Worn splines on steering shaft

[Dutch01]

Hi, I would like some advise on how to repair / fix worn splines on a steering shaft where it attaches to the steering box. it is the female section with internal splines. Fastening to the male splines of the steering box is similar to the kick starter / gear shift on a motorcycle. The female section is welded to the steering shaft.

I noted that the groove that closes up when tightening the bolt had no gap. I grinded the groove a little bit wider to get more grip when tightened, but it only helped for a short while - damage was done. The car in question is a 1964 Austin Healey Sprite.

Obviously I do not want to compromise on safety.

Thanks - Andre

 

[MBfreak]

I suggest you get a replacement part.
If the internal splines are loose even when the clamping screw is fully tightening the slot, ans widening the slot only gives temporary help. there is something quite wrong.
Are you sure that it is actually loos efter being regapped and tightened?

If so the part is floating due to overextended tightening.
Shaft as well as female part probably junk?

Pics would help.

Ola

 

[Dutch01]

Thanks. Will take part out and post pics.

 

[Dutch01]

Pics of the shaft in position, male splines on steering box, female splines on steering shaft and the fitting itself.

Clearly one can see the splines in the female section are totally worn out

 

[Copymutt]

Out of desperation and no $, put it back together and cross drill it install hardened bolt.

 

[Dutch01]

Out of desperation and no $, put it back together and cross drill it install hardened bolt.

To be honest I did tried that. My photos do not show the side I drilled and tapped the female section and screwed in a grub screw. It only helps for short periods of time and only when I need to move the Healey For the love of all I could not drill through the steering box shaft. In fact there is no sign of the slightest indent where I attempted to drill

 

[Dutch01]

I had a look at another project car of mine, a 63 Spitfire. The steering shaft as well as the steering box both have splined male ends and are coupled together with a flexible UJ . I can take pics thereof tomorrow as it currently is 8pm and dark here in SA

Andre

 

[rsanter]

How much do you care about originality?
If you don’t then see if you can find a coupler that has that specific spline to it and then weld it on after cutting the old one off.

If you care about originality then find a good replacement piece, and if they impossible to find you can get one machined for you then weld it onto the shaft

 

[Dutch01]

How much do you care about originality?
If you don’t then see if you can find a coupler that has that specific spline to it and then weld it on after cutting the old one off.

If you care about originality then find a good replacement piece, and if they impossible to find you can get one machined for you then weld it onto the shaft

While I would like to keep close to originality as possible, I am not a fanatic. I already went from positive earth to negative earth, replaced the old generator with an alternator, fitted an electric fan all for reliability and improvements. As such i am also in the process of fitting a Nissan 1400 Ute radiator as the cost to re-core the original (brass) radiator is very expensive. I do what I believe are improvements for safety and reliability reasons. I believe that to find a replacement piece would be difficult here in South Africa and a new fitting will have to be made as you suggest which is most probably the way I would go.

Thanks for your input

Andre

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

The shaft looks like a softer alloy, like aluminum. It may be possible to have a competent machine shop make a splined bushing to go over the original male on the steering box into new splines in the column. Would require drilling the original column out, new splines and have the bushing split so the column clamp would work as designed. Best part is it would be invisible once repaired.

 

[rsanter]

While I would like to keep close to originality as possible, I am not a fanatic. I already went from positive earth to negative earth, replaced the old generator with an alternator, fitted an electric fan all for reliability and improvements. As such i am also in the process of fitting a Nissan 1400 Ute radiator as the cost to re-core the original (brass) radiator is very expensive. I do what I believe are improvements for safety and reliability reasons. I believe that to find a replacement piece would be difficult here in South Africa and a new fitting will have to be made as you suggest which is most probably the way I would go.

Thanks for your input

Andre

There are many parts of a car that are not made by the car company but made for them, so take a look in your junkyards to see of you can find a piece from a wreck that will fit your splines on your steering box. Then have that piece welded to the shaft

 

[matt_i]

A person (machine shop) could likely make that part with something like an E- (shaper) head on a bridgeport type milling machine and some way to index the part.

Definitely some time to measure up the part and grind a tool that approximates the spline. I think the mating part could be case hardened post-welding and be more durable but like anything keeping it tight would be best.

 

[95vette]

Hello, have a keyway cut in each piece like a motor and pulley have with set screw to hold in place.

 

[metlmunchr]

Information on a Sprite forum says the spline on the input shaft is 5/8-36

If that's correct, google 5/8 36 spline coupler and you'll find several choices. None of them are very expensive. The existing end would have to be cut off and the new end welded on, so you'd want to make sure whatever you buy is made from plain carbon steel and not any type of free machining steel as free machining steel doesn't produce sound welds.

 

[Dutch01]

Thanks for the good advice. I will pursue the various options given.

 

[Hawke]

I'd be looking at Pegasus, looks like the type of steering joint used in many race cars.

 

[Dutch01]

Thanks, I will be looking at a replacement pinch coupler like this Pegasus product or similar.



I also found that the older type 1 air cooled beetles use the same size spline shaft but with a different coupler. Fitting either of the 2 types to the old shaft will be a straight forward job.

Thanks again to all for their input. It helped me in the right direction.

Andre

 

[mrolds88]

I agree with everyone that say replace. For what you have to pay for the part and fabrication is a small price for your safety.

 

[Dutch01]

An update on the worn splines. I did find a suitable replacement pinch coupler from a Citi Golf (updated Mk1 that continued production here in SA). It was suitably modified and welded into place.

 

[ericlar80]

As someone who had a steering shaft completely come apart while driving, make sure you repair this right. Hearing the shaft fall with a clunk, and the feeling of a steering wheel that freely spins is horrifying. Luckily, I was going slow enough to stop safely, but I had just exited the freeway less than a minute before that.

In my case the set screw back off because I forgot to use locktite. Look up the safe way to repair this and follow the instruction to a T. Take it to someone if you need to.

 

[Dutch01]

Thanks for the input. Will make sure the repair is safe.

 

[joe49]

Sleeve internally and rosette/plug weld on both sides of the joint. Even if you have already welded it, cut it apart and sleeve the joint.


it

 

[Dutch01]

Sleeve internally and rosette/plug weld on both sides of the joint. Even if you have already welded it, cut it apart and sleeve the joint.


it

Thanks.

I did put a sleeve inside (the shaft is hollow) before welding and said to myself that I could always put high strength pins through the shaft and sleeve as a safety measure

 

[joe49]

Don't worry about the angle cut shown, this is a aircraft splice.

 

[bubinga]

Yeah, Looks like the splines on the Shaft (male) end are good.
If you got a good replacement part welded on to your steering shaft, with a good weld,
You should be good to go.

 

[bubinga]

You couldn't drill the steering shaft on the box.
I'll bet it's a hardened shaft/spline area.

 

[az45]

Sweet makes what you need, there's enough racing in SA that you should be able to find something...if you dont have it taken care of.

https://sweetmfg.biz/home.php?cat=71

 

[Dutch01]

Don't worry about the angle cut shown, this is a aircraft splice.

Thanks for the pic. An inner sleeve was fitted, but I did noy do the rosette weld

The steering shaft is easy to remove though. I can always drill holes and then do the welds, or as I said in an earlier post, drill right though the shaft an sleeve, fit high tensile pins and then weld pins in place. The shaft itself is not hardened metal.

 

[joe49]

Just drill and add rosette welds no pins needed.

 

[Dutch01]

I looked at the pic again showing the repair with the rosette weld. I take it the tube is thin walled to keep weight down on an aircraft. As such it makes sense to have the cut at an angle and not 90 degrees to the center line to spread the force on the repair. I also assume the rosette welds are more to keep the inner tube in place rather than to add strength. The shaft in my case is thick walled or rather a hollow bar (weight savings was not of importance in the 60's for british cars ).

I chamfered the 2 ends where the repair sections joined, giving me a deep V-groove on the circumference where I welded. A solid section of rod is in the center of the repair section more for alignment than anything else.

 

[bubinga]

I looked at the pic again showing the repair with the rosette weld. I take it the tube is thin walled to keep weight down on an aircraft. As such it makes sense to have the cut at an angle and not 90 degrees to the center line to spread the force on the repair. I also assume the rosette welds are more to keep the inner tube in place rather than to add strength. The shaft in my case is thick walled or rather a hollow bar (weight savings was not of importance in the 60's for british cars ).

I chamfered the 2 ends where the repair sections joined, giving me a deep V-groove on the circumference where I welded. A solid section of rod is in the center of the repair section more for alignment than anything else.

If you got a good weld I'd say you're good.

 

[joe49]

This is the steering do the rosette welds, even if you were a pro welder it is cheap insurance.

 

[Dutch01]

I will do the rosette welds, promise