.8t S, 1982 F350 SC Dual
Posts: 141
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Boy G.
Did you ever get that steering shaft apart?
Curious to know why it was so stubborn. |
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bram_r
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2007
Location: the Netherlands
Vehicle(s): 1984 MB 280GE, 1982 MB 300GD, 1986 Subaru XT 4WD
Posts: 1659
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
oskar - 12/22/2017 1:49 AM
Just FYI:
I believe those U-joints are not available from MB - just the whole column. But the U-joints BMW use are the same and they are available
Oskar
You mean this one?
I don't think I haven't found it in the EPC yet, but I will look again.
I can only find a company logo and 'W 502' in the casting.
I have removed this coupling on a couple of G's and after removing the clamp bolt, never had any issues.
But I can image that once corrosion starts to form on those splines, it can be a tough one.
gr. Bram
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Boy G
Expert
Date registered: Feb 2007
Location: Bushveld, South Africa
Vehicle(s): Diesel G's: 617A and 602
Posts: 1683
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
And now to find a part number??
Blueg, my issue this time was not stripping it, but replacing it. I hit the universal too hard and damaged it. It was an old 460 universal, unlike the later ones as per Bram's picture. Either way fitting or stripping makes me nervous, despite doing these things as described above. There isnt any space in there and nowhere to put in a lever.
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bram_r
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2007
Location: the Netherlands
Vehicle(s): 1984 MB 280GE, 1982 MB 300GD, 1986 Subaru XT 4WD
Posts: 1659
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Boy G - 12/29/2017 7:25 PM
And now to find a part number??
Blueg, my issue this time was not stripping it, but replacing it. I hit the universal too hard and damaged it. It was an old 460 universal, unlike the later ones as per Bram's picture. Either way fitting or stripping makes me nervous, despite doing these things as described above. There isnt any space in there and nowhere to put in a lever.
Didn't know about this difference.
Will the later one as on my pictures also fit the 460 application?
I can do some searching for you.
gr. Bram |
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Boy G
Expert
Date registered: Feb 2007
Location: Bushveld, South Africa
Vehicle(s): Diesel G's: 617A and 602
Posts: 1683
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Yes, the splines and distance remain the same, but the newer ones are just much stronger looking.
The old ones have one of the universal yokes as part of the slip joint. I will try to size a picture off my tablet. |
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bluegg
Veteran
Date registered: Nov 2016
Location: Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada
Vehicle(s): 1985 300GDT, 2003 Beetle 1.8t S, 1982 F350 SC Dual
Posts: 141
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Boy G.
I have had good luck, so far, contacting closest Mercedes Benz parts counter with truck VIN number.
If the part is NLA through them they can still give you the original part number.
It is something to work off.
I have also heard that porsche, Volvo and VW use many of the same manufacturers for various parts and a good parts jobber might be able to cross reference for you.
I just replaced the universal between the upper and lower shafts on my 1999 Toro 268H lawn tractor and was surprised that the universal looks same size and shape as that on my 1981 300GD steering shafts.
AG dealers may be of help too.
Clean your damaged knuckle up real good and find that number. Let me know if you have no luck and I will see if my MB parts guy can get a part number with my 81 VIN. |
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petermerle
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Cape Town ( deep south )
Vehicle(s): W460 *1, W123 *2, W124
Posts: 1315
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
oskar - 12/22/2017 2:49 AM Just FYI: I believe those U-joints are not available from MB - just the whole column. But the U-joints BMW use are the same and they are available Oskar Do you have a part no , or from which BMW they can be obtained? PEter |
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petermerle
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Cape Town ( deep south )
Vehicle(s): W460 *1, W123 *2, W124
Posts: 1315
| Re: How do you remove a steering shaft?
Steering shaft ( A461 460 0109 ) is lasted by Lemforder as part no 13565 ( EAN 4047437330979 ). It appears to be no longer available |
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