Question: Does this look right?

[Vette79]

Installed a new power steering cylinder and I have a question about the frame bracket nut. If I go according to specifications per shop manual and AIM, it should be torqued to approximately 23 ft lbs. If I do that I am way past the hole for the cotter pin and the rubber bushings are really compressed. If I just go past the hole and install the cotter pin then it seems like there could be some play and what prevents the nut from backing off? Can anyone post a picture of their configuration or at least tell me the correct installation of this nut? Also, the nut that comes with the new power steering cylinder is not a castle nut. I ordered one to install but the threads are different and it will not install.

 

[tmkassin]

If It was mine I would toss the cotter pin and double nut it.

 

[Vette79]

If It was mine I would toss the cotter pin and double nut it.

Yep, I had that thought as well but don't have another nut to install oddly enough. I have one other power steering cylinder and that nut doesn't fit either. Weird!

 

[JohnZ]

The threaded end of the rod is incorrectly machined - it should look like the photo below.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Also- the attaching hardware is not correct. The two large washers should have a cup shape and the nut should be a castellated type. I believe also there is a steel tube that prevents the rubber bushings from becoming over compressed.

 

[Vette79]

Also- the attaching hardware is not correct. The two large washers should have a cup shape and the nut should be a castellated type. I believe also there is a steel tube that prevents the rubber bushings from becoming over compressed.

Interesting. I still have my cup shaped washers from the old power steering pump that I could use. I do have a castle nut but it won't go on the shaft but I will try again tomorrow as the castle nut does go on the old power steering pump shaft. Why do they send new power steering pumps without a castle nut? This is the second one in a bout four years without a castle nut. It does look like in JohnZ pic that it is torqued to spec and the rubber bushings are compressed.

 

[Vette79]

The threaded end of the rod is incorrectly machined - it should look like the photo below.


View attachment 6523

John, what do you mean by incorrectly machined? The hole is 1.6'' from the shoulder of the shaft or the beginning of the threads so the hole is in the correct position. Are you referring to the threading?

 

[Vette79]

Also- the attaching hardware is not correct. The two large washers should have a cup shape and the nut should be a castellated type. I believe also there is a steel tube that prevents the rubber bushings from becoming over compressed.

I found one problem. Incorrect washers. The washers should be cupped. Explains why I had some much room to work with. Luckily I still have my old ones. Now all I need is a quality nut.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Do you have this spacer:



located between the two grommets?

 

[Vette79]

Do you have this spacer:

View attachment 6525

located between the two grommets?

Yes I do have this spacer installed. The correct cupped washers made a huge difference in spacing. The only nut that fits is the one that came with the cylinder. I'm going to Home Depot or Lowes to hopefully find a better quality nut to install and use loctite to ensure it doesn't back off and snap the cotter pin.

 

[Vette79]

UPDATE:Corvette Central Power Steering Cylinder

After contacting Corvette Central about the issue of shaft threads and hardware (Washers and Nut) being incorrect they responded in kind and notified me that they agree there is an issue with the specific vendor they are dealing with and are currently in the process of rectifying the problem by pulling their inventory and making the necessary correction. They also are shipping me a new correct power steering cylinder from a different vendor free of charge. Thank You to Holly at Corvette Central!

 

[Hib Halverson]

The threaded end of the rod is incorrectly machined - it should look like the photo below.

I'm gonna bet that rod is drilled properly but, because the washers are flat instead of "cupped" and the nut rubber isolators are compressed to much, it appears that the cotter pin hole is in the wrong spot. John Z's image shows the isolators compressed properly.

As stated above, the supplier of the power steering ram is supplying substandard hardware. Corvette Central is to be commended for their quick response once you found their mistake but...they should not be letting errors like that get caught by customers. They should be inspecting safety-related pieces, such as the power steering rams and hardware, when received from suppliers. Better to be proactive rather than reactive in a case like this.

 

[Vette79]

I'm gonna bet that rod is drilled properly but, because the washers are flat instead of "cupped" and the nut rubber isolators are compressed to much, it appears that the cotter pin hole is in the wrong spot. John Z's image shows the isolators compressed properly.

As stated above, the supplier of the power steering ram is supplying substandard hardware. Corvette Central is to be commended for their quick response once you found their mistake but...they should not be letting errors like that get caught by customers. They should be inspecting safety-related pieces, such as the power steering rams and hardware, when received from suppliers. Better to be proactive rather than reactive in a case like this.

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.