Steering questions.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 14
From: A town SC
Steering questions.
Looking in to rebuilding my control valve and cylinder. Should I rebuild or bite the bullit and purchase them already rebuilt? I do have the ability to refurbish these myself with the right manual in front of me.
BTW its for the 81.
BTW its for the 81.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,989
Likes: 198
From: Meriden CT
I just replaced it with a re-built unit. The money saved was not worth the time spent, for me.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
Rebuilding is pretty easy. I had to do it twice but that was due to my own error. There are 2 rebuild kits for the control valve - one for the 'wet' side and one for the 'dry' side. The wet side kit is inexpensive and the dry side kit is more expensive. You won't know if you need the dry side kit until you take the valve apart and inspect it. If you aren't in a hurry you can take the valve apart and decide what you need.
If you damage a seal when assembling the valve the 'dry' side becomes part of the 'wet' side. I rebuilt both sides of my valve but I had to do the wet side a second time because I mangled one of the seals. If I had followed the instructions more closely that wouldn't have happened.
Rick B.
If you damage a seal when assembling the valve the 'dry' side becomes part of the 'wet' side. I rebuilt both sides of my valve but I had to do the wet side a second time because I mangled one of the seals. If I had followed the instructions more closely that wouldn't have happened.
Rick B.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 14
From: A town SC
What would be considered a good core to build as for as wear on the housing seal contact area? Was told that if you can hang your finger nail on any surface the O rings ride on its only good for a core trade in for a rebuilt unit.Would like to get a more detailed description on weather the part on my car is an aceptable part to rebuild this description would be for the valve and cylinder. THANKS...VIC...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5,691
Likes: 12
From: columbus oh
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Do it yourself, if you can. The cylinder is a "piece of cake"; you are only replacing the seal, wiper, etc. at the outer end of the piston and, once you get the seal removed (just a small PITA...not difficult), rebuilding it takes about 5 minutes. It takes longer to clean the cylinder up for repainting!
With gypo rebuilding shops these days, you can't have any confidence that a rebuilt unit will have the right parts (or all the parts) or that they will be installed correctly. You can be certain that it was NOT tested. Do your own work on this one. Take digital photos as you take it apart; put it together properly and it will work for another 30 years. Besides, you're talking less than $20 for a rebuild kit compared to $100 for a rebuilt unit (that is of questionable quality, at best).
With gypo rebuilding shops these days, you can't have any confidence that a rebuilt unit will have the right parts (or all the parts) or that they will be installed correctly. You can be certain that it was NOT tested. Do your own work on this one. Take digital photos as you take it apart; put it together properly and it will work for another 30 years. Besides, you're talking less than $20 for a rebuild kit compared to $100 for a rebuilt unit (that is of questionable quality, at best).
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 14
From: A town SC
Do it yourself, if you can. The cylinder is a "piece of cake"; you are only replacing the seal, wiper, etc. at the outer end of the piston and, once you get the seal removed (just a small PITA...not difficult), rebuilding it takes about 5 minutes. It takes longer to clean the cylinder up for repainting!
With gypo rebuilding shops these days, you can't have any confidence that a rebuilt unit will have the right parts (or all the parts) or that they will be installed correctly. You can be certain that it was NOT tested. Do your own work on this one. Take digital photos as you take it apart; put it together properly and it will work for another 30 years. Besides, you're talking less than $20 for a rebuild kit compared to $100 for a rebuilt unit (that is of questionable quality, at best).
With gypo rebuilding shops these days, you can't have any confidence that a rebuilt unit will have the right parts (or all the parts) or that they will be installed correctly. You can be certain that it was NOT tested. Do your own work on this one. Take digital photos as you take it apart; put it together properly and it will work for another 30 years. Besides, you're talking less than $20 for a rebuild kit compared to $100 for a rebuilt unit (that is of questionable quality, at best).
Ok. So i feel confident that Ill be rebuilding this myself,so what about the other end of the cylinder the suspension side of it. And still the question of wear, whats to much to allow a home rebuild. I just dont want to put parts in something thats to worn to build..The cylinder leaks and has play at suspension end,and the same for the control valve.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,417
Likes: 336
From: Texas
i used these instructions when i did mine, worked good. the control valve will have play in it when the engine isnt running.
http://www.cssbinc.com/images/ads/ho...structions.pdf
http://www.cssbinc.com/images/ads/ho...r_for_1963.pdf
http://www.cssbinc.com/images/ads/ho...structions.pdf
http://www.cssbinc.com/images/ads/ho...r_for_1963.pdf
Last edited by speedreed8; Jan 21, 2010 at 09:45 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
The cylinder is a welded assembly; so you can't do anything with the internal piston seal. Basically, if the thing works at all, it's good to reuse. If not, you pitch it and buy a new one. Unless you hit a boulder and bend/dent it so it can't function, the cylinder should be fine when you put a new seal, etc. in the end.
Search for Jim Shea's instructions and diagrams for rebuilding the control valve. It took me a while to see how that darn thing even works. As mentioned above, the ball-stud portion of the assembly is spring-loaded, so it has some movement [side-to-side] by design. That movement is what is sensed by the rest of the system, triggering it to "follow" that movement with the power assist action. If the ball-stud is solid in the control valve when on the workbench, it isn't built correctly.
Search for Jim Shea's instructions and diagrams for rebuilding the control valve. It took me a while to see how that darn thing even works. As mentioned above, the ball-stud portion of the assembly is spring-loaded, so it has some movement [side-to-side] by design. That movement is what is sensed by the rest of the system, triggering it to "follow" that movement with the power assist action. If the ball-stud is solid in the control valve when on the workbench, it isn't built correctly.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 14
From: A town SC
The cylinder is a welded assembly; so you can't do anything with the internal piston seal. Basically, if the thing works at all, it's good to reuse. If not, you pitch it and buy a new one. Unless you hit a boulder and bend/dent it so it can't function, the cylinder should be fine when you put a new seal, etc. in the end.
Search for Jim Shea's instructions and diagrams for rebuilding the control valve. It took me a while to see how that darn thing even works. As mentioned above, the ball-stud portion of the assembly is spring-loaded, so it has some movement [side-to-side] by design. That movement is what is sensed by the rest of the system, triggering it to "follow" that movement with the power assist action. If the ball-stud is solid in the control valve when on the workbench, it isn't built correctly.
Search for Jim Shea's instructions and diagrams for rebuilding the control valve. It took me a while to see how that darn thing even works. As mentioned above, the ball-stud portion of the assembly is spring-loaded, so it has some movement [side-to-side] by design. That movement is what is sensed by the rest of the system, triggering it to "follow" that movement with the power assist action. If the ball-stud is solid in the control valve when on the workbench, it isn't built correctly.
Got the cylinder apart,how do you flush the old fluid out to prepare for overhhaul? Also is there a kit for the stud end of the cylinder? Thanks...VIC...
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
There are no additional parts for rebuilding the stud end of the control valve. Unless there is some damage on 'hard' parts, you just need to clean up the parts and insert fresh grease. I would recommend that you use hi-temp, synthetic grease to put back in it; that will prevent engine heat from melting it and keep it in good shape for many years. If you do have damage on some of the working parts, you will need to find replacements or just buy a new control valve assembly. I would not recommend buying a rebuilt unit.