1963 - 1982 Corvette Idler Arm C2 C3 Midyear NEW (Fits: Chevrolet Corvette) $44.00. Rocker You have a thread showing. Whether you're maintaining your Shark Corvette or completing a full restoration, our selection of C3 Corvette Power Steering parts is unsurpassed. Inlet The large gray carpet remnant makes the reassembly process more comfortable and dropped parts are more easily found. Needless to say, if this type of deformation is noted, throw the gear away and purchase a new one. Cam Bolt Housing Cover The 1975-'79 "canned-ham" pump is very similar to the revised Saginaw pump used from 1980-'82. The easiest way to prepare the differential for installation is to place it onto a floor jack. 80 If you liked this article you will LOVE the full book. Install the ring gear onto the Posi unit with new Grade 8 bolts and lock washers. Specs. Torque the bolts to 70 ft-lbs. The aftermarket offers anti-roll bars for both front and rear suspension that are larger and stiffer than the stock anti-roll bars. The completed steering system looks like this unit underneath a 1972 Corvette. The 3/4-inch inner camber bolt was torqued to 70 ft-lbs. Copyright 2023, Zip Products Inc All rights reserved. This helps break in the limited-slip differential before it is put into service. Step-3: Install Nut on Control Arm A 9/16x18x2532-inch bolt secures the rear lower control arm to the frame. Rotate the spring until the end rests against the lower control arm spring well dimple. Leave it alone. 24, Upper Control Arm, Shaft Bolts Excessive steering effort was relatively negated during the first 10 years of Corvette production. 12 The differentials are basically all the same inside, but you find some minor changes during an overhaul. 20 The suspension must have time to settle on the springs before these bolts are tightened. Tighten castle nut to 45 lb. Dec . They provided a better ride and reduced the unsprung weight of the rear suspension. This saves a lot of time during the reassembly process when trying to locate the next part to install onto the frame. speaking of torque specs in the AIM, mine seems to show 40-60 lb-in for the upper ball joint castle nut. Dont forget to do this; its important. Turn the wheels (off ground) right and left, lightly contacting the wheel stops. This new design can be found in all 19801982 Corvettes. Use a mallet to carefully tap the side bearings into the case. Make sure the guide pin on the spring aligns with the guide hole in the differential. Also install the gas tank at this time. Replacement of this system is straightforward because Chevrolet made it so simple to service. 150 70, Upper Use a 9/16-inch wrench to remove the four nuts that are located underneath the parking brake hardware. If oil is extremely foamy, allow vehicle to stand a few minutes with engine off and repeat above procedure. The box output shaft isn't sticking out past the nut as much as the box I removed. 65, Wheel Nuts You can use the social sharing buttons to the left, or copy and paste the website link: https://www.chevydiy.com/c3-corvette-restoration-guide-suspension-differential-reassembly/. Torque The relay rod connects to tie rods on both ends, and those are attached to the steering knuckles. Insert a pickle fork between the trailing arm and the bearing support legs. You will notice that there are both right and left hand threads on the tie rods. Organize and inventory your parts before starting the assembly process. The antiroll bar end is attached to the lower control arm with a link. Push the spring up into the upper control arm spring well in the frame. Tolerances of .005 or less are the runout target. Clip off the excess ends with a pair of cutting pliers. We Mounted tires to make this job easier. Water C3 C4 C56 C56-A C59 C6 C66M-R CD4E Chrysler CIB5 Cruise-O-Matic . Then insert the arms into a special jig to verify that they are straight. 80, Mount Bolts Tie rod assemblies operate on the principle of the common turnbuckle. Because quality is so critical, Lonestar Caliper rebuilds all of its power steering pumps, rams, control valves and steering gears in-house. 80 55 Slide the control arm steel bracket through the two bolts and thread on the 11/16-inch nuts. They will be tightened and torqued when the completed car is sitting on its wheels and ready to drive around the block. Secure and tighten all lug nuts. By leaving them just snug, the arm is able to move up and down freely during the next steps. Pump Bolts The strut rods attach to the differential bracket with an adjustable camber bolt with two reducing washers inside the bushing on the differential side only. You will see later why we did it this way. When installing the control arm, dont forget to replace the factory alignment shims (two in the rear and one in the front). Main Add or remove shims that were installed in step 8 on page 105, depending on how far the measurement is from the desired specification. (888) 581-3838 Phone (972) 243-3838 Fax (972) 243-3828 HOURS M-F 9am - 5pm Sat - by appt follow us on Facebook Instructions for Removing and Reinstalling 65-82 Corvette Rear Spindles The following Special Tools are all but REQUIRED to do a proper job: Spindle Knocker (spindle removal tool) Three bolts fasten the steering box to the left side of the frame. This helps keep critical parts within easy reach. 20 20, Drive Spindle Support to- Manifold Does the new picture look ok as far as the shaft sticking thru the nut far enough? Also, the distance between the box and pitman arm on the old box was 1/2" and the new setup is 5/8". 90 Torque these bolts to 35 ft-lbs. The upper shock bolts (5/8- and 11/16-inch nuts) were torqued 60 ft-lbs. Zora was exactly what Corvette neededhe was very European, a trained engineer, and passionate about sports cars. 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. You will find the fit, finish and function will work superbly for your restoration. Send as many parts as possible to the powdercoating shop in order to get the most for your money. 2628 Views 4 Replies 2 Participants Last post by gtr1999, Dec 13 . in/lbs, Stabilizer Bar Link nuts Pinion shaft3. 11: Loosen the upper control arm mounting bolts and carefully remove the shims. After this is done, your first stop should be the local Corvette alignment shop. Great Prices. Run the steering wheel lock to lock several times to bleed out air. After the shims have been installed, attach a dial indicator to the differential housing to check the gear backlash. Grease and pack the inner and outer bearings with wheel bearing grease. They perform an important function. Installation begins with a new power steering-specific pitman arm, which slips onto the sector shaft like this. Refurbished trailing arms include new bearings as part of the price. Torque the two front bolts to 70 ft-lbs with a 5/8-inch socket. 30, Axle Shaft to Diff.. Side Yoke Because the system is external, everything is easy to access. Pan Drain Plug Notice that it is equipped with power steering. The dust caps are used to cover and protect the front wheel bearings. Four discs without tabs are on each side. This is the perfect time to install the gas tank between the back frame rails. Four bolts in the middle secure it. Insert the lower ball joint stud into the opening on the steering knuckle. The shock absorber is inserted from the bottom of the lower control arm and secured with two bolts in the front suspension. You won't even need one quart of power steering fluid to fill the system. Oil Be prepared for differences in front accessory drive packages on small- and big-block Chevys from 1963-'82, which can affect the compatibility of parts and pulley alignment. Then unbolt the top of the lower ball joint and drill, cut or grind off the rivets to remove the ball joint. Torque Arm Throttle Cable Included No Yes Transfer Case Assembly Included . The shaft is fitted with rubber bushings. Lower the car and turn wheels right and left on the ground. Connecting 31: Install the spindle onto the lower control arm and tighten the nut. Oil 1963-1982 Corvette Front and Rear Suspension Assembly. When lines are backward to the ram you steer left and the ram applies pressure right snatching the steering wheel out of your hands violently. Pinion lock screw and washer4. 20, Differential Mount Bracket Other questions? With all the new parts installed, you want to have your Corvettes front suspension set to factory specifications. 30, Bracket to Carrier Remove the wheel, caliper and rotor. Phone In Price USD $ 48.99 1953-1962 Each Make sure that they are completely seated. Two trailing arms are bolted to the frame on each side and held up with a transverse steel spring (1968-1980). 20, Joint to Upper Arm The pitman arm bends away from the box as it goes down to the center link end. The old shaft protruded about 1/8" past the nut and the new one sticks out just a little past flush. IN VEHICLE C2/C3 CORVETTE STEERING GEAR ADJUSTMENT. . 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. drag link (center link) - part #3740402 (See the part in the middleof Photo #12.) Arm Cover Torque them to 30 ft-lbs. We will be focusing on the front suspension in this article and will be replacing all of the major components in a 1978 Corvette. These systems leak at the control valve and they can also leak at the power ram. Corvette "power assist" steering has long been a very effective tool in reducing steering effort while keep us in touch with road feel, which is why Corvettes were equipped with this type of power steering to begin with. Place the frame in a low-traffic and well-lit area so it can be safely reassembled. Use a torque wrench to secure the box with 9/16-inch bolts and torque to 30 ft-lbs. If it is not properly seated use a pipe wrench to rotate the spring into the correct position. Three basic types of Saginaw power steering pumps were used in C2 and C3 Corvettes. If you find this problem replacing the bearings and shims should correct the issue. When the ball joint is aligned, continue to raise the jack while pushing the ball joint stud through. Also, the distance between the box and pitman arm on the old box was 1/2" and the new setup is 5/8". Pump Cover A J tool from General Motors is required to accomplish this task. 25, Shock Mount Bolt (Upper) 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. Pinion gears5. If you use the original ring-and-pinion gear that was removed the fit does not require much adjustment. The Posi-Traction unit has small clutches that are stacked on each side of the springs; they are held in place with these springs. 42: Install the rotors and calipers and tighten the wheel bearings as per the instructions in the shop manual. 39: Coat the inside of each stabilizer bar bushing with white lithium grease. 30, Pressure Plate Bolts Bearing Cap SAFETY NOTE: To minimize any danger, you may want to use a coil spring compressor tool available at any tool rental or auto parts store to help with the coil spring removal. This pitman arm isused on all 1958-1964 power steering set-ups and the 1958-1962standard steering set-ups. Once this nut is secure, your helper can exit his or her perch on the frame. The 15/16-inch shock mount nut was torqued to 75 ft-lbs. Ensure proper installation with the diagram below. in/lbs, Carrier Front Support to "X" Member Recheck the adjustment after putting 100 miles on the car. You are on the upper end of the torque range with your 150# reading. 30 28: The new pump came with a pulley installation tool. (See Photo #16A.) We're installing a new idler arm from Lonestar Caliper. You need to have properly functioning brakes with no thumping or pulsating from out-of-spec rotors. As you raise the jack, position the upper ball joint into the spindle. Gary 69 vert 350 M20-373's 72 coupe 350,TH400,336's. Reply . The rear transverse leaf spring and spring bolts have not been installed. (888) 581-3838. The bump stop is a triangle of rubber mounted to a metal bracket. Tighten the 11/16-inch locking nuts to 50 ft-lbs. The idler arm provides support to the steering system and is connected to the passenger side of the frame. Cylinder Bolts 14: Loosen and remove the lower control arm retaining bolts and remove the lower control arm and spindle. Fill oil reservoir to proper level and let the oil remain undisturbed for at least two minutes. Torque them to 35 ft-lbs. Product Details. The lower control arm shaft and bushings remove in the same way except you will need a 7/16-202 cap screw to install in the end of the shaft. A belt drives the power steering pump. Some even include multistep adjustments to dial in the ride you want. 50 Now you have a special control arm support tool. The frame is light enough for two people to carry it to your work area for assembly. 30, Camber Cam Nut GM torque specs for the pitman arm nut is 120-160 ft-lb.2. Make sure the sponge washer is installed. Clutch Service the pump with just enough fluid to submerge the pump inside the housing. They are fitted with universal joints so they move through the arc of the suspensions travel as it encounters changes in the road surface. in/lbs It is virtually impossible to get this wrong because the sector shaft is splined. High Quality Products. 35 The old shaft protruded about 1/8" past the nut and the new one sticks out just a little past flush. The good people at Zip Corvette Parts, 8067 Fast Lane, Mechanicsville, VA 23111, 1-800-962-9632, were able to supply us with every part we needed. Tighten the nuts evenly on both sides and make sure the lock washers are crushed. He was quickly promoted to [Click here to read more], It was much easier to stockpile Muncie spare parts and cores in the 1970s than it is today. The front wheels should have a toe-in of 1/8 to 3/8 of an inch. This puts the trailing arm in the correct ride height position and makes putting the half-shafts and strut rods into the car much easier. Van Steel constructed this tool to spin the Posi-Traction unit on a jig that is mounted to a post. Start gathering various bits and pieces, such as small bolts and brake and fuel lines, and place them in your work area. The difference in pumps is more about pump reservoir shape, fittings and shaft type than anything else. Increase engine speed to approximately 1500 rpm. These bolts should be torqued to 30 ft-lbs and the tabs on the French locks need to be bent (shown). 90 Aftermarket suppliers offer a wide range of C3 Corvette shock absorbers. 53-74 Electronic Tachometer Conversion Kit. Tighten the control valve clamping bolt and assemble the ball stud to the Pitman Arm. The 19801982 automatics use 12-mm x 1.75 x 10.9 x 35-mm bolts and 19801981 4-speeds use 12-mm x 1.75 x 10.9 x 80-mm bolts. Rocker Many Corvette part suppliers sell complete suspension components that have been refurbished. Attach all of the power steering hoses. THE RUGGED 40 SERIES TORQUE CONVERTER is composed of heavy gauge stamped steel to withstand the extreme rigors of rough applications. Both of the old bushings should now be out of the control arm. The bump stop protects a severe bump or hole in the road. When they have separated, remove the ball joint nut and pull the control arm out of the spindle. Housing Make sure the spring is properly seated in the control arm so it does not slip. 50 40: The stabilizer bar end link kits can be assembled and installed. Any mismeasurement makes it difficult to align the chassis correctly. in/lbs, Carrier to Frame They start the process by disassembling the old parts. This frame has been carefully placed on four safety stands and four large pieces of cardboard to protect the frame from any scratches. I figger it ain't going no wheres. Whenever there is a need, want and use for a torque sensitive drive system device that is infinitely variable from engagement . ft. Reconnect the power steering lines to the control valve. *All work requires an appointment. Once the bolt is attached with the nut and washer, slowly lower the jack. The C3 rear suspension was an engineering breakthrough when introduced in 1963 on the C2. It is a little complex but works very well when adjusted correctly. Insert it through the control arm steel shaft from the top. The larger the bars, the more taut the ride. 30, Bracket to Torque Arm Flywheel 70, Lower Control Arm Shaft Bolts: $61.99 Each. 30, Sway Bar Bracket bolts (to Frame) 25 It is not diffi cult but care must be taken to avoid injury to yourself or others. 54.23 N-m. Years: 1984-1996. Is your Pitman arm on upside down by chance? A 9/16x18x2532-inch bolt secures the rear lower control arm to the frame. 24: When installing the shafts in the lower control arms, make sure that the two mounting holes in the shaft are on the same end as the stabilizer bar end link mount. After the bushings, ball joint, and steel shaft have been removed from the control arm, the shop inspects for cracks or other damage. Now that the frame has been returned to your work area, reconfirm your factory frame measurements. If using a differential rebuilding kit, it includes a dye to help determine the gear mesh pattern. Install the washer. The installation procedure is the same for all front coil springs. Clamp A couple of spacer plates are employed between the subframe and framerails. 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. The C2/C3Corvette has two identical tie rod assemblies that connect the left and right steering arms to the steering relay rod. Insert a cotter key in the provided hole. Slowly lower the jack to see if the upper and lower control arms securely hold the coil spring in place. Shocks lose their effectiveness slowly, so keep this mileage in mind when you are budgeting for maintenance. On used gears it is 15 to 17 inch-pounds. If you pull the pitman arm, it is sometimes possible to see the twist in the sector shaft splines. If you marked these parts during disassembly, re-torque the bolts to the same location. 1-32878 Corvette Pitman Arm/3rd Arm Ball Stud. Check theside plate end play again. If it doesnt, adjust the nut until the opening is located. The large block moves up and down the shaft as the steering wheel is turned. You will also need a shop, component and assembly manual for your year Corvette, a hydraulic jack, jack stand, and tools. 150 Make sure to keep the jack in place securely under the lower control arm. Remove the parking brake hardware (reverse the procedure that starts in Step 3). It is not necessary to return the same unit to your car. 90 The fluid pressure reduces the effort it takes to turn the steering wheel. Housing Invert the arm in the press. Intake L-82 They spin it fifty times to the left and 50 times to the right. Hand tighten until the bushings are slightly compressed. Trestle Systems 2470 Island Dr, Suite 308 Spring Park, MN 55384 Apply some dye according to the kit instructions. Use a liberal application of silicone on the washer (shown) to make sure there are no differential oil leaks. Low Price Guarantee. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Throughout the chapter on ram charging, air filters, [Click here to read more], Shortly after the birth of Corvette in 1953, a Russian immigrant named Zora Arkus-Duntov joined Corvette. The trailing arms house the parking brake, brake calipers, and rotors. It connects the upper and lower control arms via two ball joints. Pulley should not wobble with engine running. Repeat this process on the other side. When you disassembled the frame, you paid particular attention to how many shims were installed before removing them. Congratulations! C2 Corvette Pitman Arm & Relay Rod (1963-1967) Books & Manuals Home 63-67 C2 Corvette Parts Steering Systems Steering Linkage Pitman Arm & Relay Rod 17 Items Show per page Sort By 1/2-20 Slotted Hex Nut Price: $1.99 SKU: BL-212 Add to Cart 53-62 Steering Drag Link & 63-76 Relay Rod End Plug Price: $8.99 SKU: SC-533 Add to Cart Universal Get the best deals on Pitman & Idler Arms for Chevrolet Corvette when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. They are attached to the frame between the upper control arms with one bolt. 50, Lower 06: Disconnect the idler arm bracket from the passenger side of the frame and then use the tie rod separator to remove the control valve stud from the Pitman arm. Bolts Also check the oil for any metal fragments, which tell you a gear tooth might be chipped or broken. This would once again be a good time to solicit the help of a buddy to aid in its removal. This illustration shows some but not all of the major parts in a Posi-Traction unit.1. When the pump shaft is flush with the inner lip of the pulley, it is seated. Invert the control arm and repeat the process on the other bushing. The steering linkage must be assembled to the pitman arm, idler arm, and to the steering arms using the correct fasteners and assembly torques. Housing Bolts (rear) 40, Front Bolt Big-block half shafts from 1968 to 1974 use 9/16 x 14 x 33164-inch bolts and heavy-duty caps. Our performance and installation facility is open Monday-Friday from 8:30am-5:30pm (EST). 25 The transverse leaf spring bolts to the differential and is connected to the rear suspension trailing arms. I call it a refresh. 60 However, cornering speed is greatly increased with bigger units. Just try one with a different thread. Cover Bolts Check and make sure you can turn the shaft by hand. Set up several large tables so assembly parts can be laid out in their correct order. If you removed the calipers from the brake hoses, you will need to bleed the front brakes. To reassemble the trailing arms, simply reverse the disassembly procedure discussed in Chapter 6. Pump However, if this is not in your budget, at a minimum you need to replace the ball joints and the rubber bushings. JavaScript is disabled. 10: To remove the upper control arm, start by placing a jack securely under the lower control arm as support. 50, Upper 17: On the lower control arm, remove the rubber bumper and mounting plate. Fuel