A question on the steering box this time
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,609
Likes: 12
From: Massapequa Park NY
A question on the steering box this time
Got most of the front suspension & steeging back together on Sat morning. Sunday I started cleaning up the steering box & pitman arm. Glass beaded the pitman arm & degreased the sterring box and cleaned it up ith a wire brush.
The casting number on the pitman arm matches the AIM but not the steering gear, the AIM has a part # of 7807759. The # cast into the main housing is 5877848. Does this matter? Also it had a blue paint stripe not a yellow daub as I had read in a couple of books. Forgot to take a pic before I cleaned it up :bb
Here's a pic of the steering gear & pitman arm cleaned up though.
What finish should they have? Cleaned off black paint form the steering gear. Both black? or Natural?
Thanks
Jim
The casting number on the pitman arm matches the AIM but not the steering gear, the AIM has a part # of 7807759. The # cast into the main housing is 5877848. Does this matter? Also it had a blue paint stripe not a yellow daub as I had read in a couple of books. Forgot to take a pic before I cleaned it up :bb
Here's a pic of the steering gear & pitman arm cleaned up though.
What finish should they have? Cleaned off black paint form the steering gear. Both black? or Natural?
Thanks
Jim
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 12,712
Likes: 2,271
Re: A question on the steering box this time (70BBvert)
Keep in mind that the AIM calls out END ITEM part numbers, not casting numbers. Also, I believe that the steering gear arrived at the plant with the pitman arm attached, so this "assembly" would have a unique part number.
For service, the steering gear and pitman arm were available separately, not a subassembly, so the steering gear and pitman arm will each have a unique part number that won't match what's in the AIM.
Same applies to the steering linkage. It arrived at the plant as an assembly, so the linkage assembly and steering gear/pitman arm assembly were the two major pieces. Beyond the steering damper or power steering boost cylinder, the rest of the part numbers called out in the AIM in the steering section are integration hardware.
Duke
For service, the steering gear and pitman arm were available separately, not a subassembly, so the steering gear and pitman arm will each have a unique part number that won't match what's in the AIM.
Same applies to the steering linkage. It arrived at the plant as an assembly, so the linkage assembly and steering gear/pitman arm assembly were the two major pieces. Beyond the steering damper or power steering boost cylinder, the rest of the part numbers called out in the AIM in the steering section are integration hardware.
Duke
Pro
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 724
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From: Palm Bay FL
Re: A question on the steering box this time (70BBvert)
Jim,
I have been doing a lot of research over the last month on chassis part markings. The one thing I have found out constantly is inconsistence. We know for sure, parts were marked for various reasons, i.e. Inspections for torques, physical being, measurements, etc. Effort was made to use the same color and location of paint daubs. However they did vary from worker to worker at various times for unknown reasons. I would duplicate the markings you found understanding that shades of colors do change through the years even more covered with grease, oil, dirt and grime for thirty years.
After all most have seen the "L" steering box marking story!
"A while back, that there was a funny story on the NCRS forum which told of an old Corvette assembly plant worker who shocked the spectators at an NCRS event when he responded to a query about the "L" on a steering box -----he said it meant "leaker". This story, although funny, is true."
I have been doing a lot of research over the last month on chassis part markings. The one thing I have found out constantly is inconsistence. We know for sure, parts were marked for various reasons, i.e. Inspections for torques, physical being, measurements, etc. Effort was made to use the same color and location of paint daubs. However they did vary from worker to worker at various times for unknown reasons. I would duplicate the markings you found understanding that shades of colors do change through the years even more covered with grease, oil, dirt and grime for thirty years.
After all most have seen the "L" steering box marking story!
"A while back, that there was a funny story on the NCRS forum which told of an old Corvette assembly plant worker who shocked the spectators at an NCRS event when he responded to a query about the "L" on a steering box -----he said it meant "leaker". This story, although funny, is true."
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
Re: A question on the steering box this time (70BBvert)
The casting number on the pitman arm matches the AIM but not the steering gear, the AIM has a part # of 7807759. The # cast into the main housing is 5877848. Does this matter?
