I have noticed in other threads some pictures of the steering coupler (rag joint) which have it mounted without any bends or kinks in it. Mine has significant bends in it in order for it to mate with the ajoining column. Is this normal? I also realized that I cannot visually see the output shaft of the gearbox, could the rag joint mount be too close to the gearbox creating the distance to mating it to the column? Can I loosen the 12 point bolt and slide the ragjoint further out on the shaft to mate better? Steering is not returning to center very well and wonder if this could be why. Thanks for the input.

It may or may not be the cause of your return to center issue, but no you shouldn't really have significant deflection in the coupler. If it is lined up okay along the axis of the shafts (in other words, the coupler bends are because the column end and steering box are too far apart, not because they are out of alignment), then the solution is to loosen the two screws around the column to firewall bracket and the two nuts at the dash brace mounts, and slide the column down a little.

There is a whole procedure, marked "mandatory", in the AIM steering section that covers adjustment procedures and allowable clearance/deflection at the joint. I can't recall the dimensions off the top of my head, but they aren't enough to allow visible waves in the rubber part of the coupler.

Rag joint rubber disc should be flat, if it is not it will cause a bind while returning or turning. I have not paid attention to a 69 but on my 68, I just installed a new one and it is completely flat! I installed the joint, then installed the column. Loosening the retaining bolt will only allow a very slight amount of movement that will equal nothing. I would slide the column out of the joint and reposition like I said. Something just doesn't sound right, but I cannot see exactly what you are saying. Hope this helps a little.

Thanks Eric, I will make the adjustment with the column. I feel the lack of return to center still could perhaps be caused by the coupler binding from stress placed on it from the bends in it.

Oh, it's certain that the coupler binding won't help return to center, it's just that so many other things affect return to center (alignment is probably the biggest factor).

Thanks, car has not been alligned (although it appears close) since new front end parts were added. Maybe that will correct the return.

And I've said this MORE than once!

Install a rag joint kit that has a rubber washer in it that is steel screen wire reinforced!

Mine is this way now and it is as stiff as if the washer was made out of a steel belt radial tread! (And I know guys say the screen is just for electrical crap, not for reinforcement but never mind here!!!!)...

And watch the little needle-like ends of the screen in the rubber washer around it's edge b/c they will get you like needles! I used my bench grinder to remove them before I installed it!

And fwiw, my old '80, C/10, P/U's stock rag joint rubber washer is screen wire reinforced and it is as good as the day it was made b/c I had to R&R it's manual S/G/B!! And I ground the needles off it's rubber washer too!

pdq67

Flatness of the rubber disc is important. Also check that the stop pins are central in the slots of the steering column flange. Then rotate your steering wheel one quarter turn and check for equal clearances again. So flatness and centrality of the stop pins are the two things to check.

I have seen flex couplings where the column flange has actually "sawed" through the stop pins. You can imagine how returnability was affected in that situation.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/JIML82/FlexCplgWornStopPins.jpg
Note that this only happens when you have a steering column mounted directly to the steering gear (i.e. first gen Camaro, C2/C3 Corvette, etc). Cars with intermediate steering shafts never have this problem.

With respect to the wire mesh adding strength to the disc consider this - how would you like to steer your car only using only a single piece of screening from your screen door? It was for electrical continuity not for strength.
Jim

It's a long shot, but one more thing to check. These cars have a colapsable
column. If it was ever in a front end collision it may have become a bit shorter and not reach as far as needed for a relaxed fit at the rag joint.
I found this problem on a 69 a while back.

Thanks for all the input guys. I ended up simply loosening the firewall to column bracket screws and the column to dash support bolts and was able to push (firmly) the entire column forward about 3/4 " which snugged the rag joint nicely. It is now flat as it should be. Not sure why this was a problem, previous owner probably had it out and just did not adjust upon reinstall. Only thing needing attention now is turn signal- I, like many others, have a Grant aftermarket wood wheel (looks very cool) which has an adapter for mounting and it provides two choices for the signal post routing. I finally got everything lined up where the center spoke of the wheel points down at 6:00. Now, the right signal cancels with the slightest turn to the right, whereas the left signal requires almost a complete to lock turn to get it to cancel. I am thinking I will just live with it and wait till the car is aligned, then work on this. I have the feeling that alignment will change the entire position of the wheel again anyway.

There should be an indentation right on the steering wheel end of your steering column shaft. It should be at 12 o'clock when your steering gear (and road wheels) are straight ahead. Because the turn signal cancelling cam is built right into your steering column, the steering column has a defined position for straight ahead.

With the indentation at 12 o'clock the horn tower sticking up through the steering wheel hub should be at roughly 10:30 (45 degrees up from horizontal).

Jim

Thanks Jim for the reminder of the horn tower location. I failed to mention that my column shaft has no ID mark on it! Either it has ground off over years of contact with pullers, or the shaft has been replaced.

I have been reading posts all over this site looking for my issue, but can’t seem to find a solution for my problem. I purchased a used tilt column for my 69 and the centering notch on the steering wheel shaft is at 9 o’clock position when the everything is aligned like in this picture. Pitman arm is perfectly forward, wheels are strait. The notch at the end of the column shaft is 90 degrees off from the notch at the wheel. What could cause this? If it was 180 degrees off, the I would know that the column was assembled wrong, but 90 degrees has me thinking why??