power steering control valve question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 445
Likes: 2
From: Thomastown Mississippi
power steering control valve question
I'm replacing the power steering control valve on my '77. The ball stud on top has a castle nut and cotter pin. When I reinstall, is the castle nut tightened to a certain spec, or just snugged down??? I just removed the old control valve, and when I removed the cotter pin, the castle nut was only finger tight. Is that the way it should be?? Thanks.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 45
From: nassau co. new york
in my case while not finger tight it was somewhat loose and the ball stud was rotating on the pitman arm.the ball stud taper took the wear and the replacement ballstud went on tight.i'm not sure if in some cases the pitman arm would catch the wear.good luck.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
As much as you might not want to hear this; I would purchase a new power steering pitman arm. The power steering arm has the number 3741383 (usually with an "A" or a "B" after the number) cast on the arm.
The ball stud is hardened. So if it was loose in the pitman arm socket, it will pound on the tapered hole that is machined into the arm. So even if you seem to retighten the ball stud into the original pitman arm (and it seems tight) the "fit" of the taper is no longer proper between the two parts and I would be very concerned that the connection could loosen with some driving.
I would be safe and purchase a new arm.
Let me qualify the above with one more statement. If the castle nut was loose, but you still had to use a tool to "break" the taper fit between the stud and the pitman arm, then the tapered hole in the pitman arm would still be correct and you could go about just retightening the connection.
Jim
The ball stud is hardened. So if it was loose in the pitman arm socket, it will pound on the tapered hole that is machined into the arm. So even if you seem to retighten the ball stud into the original pitman arm (and it seems tight) the "fit" of the taper is no longer proper between the two parts and I would be very concerned that the connection could loosen with some driving.
I would be safe and purchase a new arm.
Let me qualify the above with one more statement. If the castle nut was loose, but you still had to use a tool to "break" the taper fit between the stud and the pitman arm, then the tapered hole in the pitman arm would still be correct and you could go about just retightening the connection.
Jim
Last edited by Jim Shea; Dec 21, 2012 at 09:08 AM. Reason: One more qualifying statement
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,839
Likes: 45
From: nassau co. new york
jim you have given me food for thought.i did this job over a year ago and installed the pitman arm on the steering assembly first before mounting the whole assembly.sometimes i get creative and i might have put a washer there figuring i would just be lower on the same tapered stud while maintaining fitment.if i see a washer there did i do bad?thanks for the feedback.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
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
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer