here is a 74 imperial coupler. it's 3 1/2". the tape is deceiving, as i was trying to get the coupler in the shot and not show the torched off box shaft. there is a rag joint connecting the coupler shaft to the column.

Wow. I woulda guessed the longer coupler.

More confirmation that 74 & up vehicles had the longer coupler.

Heres an odd one. From a friend in New Zealand with a US 75 Ramcharger. Neither the 3" or 3-1/2" but an odd looking coupler.

So cool to have Mopar friends all over the world.

Also from the Moparts Truck Forum....

"Don't forget spline diameter, trucks were typically larger since most used Saginaw boxes.
Trucks pre 80 or so tended to use Saginaw couplers vs the Mopar style."

Based on the info above that had a 3" coupler on a 79 truck, was the Saginaw coupler a 4WD thing or maybe pre 79 instead of pre 80?

74 challenger manual steering = 3 1/2

Thanks flypaper.

Nudder one. From an older Moparts coupler thread. 86 Ramcharger. Looks like a 3" coupler like the post aove that said a 79 truck and 85 van had 3" couplers.

73 Cuda 3 1/2 inches, late November, 1972 build (black Friday after Thanksgiving to be exact)
Craig

i had a 74 power wagon with that type of coupler, [it's been gone since '83] and i thought it was an extra measure to insure the shaft didn't bind during any added flex when the cab and frame moved around during off road excursions ? i never had one of those apart however, to see what was inside. if you have a rag joint, the "common" type of coupler, and the one you show in your last pic, it should add quite a bit of movement before the steering shaft would bind up. does anyone happen to have a shot of the insides of one of those joints ?

upon more reflection, that coupler might allow movement in and out to a certain degree ?

B vans are an oddity. A little bit of everything from all the parts bins. Just to add in, the vans also used the car steering box and not the saginaws found in most of the trucks.

Maybe they standardized the coupler on all models & increased its length so there was enough room to slid the shaft down to replace the rubber coupling on the models equipped with it.

My 73 was built in October. I need to check it because other 73 owners have said theirs are 3". Now I'm wondering what mine has.