The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Steering Linkage re-assembly

Got the rebuild kits (ball seats, springs, spring seats and end plugs) to re-assenble the tie rods and drag link.
The Chevy Shop manual has a photo on page 3-4 that shows the drag link (steering connecting rod) labeled gear end and axle end. Is there a difference between the two ends or are they just saying that one side is attached to and the other is attached to?
What is the prefered grease to slather on the new pieces (made in India)?

Sacred Cow Grease!


Ba BA RUM STU!

OK Stewart,
Te He.
The bags were labeled Made in India. Do I pack in Lithium or?
And is there a difference in ends to the drag link?

Rattletrap,

I know nuttin...I just post the dumb responses!

I don't know if there is a end for end difference. I think the best grease would be a grade 2 with a waterproof base (SOAP) like moly or poly-urea. I don't think you can buy a "wrong" grease...just a "better" grease.

Stuart

camel grease !!! LOL !!!!!

There definitely is a difference between the two ends. If you look at the diagram, you will see that the stems on the two spring seats are different. On the gear end, the stem is longer and there is a deep hole in the connecting rod at that end, not the other end.

truckernix,
I see what you are talking about with respect to the deep and shallow ends. But what does the reassembly look like? Down in the recesses of both are holes. The gear end has a larger hole than the axle end. Is this just a place for extra grease to go to?
The seat then backs up to this hole with the spring sliped over it. But the spring in the kit is the same length as the longer shaft on the seat! Can't be any spring action. It is only when I insert the spring over the shorter seat shaft that the spring could have some compression play. The diagram on the previous page (3-3) shows the assembly for the tie rod ends. Same for the drag link? :confused:

The longer pin slips into an actual hole inside the rod. Some kits come with two seats with long pins and that is incorrect.

Did you get the seals for the openings? I purchased a set of rubber ones and they look like they will do a really nice job.

Of the two kits I got, neither have rubber seals? Are you talking about the rubber boots that slip over the ball mating end and somewhat cover the slip that the ball moves in? I purchased those separtely.
Each kit is a bit different from the other. They were literally the last two plastic bagged in the box. There's a bit of difference between them. One has red springs with seat shafts (two) that are 3/3 dia. The other has black springs with 3 seats whose diameter is close to 1/2 inch. The is one long shaft and two short shafts.
If the long shaft goes into the hole, does one of the other seats back up to it with the spring over the top? Or?

I haven't put mine back together yet but I did notice the difference with my old parts and the kits. There is at least one thread on here where someone had difficulty getting all the parts to fit back in.

Those are the seals I was referring to. I think that the originals were felt.

Do you still have your old parts? Do you have the shop manual?

Get the shop manual out again, there is an exploded picture of the steering connecting rod on the page you mentioned, that shows how the ends are assembled differently.

I personally had trouble with the rebuild kit. The springs that came with my kit were too long, and I could not assemble the ends together. I hope that was an isolated problem, you might want to compare your original springs to the replacements.

OK, here's a question? If I compare the old with the new, and I cannot tell the difference nor see any obvious ware, should I install the rebuild kit? It is possible that the springs aren't as springey as they used to be 53 years ago and maybe the cups are thinner. But if it isn't obvious, why switch?

Rattletrap,
the parts that wear and cause grief are the cups and the balls. If the springs didn't break, they should be fine. I think that the springs are there to limit the peak force that the joint has to endure. One of my springs was broken so that the joint had a lot of play. The ball ends were also worn and one had a groove starting in it.

truckernix,
I noticed that the new springs are ahair taller than the originals. I thought that maybe after being compressed for 50+ years that they wouls be a bit shorter. The original cups have a grease hole in the middle like the new ones, but they also have a grease canal from the edge to the hole. The new ones don't. Any thoughts?
And what about those seals you mentioned. Where did you get those from?