Rag joint bolt on 68

[Joe L.]

Re: Rag joint bolt on 68

I am not so sure that a recent manufactured "new" steering box is going to feel as good as an original OEM box. I would recommend a rebuilt box by Gary Ramadei (NCRS 14833) as your best bet in obtaining a gear box as good or better than OEM.
Jim

Jim------


Yes. the later-manufactured GM SERVICE steering boxes (without the Saginaw logo cast into the housing) are deficient. However, GM must have finally realized that and put out the "discontinued" sign. The GM #7819668 is no longer available.

Gary's rebuilds are the way to go.

[Scott S.]

Re: Rag joint bolt on 68

Scott------


Why not just obtain one of the AMK bolts which appear PERFECT to me?

Joe,

I was just curious based on comments about threaded vs. unthreaded shanks in other discussions, and if using a bolt threaded the entire length is unsafe for the rag-joint application, it would be good to have that info posted here for future archive searches.


If I understood Jim's earlier response (post 7, "I don't think that you would need to replace the bolts after a couple uses. The material is GM 280M except hardness to be Rockwell C-27/34"), I should be okay to re-use my (presumed) originals. They have a "NL" headmark (not sure of that's period correct), but NO grade marks at all, which usually indicates 260-M or Grade 2, doesn't it? Have you seen original 12-point pinch bolts with no Grade marks before, or does that indicate a non-original bolt in this case?

The example in the AMK catalog appears to be Grade 8 (6 grade lines).

[Joe L.]

Re: Rag joint bolt on 68

Joe,

I was just curious based on comments about threaded vs. unthreaded shanks in other discussions, and if using a bolt threaded the entire length is unsafe for the rag-joint application, it would be good to have that info posted here for future archive searches.


If I understood Jim's earlier response (post 7, "I don't think that you would need to replace the bolts after a couple uses. The material is GM 280M except hardness to be Rockwell C-27/34"), I should be okay to re-use my (presumed) originals. They have a "NL" headmark (not sure of that's period correct), but NO grade marks at all, which usually indicates 260-M or Grade 2, doesn't it? Have you seen original 12-point pinch bolts with no Grade marks before, or does that indicate a non-original bolt in this case?

The example in the AMK catalog appears to be Grade 8 (6 grade lines).

Scott------


Original bolts I have seen do not have grade markings. Grade markings are not seen on many special bolts.

"NL" is among the headmarkings found on these original bolts.

[Jim S.]

Re: Rag joint bolt on 68

This is a portion of the 7807271 pinch bolt drawing. This "approved vendor" chart was added to the drawing as Revision "Y" in 1980. Since other GM divisions (as well as Saginaw) were purchasing this pinch bolt, an approved vendor chart was added. This chart should mean that the only approved suppliers (in the 1980 timeframe) would have been these companies. I offer this chart to indicate that only two of the six have grade markings on the head. I can't speak as to head markings before that time since this wasn't covered on the drawing. Note there are two colors used for the plastic patch. But I can't confirm who were the actual suppliers in this time frame or the colors.

Jim

[Joe L.]

Re: Rag joint bolt on 68

This is a portion of the 7807271 pinch bolt drawing. This "approved vendor" chart was added to the drawing as Revision "Y" in 1980. Since other GM divisions (as well as Saginaw) were purchasing this pinch bolt, an approved vendor chart was added. This chart should mean that the only approved suppliers (in the 1980 timeframe) would have been these companies. I offer this chart to indicate that only two of the six have grade markings on the head. I can't speak as to head markings before that time since this wasn't covered on the drawing. Note there are two colors used for the plastic patch. But I can't confirm who were the actual suppliers in this time frame or the colors.

Jim

Jim-----


Very interesting information. One other very interesting thing this demonstrates is that even for a special bolt like this with very specialized and limited applications there were 6 possible manufacturers. Can you imagine how many there were for general use fasteners used by the millions in any given model year?

[Terry M.]

Re: Rag joint bolt on 68

I am happy and a bit nostalgic to see Pheoll as one of the suppliers. They had a manufacturing plant (a couple of blocks square) on the edge of Chicago and I got it inspect their electrical facilities a lot in my younger days -- about 50 years ago. The next door factory was Victor Gasket. I can remember not being able to see from one end of Pheoll to the other from the oil mist hanging in the air. There was row after row of screw machines spitting out fasteners at alarming rates. Both those places are part of a strip mall now and the near-by Hotpoint plant is a movie studio. Progress.

[Rich G.]

Re: Rag joint bolt on 68

Just got the bolt I ordered from Willcox. It looks like the drawing Jim posted way back in the beginning of this thread. It has a head marking like the Eslok or Pheoll but no "E" or "P" in the center, just a blank circle. It came in a package marked Corvette America and has the nylon patch, which is yellow. The package says "63-82" ST COL Coupler Star Bolt and their p/n is 031149. There is another number on the package which is what I think I ordered it under. That number is 33330.

I agree with Joe. Who would have thought there is so much to know about one bolt!

Rich