My assembly manual calls for the nut to be torqued to 120-160 pound feet. Then insert the arms into a special jig to verify that they are straight. The relay rod connects to tie rods on both ends, and those are attached to the steering knuckles. Come join the discussion about restorations, builds, performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! Pitman Arm Nut Torque | Team Chevelle It is best to sit the differential onto a jack and then install the frame member. Oil The ram (shown) is attached to the relay rod. Fitment. A large rubber bumper is attached to the lower control arm. The tie rod screws into the sleeve and connects to the steering knuckle. In the pitman arm thread several members talked about removing and rebuilding their steering gear. On the Corvette, you have power assist whereby you have a manual type of steering gear box but the drag link is actually comprised of a hydraulic valve and cylinder. Manifold Trailing Arm Bolt Question? | Corvette Forum : DigitalCorvettes.com Removing Pitman arm from steering box 1,948 views Apr 5, 2018 Like Dislike Share Save Fun with cars - mostly Corvettes 640 subscribers Frame off refresh of a 1974 Corvette. 80 Install the ring gear onto the Posi unit with new Grade 8 bolts and lock washers. Worn Posi-Traction clutches often chatter at low speeds when making a sharp turn. Four discs without tabs are on each side. specifications for 68-82 Corvettes, Front Wheel Bearings The trailing arms house the parking brake, brake calipers, and rotors. THE RUGGED 40 SERIES TORQUE CONVERTER is composed of heavy gauge stamped steel to withstand the extreme rigors of rough applications. Arm Cover Manifold 28: The new pump came with a pulley installation tool. C2/C3 Corvette Power Steering Replacement - MotorTrend Insert the lower ball joint stud into the opening on the steering knuckle. Pan Drain Plug Three basic types of Saginaw power steering pumps were used in C2 and C3 Corvettes. 17-27, Steering Arm Nuts Other questions? 70, Rear Install the trailing arm into the slot in the frame. Rear Suspension Strut Rods and Shock Absorbers. If the hydraulic lines are not properly seated and tightened in the control valve and ram, they can leak. The specialty rebuilders that have seen [Click here to read more], Dash Carrier Assembly Removal Three bolts fasten the steering box to the left side of the frame. All of the power steering hydraulic hoses are installed. They are attached to the frame between the upper control arms with one bolt. It should not bind after installation. Recheck the adjustment after putting 100 miles on the car. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Mounting Bolts Specs. The frame is light enough for two people to carry it to your work area for assembly. 70, 1/2" Bolts - The box output shaft isn't sticking out past the nut as much as the box I removed. As you know, both the Eaton 65-79 and the Dana 80-82 Corvette differentials use springs to preload the clutch pack that transfers torque to the unloaded tire. 20, Drive Spindle Support to- If there is excessive play, add shims to eliminate it. The second way is to do it in the car but you must remove the pitman arm and take torque measurements by placing a torque wrench on the steering wheel hub and measuring steering gear torque through the steering column. Start by installing the control valve onto the end of the drag link. If it is not within this range, the assembly needs to be removed and a different-size shim installed. 25, Lower :crazy: It says the lower ball joint nut should be at 70-95 lb-ft with a max of 125 when the slot is lined up for the cotter pin. Third-generation Corvettes use a series of rods attached to the steering box and the suspension steering knuckles to turn the wheels. Insert it through the control arm steel shaft from the top. Attach all of the power steering hoses. Visit our showroom to setup an appointment to have your Corvette tuned, accessorized, enhanced or more. Because quality is so critical, Lonestar Caliper rebuilds all of its power steering pumps, rams, control valves and steering gears in-house. (See Photo #16A.) Main The springs push against the clutches with more force as the cars speed increases. Drop the end link into the opening at the rear of the trailing arm. the power steering fluid whenever you change the transmission and rear axle lubrication, which should be roughly every 30,000 miles. The easiest way to prepare the differential for installation is to place it onto a floor jack. Now torque to specs. Tighten the nuts evenly on both sides. Place a long fl at bar onto the head of each bolt and hit the bar with enough force to push the head flush against the frame. Keep each set together and mark them for each side along with either front or rear. 22: Coat the bushings and the shaft ends with white lithium grease. Master 16: After the ball joint is removed, drill the mounting holes out with a 21/64 drill bit to accommodate the new mounting bolts. If oil is extremely foamy, allow vehicle to stand a few minutes with engine off and repeat above procedure. in/lbs, Front: The suspension must have time to settle on the springs before these bolts are tightened. This has to be done with the weight of the car on the suspension. Once the bolt is attached with the nut and washer, slowly lower the jack. 28, Upper Control Arm to Frame 130, Rear Bolt 18 The front wheels should have a toe-in of 1/8 to 3/8 of an inch. The frame has now been completed and rolled outside for a final inspection. 2, Wheel Nuts Click the button below and we will send you an exclusive deal on this book. When taking a differential apart, be sure to mark the left- and right-side pieces. This Corvette reproduction pitman arm has been manufactured to original factory specifications using today's modern manufacturing techniques. This is how toe-out and toe-in are adjusted on the front suspension. Large tables are an excellent place to organize these pieces. 70 21: To make the bushing installation easier, place all of the bushings in a freezer overnight. Shown here are a front lower control arm (front) and a rear trailing arm (back). Heads (outer) Supporting the center of the dash is critical so as to not crack or damage it [Click here to read more], General Motors, like all the other car manufacturers of the time, did not put much valuable information on the vehicle identification number (VIN) plate. Two U-shaped brackets that fit over two rubber bushings secure the antiroll bar to the frame. Exhaust Oil The parts are then sent to the powdercoating shop to have their surfaces covered and protected. New clutches usually cure this problem. If your Corvette was not equipped with power steering from the factory, you will have to change out or add to the crankshaft pulley to accommodate the power steering pump. Clutch discs9. When draining the oil from the differential, check for a burning odor, which indicates overheating of the gears and case. The ram mounts to the relay rod (right) and connects to a bracket on the frame on the drivers side. Then unbolt the top of the lower ball joint and drill, cut or grind off the rivets to remove the ball joint. The bump stop is a triangle of rubber mounted to a metal bracket. Tighten the 11/16-inch locking nuts to 50 ft-lbs. 35, Brackets to Hub Carrier 20, Differential Mount Bracket Use a large piece of pipe or something that is the same diameter as the seal. Do not tighten the upper and lower control arm bushing bolts yet. The bump stop protects a severe bump or hole in the road. Dec . Just try one with a different thread. 14: Loosen and remove the lower control arm retaining bolts and remove the lower control arm and spindle. Make sure to keep the jack in place securely under the lower control arm. Move the gears back and forth to check for looseness and play from side to side. The thickest shim in your clutch pack (.045 inch) is used to ensure that the bottom part of the seal does not bottom out, which causes leakage. What the the torque specs of: Pitman/box nut (I read 184 ft/lbs?) Spray the flared mounting end with silicone to make installation easier. Differential 10: To remove the upper control arm, start by placing a jack securely under the lower control arm as support. Torque sensitive drives are particularly suited to those applications where immediate response to torque demand is required for down shifting and engine speed is ideally maintained at its peak rpm. As with the top control arm, the lower ball joint is bolted to the steering knuckle with one nut. If it doesnt, adjust the nut until the opening is located. 65, Auto Use a torque wrench to secure the box with 9/16-inch bolts and torque to 30 ft-lbs. This part takes a lot of stress and should be closely inspected to ensure that it is in excellent condition before installation. Clamp Why tighten more?? Caliper Do not tighten the nuts yet. You can adjust the strut rods to change the rear suspension camber setting on your Corvette. The antiroll bar end is attached to the lower control arm with a link. Reassemble the powdercoated arms. Install pinch bolt being certain that it aligns properly with the machined slot in the relay rod. Set up several large tables so assembly parts can be laid out in their correct order. Heads If it is not properly seated use a pipe wrench to rotate the spring into the correct position. Flywheel on the castle nuts I'm planning to use the torques specified in the AIM. This is done with thin shims inserted between the frame and the control arms steel shaft. Click Here For Details. Use a liberal application of silicone on the washer (shown) to make sure there are no differential oil leaks. 63-82 Corvette Power Steering Renew Kits (valve, ram , hoses), 63-68 Corvette Power Steering Relay Rod (drag link), 69-82 Corvette Power Steering Relay Rod (drag link), How to Rebuild 1965-1982 Corvette Rear Trailing Arm & Wheel Bearings, 1963-1982 Corvette Control Arm Bushings and Ball Joint. This wasn't a GM exclusive. 35, Differential Spring Bolts Bolts New parts have been welded into place by a professional Corvette repair shop. Placing it on a large piece of non-shag gray (or any light color) carpet makes it easier to locate dropped parts. Bolts Check to make sure hoses are not touching any other parts of the car particularly sheet metal and exhaust manifold. 80 When properly assembled, these power steering systems perform reliably. 30, Torque Arm Housing Clutch plates10. to Pinion Flange Similar to a turnbuckle, there are right hand (RH) and left hand (LH) threaded connections at each end of the tie rod adjuster tube. This new design can be found in all 19801982 Corvettes. (The front trailing arm bushings have already been installed here.). Much has happened since our kick-off of the Project. If you use the original ring-and-pinion gear that was removed the fit does not require much adjustment. (If you are using steel shims, this is not a problem.) Be careful not to overtighten, as it will damage the roller bearings. We Mounted tires to make this job easier. The Posi-Traction unit has small clutches that are stacked on each side of the springs; they are held in place with these springs. Use a long pry bar or long screwdriver to push the lower part of the spring into the lower spring well. Any out-of-spec measurements cause an annoying vibration that can be felt throughout the vehicle. The control arms, spindles and springs should now be in place. Once the knuckle has been pushed into the ball joint stud, secure it with a 3/4-inch nut and torque to 45 ft-lbs. A couple of spacer plates are employed between the subframe and framerails. Outlet They start the process by disassembling the old parts. This tab piece goes onto the side gear first, and then every other disc added to the stack does not have tabs. C3 Corvette Forums. 120 L-82 80 The upper shock bolts (5/8- and 11/16-inch nuts) were torqued 60 ft-lbs. Tighten castle nut to 45 lb. Place a floor jack under the spring and slowly lift the spring until you are able to attach a nut to the bottom of the end link bolt. 65, Wheel Nuts Our performance and installation facility is open Monday-Friday from 8:30am-5:30pm (EST). The rear shock absorbers are attached to the trailing arms at the bottom and to the frame at the top. We're installing a new idler arm from Lonestar Caliper. 45, Front Bumper Bolts I will not describe them here. Whether you're maintaining your Shark Corvette or completing a full restoration, our selection of C3 Corvette Power Steering parts is unsurpassed. . For autocross or track day events, set the shocks on the firmest setting as this provides the best handling. Corvette Central Project Split Mod Part 3: Chassis | CC Tech Cylinder Tighten the nut when the rubber has been slightly compressed on the shock shaft. It is fine, once tight the nut can be removed and the arm will never fall off. The rods mount under the differential and connect to the trailing arms on the same bracket as the lower shock mount. These rubber bushing are strong enough to absorb the impact under most conditions. This is a manual steering application, which is why power steering components are not seen in this photo. After this is done, you will need to bleed the power steering system. drag link (center link) - part #3740402 (See the part in the middleof Photo #12.) Step 1 01: Here are all of the components that Zip supplied for the front suspension rebuild: Springs, power steering pump, ram, valve, hoses, idler arm, drag link, tie rods, sleeves, control arm bushings, bumpers, stabilizer bar bushings, end kits, shocks, and all of the mounting hardware kits. 29: Start the re-assembly by installing the lower control arms first, then install the upper control arms and shims and torque the mounting bolts and nuts to specs on both control arms. Standard non-performance Corvettes are fitted with a front antiroll bar that is designed to provide a smooth ride. Classic C2 and C3 Vettes have a conventional Saginaw worm-and-sector steering gear, which does the job quite well unless you'd prefer less steering effort. Verify that each bolt has been properly installed and torqued to specifications by marking them with White-Out. Cam Bolt It has been said you can move the world with the power of hydraulics. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. If you marked these parts during disassembly, re-torque the bolts to the same location. However, if this is not in your budget, at a minimum you need to replace the ball joints and the rubber bushings. Torque specifications for 68-72 Corvettes We're working with technician Paul Taylor of Hot Rods by Dean in Phoenix, who is going to walk you through the C2/C3 power steering system. Two people may be required to reinstall the rear steel spring. Now install the new pump, new hoses, and then tighten the belt to specs. 3. C3 Chevrolet Corvette Suspension Control Arm | Top Flight 80, (Finger tight and align cotter pin hole.) Great Prices. *All work requires an appointment. Yellow or white dye (or marking compound) is usually found in a differential kit. Do not torque the end cap bolts on the shafts yet. It is critical to catch any imperfections on the workbench and not on the car. Install the spindle dust shield gasket onto the spindle. If you find that the ball joint was bolted in place, then you know the ball joint had been replaced sometime in the past. 32: Now we can start assembling the steering linkage. 1963-82 Corvette Rear Suspension Parts - Duntov Motor Company 90 These manuals are a must because they will supply you with removal and installation procedures along with all of the correct torque specifications. C3 rear trailing arms are made from boxed steel and welded for strength. Also, the distance between the box and pitman arm on the old box was 1/2" and the new setup is 5/8". A torque converter system concept of driver, driven and belt member, the opposing halves or sides of each member being unequal in angle. If your original differential is not making noise and does not show any evidence of abnormal wear, reinstall the old shims. The pitman arm bends away from the box as it goes down to the center link end. Van Steel constructed this tool to spin the Posi-Traction unit on a jig that is mounted to a post. These systems leak at the control valve and they can also leak at the power ram. 65, Sway Bar Link Brackets: The dust caps are used to cover and protect the front wheel bearings. Install and adjust the parking brake assembly prior to mounting the rear brake rotor. Filter Bypass Valve Small-blocks from 1968 to 1979 use two U-bolts on each side to attach the shaft to the differential, which are secured with 9/16-inch nuts. 25, Lower After you have installed the first bushing, install the cross shaft into the arm. Start by using a tie rod separator to separate the outer tie rods from the spindle arm. 30, Bracket to Carrier Torque them to 35 ft-lbs. The shims will be installed later; do not put them in now. the past. Original-spec shocks have a service life thats at the lower range of this estimate, while premium aftermarket shocks last at the upper range. Slowly raise the jack, while the upper knuckle ball joint opening is placed into the top control arm ball joint stud. Several well-known Corvette specialty shops offer like-new components at a competitive price that includes a warranty. Check belt tightness and check for a bent or loose pulley. Once the bolts have been secured, install the upper control arm bracket. Install the outer bearing and follow that with a fl at washer. ft. Reconnect the power steering lines to the control valve. C2 Corvette Pitman Arm & Relay Rod (1963-1967) IN VEHICLE C2/C3 CORVETTE STEERING GEAR ADJUSTMENT. Install a French lock that serves as a washer. Pump Cover 32878 - 53-62 Pitman Arm/3rd Arm Ball Stud. - Corvette Parts Worldwide 43: Lube the entire front suspension ball joints, tie rods, idler arm, power steering control valve, etc. Now tighten all of the nuts. Once they are snug, go one-quarter turn more with a wrench. The upper control arm rubber bushing bolts should remain loose until the project has been completed. If you pull the pitman arm, it is sometimes possible to see the twist in the sector shaft splines. lower the weight of the car on it, roll the car, go back and torque the spring & arm bolts with the suspension loaded to the specified AIM torque rating. Your completed front suspension should look like this unit, which is installed on a 1980 Corvette. The design was so successful that it was carried over for the entire C3 production run with only minor changes. As you raise the jack, position the upper ball joint into the spindle. Use an adjustable micrometer to verify the thickness of any shim before installing it. Install the screw and tighten to specs. If the threads engage the entire nut and you torqued to spec, you're good to go. Carefully continue to tap the seal in place while moving the shim around to ensure that the gap is the same all around. Clip off the excess ends with a pair of cutting pliers. Be sure the cotter key hole lines up. Use a mallet to carefully tap the side bearings into the case. In my opinion, this is money well spent. The anti-roll bar has not been installed and is the only missing part in this photo. Let's get started. Ford used this Bendix-design "power-assist" steering design on a wide variety of vehicles ranging from the humble Falcon to the behemoth Lincoln. (Van Steel uses a special fixture to press the spindle out of the bearing support.) Whether youre maintaining your Shark Corvette or completing a full restoration, our selection of C3 Corvette Power Steering parts is unsurpassed. Tie rod assemblies operate on the principle of the common turnbuckle. High Quality Products. They will be tightened and torqued when the completed car is sitting on its wheels and ready to drive around the block. Each bolt has a wedge near the head (arrow) that prevents it from moving once the suspension has been mounted. Then cut approximately a 1 slot into the pipe. 55 This bracket is attached to the lower control arm on each side of the front suspension. If you are not replacing the caliper, you can make a hook out of mechanical wire (or a coat hanger) and let the caliper and hose hang from the frame. Install a cotter key through the hole and bend the two wires back to prevent the nut from coming loose (as you did on the lower ball joint). The block is attached to the Pitman arm gear that turns the steering system when it moves back and forth. I figger it ain't going no wheres. Install a cotter key through the opening and bend back the two wires to prevent the nut from coming loose. Rotate the spring until the end rests against the lower control arm spring well dimple. Just be sure to dial them down after you are finished playing or your fillings might fall out. This bolt has a 13/16- inch head. Transfer this measurement to the corresponding new tie rod assembly. Use a hammer to strike the pickle fork to knock the trailing arm away from the bearing support. Joints U-Bolts Then, service the pump to "full" on the dipstick at operating temperature and you're good to go.