Power to Manual Steering and 2011 Thread
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6th Gear
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Power to Manual Steering and 2011 Thread
In converting a '70s T-Top 350/automatic from power to manual steering, I found some posts from 2011. But the information seems incomplete as far as the power steering versus manual “cylinder” (shock absorber like component).
Remove the pump, control valve, and cylinder. Then its manual. The steering box is the same. The General used a different ratio on the manual cars by installing the outer tie rod in a different hole in the arm on the spindle.
Another poster added:
The pitman arm and relay rod (center link to some) are different on manual steering cars. Everything else (steering box, spindles, etc.), are the same on both power and manual steering Corvettes. I don't think either pieces are available as repros, but rebuilt relay rods and used pitman arms, are readily available from many Corvette vendors.
The power steering cylinder links to the center link aka “steering relay rod arm.” Two hoses screw into it on one end and connect to the steering gear mounted to the center link. The postings I found from 2011 do not mention the non-power steering version of the cylinder being different – instead one post says to remove the p/s cylinder. It does not say anything else about replacing it or plugging its two ports. The only two items to change, according to the second post above, are the Pitman arm and the relay rod/center link.
Do I convert the p/s cylinder into a manual one by plugging its two ports? Is a cylinder even necessary on a manual steering?
The spindles' horizontal arms have the two vertical holes for the tie rods mentioned in the first post. So that requirement is met.
Prefer not spending $1300 for bolt on rack and pinion version, if I can safely avoid doing so for less cost.
Thanks for the advice.
Link to 2011 thread on this topic:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...-steering.html
Remove the pump, control valve, and cylinder. Then its manual. The steering box is the same. The General used a different ratio on the manual cars by installing the outer tie rod in a different hole in the arm on the spindle.
Another poster added:
The pitman arm and relay rod (center link to some) are different on manual steering cars. Everything else (steering box, spindles, etc.), are the same on both power and manual steering Corvettes. I don't think either pieces are available as repros, but rebuilt relay rods and used pitman arms, are readily available from many Corvette vendors.
The power steering cylinder links to the center link aka “steering relay rod arm.” Two hoses screw into it on one end and connect to the steering gear mounted to the center link. The postings I found from 2011 do not mention the non-power steering version of the cylinder being different – instead one post says to remove the p/s cylinder. It does not say anything else about replacing it or plugging its two ports. The only two items to change, according to the second post above, are the Pitman arm and the relay rod/center link.
Do I convert the p/s cylinder into a manual one by plugging its two ports? Is a cylinder even necessary on a manual steering?
The spindles' horizontal arms have the two vertical holes for the tie rods mentioned in the first post. So that requirement is met.
Prefer not spending $1300 for bolt on rack and pinion version, if I can safely avoid doing so for less cost.
Thanks for the advice.
Link to 2011 thread on this topic:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...-steering.html
