Power Steering Cylinder
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 699
Likes: 3
From: Millersville, MD
Help
Quick question on Power Steering Cylinder install. The relay rod strut nut should be torqued to 45 ft lbs which I did do that but there is still some stud showing between the rubber fitting and the relay rod. Is this OK? Are we really only looking to get the cotter pin in and done? Same for the frame bracket nut as well because that specification calls for 23 ft lbs which seems way to much and way past the hole for the cotter pin. Need some guidance for the nuts.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
When you attach the assist cylinder rod to the frame bracket there should be a 3709454 washer and a 3709452 grommet on either side of the bracket. Then the castle nut should be torqued to 23 ft-lbs. You are then allowed to tighten the nut to a maximum of 30 ft-lbs in order to align the castle nut slots with the the cotter pin hole.
Are you using new grommets? Old grommets may compress to a point where the castle nut may tighten past the cotter pin hole. I would purchase new grommets.
The spec for the control valve attachment to the pitman arm is that the nut should be tightened to 45 ft-lbs and the nut tightened to a maximum of 50 ft-lbs to align the castle nut slots to the cotter pin hole. The seal on the control valve should be compliant enough to reach the underside of the pitman arm when the nut it tightened on the stud.
Jim
Are you using new grommets? Old grommets may compress to a point where the castle nut may tighten past the cotter pin hole. I would purchase new grommets.
The spec for the control valve attachment to the pitman arm is that the nut should be tightened to 45 ft-lbs and the nut tightened to a maximum of 50 ft-lbs to align the castle nut slots to the cotter pin hole. The seal on the control valve should be compliant enough to reach the underside of the pitman arm when the nut it tightened on the stud.
Jim
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 699
Likes: 3
From: Millersville, MD
When you attach the assist cylinder rod to the frame bracket there should be a 3709454 washer and a 3709452 grommet on either side of the bracket. Then the castle nut should be torqued to 23 ft-lbs. You are then allowed to tighten the nut to a maximum of 30 ft-lbs in order to align the castle nut slots with the the cotter pin hole.
Are you using new grommets? Old grommets may compress to a point where the castle nut may tighten past the cotter pin hole. I would purchase new grommets.
The spec for the control valve attachment to the pitman arm is that the nut should be tightened to 45 ft-lbs and the nut tightened to a maximum of 50 ft-lbs to align the castle nut slots to the cotter pin hole. The seal on the control valve should be compliant enough to reach the underside of the pitman arm when the nut it tightened on the stud.
Jim
Are you using new grommets? Old grommets may compress to a point where the castle nut may tighten past the cotter pin hole. I would purchase new grommets.
The spec for the control valve attachment to the pitman arm is that the nut should be tightened to 45 ft-lbs and the nut tightened to a maximum of 50 ft-lbs to align the castle nut slots to the cotter pin hole. The seal on the control valve should be compliant enough to reach the underside of the pitman arm when the nut it tightened on the stud.
Jim
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
You purchased a new assist cylinder and now when you tighten the nut you are way passed the cotterpin hole in the assist cylinder rod. From the shoulder on the rod to the center of the cotterpin hole should be 1.60 inches. I wonder if the rod was not manufactured correctly.
I am also concerned that the nut supplied with your new assist cylinder was not a castle nut. A correct castle nut allows you to torque the nut to specification and then turn the nut just a bit more to line the slots in the castle nut with the cotterpin hole. A common nut is just going to back off until it hits the cotterpin. This would not allow the rubber grommets (or bushings) to be compressed properly.
Jim
I am also concerned that the nut supplied with your new assist cylinder was not a castle nut. A correct castle nut allows you to torque the nut to specification and then turn the nut just a bit more to line the slots in the castle nut with the cotterpin hole. A common nut is just going to back off until it hits the cotterpin. This would not allow the rubber grommets (or bushings) to be compressed properly.
Jim
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Castle nut/regular nut shouldn't make any difference if the nut was the correct thread pitch and the threads were not damaged. I'm not sure all of the replacement kits would come with the more expensive castle nut...but again, properly installed it shouldn't make a difference.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 699
Likes: 3
From: Millersville, MD
Totally agree. But the castle nut I have won't go on the shaft. The threading is off. So, should this nut be torqued to 23 ft lbs? I'm starting to think this new power steering pump from Corvette Central was a bad choice.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
If the threads aren't buggered up too bad, you could just spin a die down them.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 699
Likes: 3
From: Millersville, MD
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
Here is the castle nut and cotter pin on the Zip Products website.
http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductDetails/ProductDetails.aspx?pid={fc31d4f6-b42a-46c3-90d2-5659a15f6c95}&gid={aa368bb1-9cba-4910-958c-97672435fdc3}&GroupName=Pump+Steering+Ra m+(Cylinder)&pname=63-82+Power+Steering+Ram+End+Nut+%26+Cotter +Pin&Referer=&Alias=&ptct=SGR-SR&CTitle=&
It should be available from other Corvette suppliers as well.
Jim
http://www.zip-corvette.com/ProductDetails/ProductDetails.aspx?pid={fc31d4f6-b42a-46c3-90d2-5659a15f6c95}&gid={aa368bb1-9cba-4910-958c-97672435fdc3}&GroupName=Pump+Steering+Ra m+(Cylinder)&pname=63-82+Power+Steering+Ram+End+Nut+%26+Cotter +Pin&Referer=&Alias=&ptct=SGR-SR&CTitle=&
It should be available from other Corvette suppliers as well.
Jim
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,373
Likes: 223
From: Beecher Illinois
In the diagram posted above there's item 10, sleeve. Do you have that in place, I didn't see any mention of it.
I may have one if you need it, but didn't your original have one?
Seems that would keep the spacing between the washers so the cotter pin would go in correctly.
Kinda hard to get correct torque readings when compressing just rubber grommets.
I may have one if you need it, but didn't your original have one?
Seems that would keep the spacing between the washers so the cotter pin would go in correctly.
Kinda hard to get correct torque readings when compressing just rubber grommets.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
Good point!!!
I didn't notice the sleeve. Chevrolet Graphics should have exploded the sleeve #10 out from the bracket #2 and pictured it with the grommet #9, washer #8, nut #6, and cotterpin #7. With the sleeve in place that would cause the grommet, washer package to be tightened correctly metal to metal.
Vette79C3 mentioned to me that the washers that came in the cylinder rebuild kit were incorrect. He was able to use his original washers and get the package to work. But he didn't mention anything about a #10 sleeve. It is very important that the sleeve is used, otherwise you are just squeezing rubber and the package will soon loosen.
He also mentioned that a castle nut was NOT provided with the kit.
The more I think about it, if his original package did not have a sleeve this could explain why the nut failed originally. Without a sleeve, the package would have hammered the connection every time he neared full lock and possibly could fail the nut. This is because there would not be tension in the joint if the original rubber grommets compressed and took a set.
Jim
I didn't notice the sleeve. Chevrolet Graphics should have exploded the sleeve #10 out from the bracket #2 and pictured it with the grommet #9, washer #8, nut #6, and cotterpin #7. With the sleeve in place that would cause the grommet, washer package to be tightened correctly metal to metal.
Vette79C3 mentioned to me that the washers that came in the cylinder rebuild kit were incorrect. He was able to use his original washers and get the package to work. But he didn't mention anything about a #10 sleeve. It is very important that the sleeve is used, otherwise you are just squeezing rubber and the package will soon loosen.
He also mentioned that a castle nut was NOT provided with the kit.
The more I think about it, if his original package did not have a sleeve this could explain why the nut failed originally. Without a sleeve, the package would have hammered the connection every time he neared full lock and possibly could fail the nut. This is because there would not be tension in the joint if the original rubber grommets compressed and took a set.
Jim
Last edited by Jim Shea; Dec 5, 2011 at 09:00 AM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 699
Likes: 3
From: Millersville, MD
In the diagram posted above there's item 10, sleeve. Do you have that in place, I didn't see any mention of it.
I may have one if you need it, but didn't your original have one?
Seems that would keep the spacing between the washers so the cotter pin would go in correctly.
Kinda hard to get correct torque readings when compressing just rubber grommets.
I may have one if you need it, but didn't your original have one?
Seems that would keep the spacing between the washers so the cotter pin would go in correctly.
Kinda hard to get correct torque readings when compressing just rubber grommets.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 699
Likes: 3
From: Millersville, MD
Good point!!!
I didn't notice the sleeve. Chevrolet Graphics should have exploded the sleeve #10 out from the bracket #2 and pictured it with the grommet #9, washer #8, nut #6, and cotterpin #7. With the sleeve in place that would cause the grommet, washer package to be tightened correctly metal to metal.
Vette79C3 mentioned to me that the washers that came in the cylinder rebuild kit were incorrect. He was able to use his original washers and get the package to work. But he didn't mention anything about a #10 sleeve. It is very important that the sleeve is used, otherwise you are just squeezing rubber and the package will soon loosen.
He also mentioned that a castle nut was NOT provided with the kit.
The more I think about it, if his original package did not have a sleeve this could explain why the nut failed originally. Without a sleeve, the package would have hammered the connection every time he neared full lock and possibly could fail the nut. This is because there would not be tension in the joint if the original rubber grommets compressed and took a set.
Jim
I didn't notice the sleeve. Chevrolet Graphics should have exploded the sleeve #10 out from the bracket #2 and pictured it with the grommet #9, washer #8, nut #6, and cotterpin #7. With the sleeve in place that would cause the grommet, washer package to be tightened correctly metal to metal.
Vette79C3 mentioned to me that the washers that came in the cylinder rebuild kit were incorrect. He was able to use his original washers and get the package to work. But he didn't mention anything about a #10 sleeve. It is very important that the sleeve is used, otherwise you are just squeezing rubber and the package will soon loosen.
He also mentioned that a castle nut was NOT provided with the kit.
The more I think about it, if his original package did not have a sleeve this could explain why the nut failed originally. Without a sleeve, the package would have hammered the connection every time he neared full lock and possibly could fail the nut. This is because there would not be tension in the joint if the original rubber grommets compressed and took a set.
Jim
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 699
Likes: 3
From: Millersville, MD
UPDATE: Corvette Central Power Steering Cylinder
Good point!!!
I didn't notice the sleeve. Chevrolet Graphics should have exploded the sleeve #10 out from the bracket #2 and pictured it with the grommet #9, washer #8, nut #6, and cotterpin #7. With the sleeve in place that would cause the grommet, washer package to be tightened correctly metal to metal.
Vette79C3 mentioned to me that the washers that came in the cylinder rebuild kit were incorrect. He was able to use his original washers and get the package to work. But he didn't mention anything about a #10 sleeve. It is very important that the sleeve is used, otherwise you are just squeezing rubber and the package will soon loosen.
He also mentioned that a castle nut was NOT provided with the kit.
The more I think about it, if his original package did not have a sleeve this could explain why the nut failed originally. Without a sleeve, the package would have hammered the connection every time he neared full lock and possibly could fail the nut. This is because there would not be tension in the joint if the original rubber grommets compressed and took a set.
Jim
I didn't notice the sleeve. Chevrolet Graphics should have exploded the sleeve #10 out from the bracket #2 and pictured it with the grommet #9, washer #8, nut #6, and cotterpin #7. With the sleeve in place that would cause the grommet, washer package to be tightened correctly metal to metal.
Vette79C3 mentioned to me that the washers that came in the cylinder rebuild kit were incorrect. He was able to use his original washers and get the package to work. But he didn't mention anything about a #10 sleeve. It is very important that the sleeve is used, otherwise you are just squeezing rubber and the package will soon loosen.
He also mentioned that a castle nut was NOT provided with the kit.
The more I think about it, if his original package did not have a sleeve this could explain why the nut failed originally. Without a sleeve, the package would have hammered the connection every time he neared full lock and possibly could fail the nut. This is because there would not be tension in the joint if the original rubber grommets compressed and took a set.
Jim
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 699
Likes: 3
From: Millersville, MD
New power steering cylinder installed. This one just looks so much better. The color and hardware scream quality over what I was previously sent the first time. Hopefully they resolve the issues with the first vendor. Thanks for all the help and responses.
