The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 46 ½ Ton OE Steering

As with the Brakes, I have decided to go back to OE tie rods and drag link setup.
I spent a couple hours looking at all the pieces of the component puzzle. I got focused on the “path” required to get grease to the ball and cups. The tie rod assembly seems straight forward – got the assembly drawing from American Classic - as was one end of the drag link. Something was hinky as far as the other ends assembly was concerned though. After playing with numerous assembly options, I began to believe the JC drawing (for this one end) might be in error. The rebuild kits come with two types of "safety rivets", three in all. One has a long stem with a hole through the center, and two others short stemmed with no hole. The long one with the hole is required on the drag link (end with grease fitting at the base of the cup) to allow grease to get from the zirk to the ball/seat surface. It is longer than the spring is tall. If you put it together according to the JC drawing, the cup will sit on the rivet stem and nullify any tension being placed on the spring when the end cap is tightened down (the spring is shorter). If you opt for the shorter stemmed rivet, it allows tension to be placed on the spring but does not allow proper lubrication. Using the long stem rivet allows proper lubrication but it needs to be turned, stem downward toward the grease fitting and through the spring. When the end plug is screwed down it places tension on the spring and stem of the piston is pushed down into a machined area of the drag links cup, compensating for the extra length. One option, I guess one could cut the stem shorter and go with the JC drawing, and in fairness, a lot of times drawings are for reference and not meant to be a replacement for an assembly manual. Anyway, Joe H sent me a link and the drawing confirms this.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/1929_57chevyparts/57cmpc0561.htm

I have begun a Flickr set on the OE Steering Restoration and hope to get some good photos of the rarely published ball stud removal process.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dodsonbrett/sets/72157627546542919/

Pictures of the earlier Late Model mods are in another set.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dodsonbrett/sets/72157614496885625/

Incidentally, if you want to discuss procuring the complete modified setup being removed send me a PM, I need ball stud and rebuild kit money. Got’a feed the monkey!

Cavebull

So have any of you seen this with replacement ball studs; the threads on the studs appear short. The castle nuts can thread down to the arms even though they may be shorted. If a flat washer is installed the nut does not appear to tighten down enough to allow insertion of a cotter pin through the castle nut.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dodsonbrett/6204596126/in/set-72157627652317197/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dodsonbrett/6204597578/in/set-72157627652317197/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dodsonbrett/6204594530/in/set-72157627652317197/
Might work when torqued though.
Anyone know the toque spec for these nuts?
Cavebull

cavebull, I may be wrong here but this is just a thought. For the most part when I take off a castle nut there is rarely a flat washer or even a lock washer on the stud/bolts.
Is it because the factory seen no use in putting a washer of any kind on because of using the castle nut??...or over the years many folks left them off so I could guess what to do?!

What have others experienced ....or have to say...opinions?

Alvin,
Maybe I should not have used the term "short thread" but instead, "long in the shoulder/shank".
My concern is, although the castle nut will tighten down far enough to seat on the face of the steering arm, it is missing a couple threads from the shoulder side. I agree, the need for a washer - flat, locking, or otherwise - seems unusual, and I too would be inclined to opt for a missing thread v.s. adding a washer. Afterall, the ball studs come with castle nuts and cotter pins. If a washer was warrented I would guess they would have been inclded as well.
Just looks unusual to me as the nut threads over the shoulder. More often , the shoulder stops the progress of the nut.
Cavebull