I am restoring my 66 roadster and from the Tech Manaul and Discussion Board postings I understand the relay rod and pitman arm are painted semi gloss black with the idler arm and outer attachment nuts unpainted since this unit was painted and supplied to the assembly line as a unit. My question if painted as a unit were the boots on the tie rods and the boot and silver clamp connecting the relay rod ball to the pitman arm also installed at the time of painting by the supplier?
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Re: RELAY ROD AND PITMAN ATTACHMENT CLAMP
Robert, I don't have an answer, just more questions. I followed the thread on the steering linkage, too, since I am restoring my 67. The 67 judging manual says the pitman arm is natural on power steering cars and painted on manual steering cars. It also states the idler arm is a natural finish forging. Would they have gone to the trouble of masking the idler arm if it was attaced to the rest of the linkage at the time of painting? Since the steering linkage is different for power steering and manual steering, I suppose it's possible that they were painted differently.
Would they have painted the valve assembly on power steering cars or was that added on in St. Louis?
I have the same question you do. Wouldn't the four tie tod boots (inner and outer) and attaching hardware (nuts & cotter pins) be painted chassis black? How about the plug in the end of the relay rod on standard steering cars?
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Re: RELAY ROD AND PITMAN ATTACHMENT CLAMP
Ed and Robert-----
A few comments:
The steering relay rod/tie rods/tie rod ends/and idler arm were part of the assembly delivered to St. Louis as a unit. This unit, or its components, was not "painted" in the traditional sense; it was coated by the supplier with an asphaltic paint and rather sloppily so. I don't know why the idler arm was uncoated, but my recollection is that it was uncoated. As far as the tie rod end grease seals were concerned, at least the inner ones had to be installed since the unit was coated as an assembly. I suspect that the outer ones probably were, too; perhaps fastened in some way to keep them from falling off(like with a tight-fitting cardboard tube installed over the stud which may also have served to protect the stud in shipment).
For non-power steering cars, I believe that the Pitman arm may have been supplied with the steering gear assembly. There is no indication in the AIM that it was installed at St. Louis. However, for power steering cars, the arm WAS installed at St. Louis. That may explain why manual steering arms are painted and p/s arms unpainted.
For p/s cars, the control valve assembly was installed at St. Louis. It was NOT part of the aforementioned steering assembly. The threads on the end of the relay rod(for connection of the valve assembly)were very likely covered with a cardboard tube or otherwise so that they would not be coated and protected in shipment.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: RELAY ROD AND PITMAN ATTACHMENT CLAMP
Joe, you're correct - the tie rod ends had diposable plastic caps on them to protect the studs and retain the boots, and the power steering linkage assembly from Buffalo had a cardboard tube that protected and masked off the threaded end of the relay rod which later accepted the control valve, hoses, etc. in an off-line subassembly on a bench which also included a fluid system to bleed and fill the linkage and hoses prior to installation to the chassis. Essentially the same linkage-boosted system was also used on the Chevy II.
JohnComment
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Re: RELAY ROD AND PITMAN ATTACHMENT CLAMP
John/Joe- I have a manual steering 66 and from your postings and previous postings I assume the clamp, boot, relay end plug and pitman arm were all painted along with the tie rod clamps, boots and inner attachment nuts. All makes sense till you get to the unpainted idler arm. From a previous post from someone working the assembly line they indicated the assembly was delivered as a unit and all painted on manual units. This included pitman arm, relay rod, tie rod assemblies and idler arm. Makes sense but in conflict with tech manual. I figure I will mask off the idler and paint the devil out of the rest. The previos post did indicate the cheap asphalt coating which he stated required gloves to protect workers hands during assembly. Thanks for guidance!Comment
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