Steering Pot Joint

[Clyde9]

From: gromit440  (Original Message)
Sent: 4/22/2008 11:17 AM

Hey all, as many of you know, we have been raveling full-time in our 74 Travco since November of 07 with about 3500+ fun- packed miles traveled so far and counting.

Our Dodge M500 chassis came with a tilt steering column where the pot joint seems to have gone bad....grinding noise and acts/looks as if I could pull the shaft right out of it.

Has anyone had any experience with R&R on these joints and/or where to get a replacement please? The original part number is 3733192 for the "lower shaft with joint". I'm presently on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and NAPA out here has no clue upon visual inspection what I might do to remedy the problem. Really would appreciate some help. Jeff & Sandra @ www.rvfolly.com



From: Slantsixness
Sent: 4/23/2008 12:27 PM

Jeff,
Look up POT JOINT, or Steering coupler. There's a lot of info here on it.

BUT...

They have repair kits for them at any Dodge dealer. (as long as the "pot" part is not damaged, the rest of the entire assembly is in the $20.00 kit.

MOST kits are compatible with MOST pot joints. I will say, however, that there are a few different styles, and unfortunately, the style and size varies right between 1974-1976 and can be different on an M500 than an M400 or M300...

If you really have an M500... ask the dealer to look up the coupler repair kit for a 1976 D700 dodge Truck body. (yes, that's the one you should have. NOT the "JOINT",.... THE REPAIR KIT for that joint.  The entire assembly is vastly different as far as shaft length, so you definitely don't want the whole thing.

Alternatively, you CAN convert the shaft over to any dodge Coupler assembly...

There was a debate about this about two years ago... and.. other than being confused, I think we actually did figure out what would fix it for the member... but the fix was he found another one from some supplier and spent a fortune.

Worse case scenario? disassemble it, and just make sure the cross bar is intact and not worn or broken.... and put it back together (except for the top cap) and fill the darn thing up with silicone. It WILL get you on the road for a couple thousand miles... as long as its mostly intact, and only worn (nothing really broken).

More later... I have pictures of how to fix, and other tips and tricks for these as well. (except I'm at work, so I can't get to them!)

Tom



From: Froggy19362
Sent: 4/24/2008 8:50 PM

Advance auto parts has 2 kits (different sizes) in the HELP section  Frank


From: gromit440



Sent: 4/30/2008 6:34 PM
Thank you so much Tom,

I spent quite some time on the message search board looking over several threads concerning steering pot/couplers. Sounds like once I get to a Dodge dealer and find out what I "actually" need, I will be able to move forward on this issue. Also, I want to check with Advance as per Frank's (Froggy192362) suggestion.

Funny you should mention if I really have an M500 chassis as I have had quite a time getting parts for my rig. It's best described as a 1974 + 1/2 whereby some parts I have replaced are M400 and some are M500.....so far....lol.

In the meantime, we are still able to travel....I just leave the tilt in the straight up position and try to be as gentle with the steering as possible.

Jeff & Sandra .... still in Frisco National Park area on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. www.rvfolly.com



From: gromit440
Sent: 4/30/2008 6:37 PM

Thank you Frank,

I'm interested in seeing what Advance may have. You mentioned two different sized kits in the HELP section. Where might I find the "help" section....here or on the Advance site???

Jeff & Sandra www.rvfolly.com