3779184 Idler Arm- Is this NOS or USED? How to tell if it's in good working order?

[Gary B.]

Re: 3779184 Idler Arm- Is this NOS or USED? How to tell if it's in good working order

Gary------


Yes, it's very possible that during the 66-67 period (or, even later) all of the idler arms did have the forging numbers on the bottom. This would include both SERVICE and PRODUCTION pieces since I doubt there was any difference for one or the other as far as manufacture goes.

However, the 3779184 idler arm was used in PRODUCTION through 1981 and available in SERVICE until June, 1984. At some time, the orientation of the forging numbers could have changed for some or all arms. SERVICE arms manufactured during that period would, of course, by applicable to 63+ Corvettes.

Joe,

I have no doubt what you say could be true. The main point I was trying to make was the the current 66 & 67 TIM&JG could be correct as written.

Gary

[Scott S.]

Re: 3779184 Idler Arm- Is this NOS or USED? How to tell if it's in good working order

Scott-----


I can usually move them by hand but it takes quite an effort.

Thanks Joe,

It looks like I picked the wrong week to stop working out

[Rich C.]

Re: 3779184 Idler Arm- Is this NOS or USED? How to tell if it's in good working order

Now I"m curious, have to crawl under the car to look at the original thats still on the car and then go pull out the NOS one (it'll go on the car when I do the frame off) from it's storage. It's in a container with the NOS tie rods, ball joints, end links, and control arm bushings! Frame off is going to be a blast!

[Rich C.]

Re: 3779184 Idler Arm- Is this NOS or USED? How to tell if it's in good working order

Both my original (still on car), and NOS one have the #'s facing down.

'73 LS-4 454 owned 21 1/2 years!

[Rich C.]

Re: 3779184 Idler Arm- Is this NOS or USED? How to tell if it's in good working order

Joe -

When I was at Buffalo in 1966 on a trouble-shooting visit, steering linkages were hung on overhead conveyor racks for painting (with that gooey black paint) from two hooks - one through the pitman arm hole, and one from the steering idler arm bracket hole, five or six linkages per rack.

Alan -

The pitman arm was part of the steering linkage from Buffalo on manual-steering cars, and at least part of it got painted. On power steering cars, the pitman arm was a separate part, installed to the control valve in an off-line bench subassembly at St. Louis where the control valve was assembled to the relay rod and the system was bench-bled before installation on the Frame Line.

Stupid question; how did they bench bleed when the power steering pump isn't there? Or the power steering cylinder? Sounds cumbersome. Good case of a picture being worth.....

'73 LS-4 454 owned 21 1/2 years

[John H.]

Re: 3779184 Idler Arm- Is this NOS or USED? How to tell if it's in good working order

Stupid question; how did they bench bleed when the power steering pump isn't there? Or the power steering cylinder? Sounds cumbersome. Good case of a picture being worth.....

'73 LS-4 454 owned 21 1/2 years

Rich -

The pump was on the engine (installed on the Engine Dress Line), and the pressure and return hoses were connected to the pump after the engine was set in the chassis.

The steering linkage (relay rod, tie rods, idler arm), control valve, pitman arm, power cylinder, and valve-to-power cylinder hoses were subassembled in an off-line bench fixture adjacent to the Frame Line; the pressure and return hoses on the top of the valve were connected to fittings on the fixture, and fluid was pumped into the pressure side while the stud on the control valve was exercised by a hydraulic device to bleed the air out of the assembly. Temporary plugs were installed in the free ends of the pressure and return hoses, and the completed assembly was installed on the frame.

After the engine was set in the frame and the pressure and return hoses were connected to the pump, the pump reservoir was topped off, and checked again for level after car-start on the Final Line.

[Rich C.]

Re: 3779184 Idler Arm- Is this NOS or USED? How to tell if it's in good working order

Rich -

The pump was on the engine (installed on the Engine Dress Line), and the pressure and return hoses were connected to the pump after the engine was set in the chassis.

The steering linkage (relay rod, tie rods, idler arm), control valve, pitman arm, power cylinder, and valve-to-power cylinder hoses were subassembled in an off-line bench fixture adjacent to the Frame Line; the pressure and return hoses on the top of the valve were connected to fittings on the fixture, and fluid was pumped into the pressure side while the stud on the control valve was exercised by a hydraulic device to bleed the air out of the assembly. Temporary plugs were installed in the free ends of the pressure and return hoses, and the completed assembly was installed on the frame.

After the engine was set in the frame and the pressure and return hoses were connected to the pump, the pump reservoir was topped off, and checked again for level after car-start on the Final Line.

Awesome information!!! I'm sure evryone would enjoy hearing more of these 'details of assembly' I never would have imagined that scenereo of assembly! You should think about writing a book on the assembly sequence. With all the sub-assembly that went on. Thanks!

'73 LS-4 454 owned 21 1/2years

[John H.]

Re: 3779184 Idler Arm- Is this NOS or USED? How to tell if it's in good working order

Awesome information!!! I'm sure evryone would enjoy hearing more of these 'details of assembly' I never would have imagined that scenereo of assembly! You should think about writing a book on the assembly sequence. With all the sub-assembly that went on. Thanks!

'73 LS-4 454 owned 21 1/2years

Rich -

In addition to the three PowerPoint files that comprised my Midyear Assembly Process presentation at the Novi National Convention, there's a 27-page .pdf file that describes the complete assembly process, operation-by-operation, from the underbody subassembly to the shipping gate; all four files are available for download from our Michigan NCRS website, www.michiganncrs.org. They're on the right side of the home page, under "Seminar Downloads".

This was a "sticky" for several months since the Convention, but it's gone now.