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Steering control valve rebuild?

MacD2469

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2002
Messages
18
Location
move to Germany
Corvette
1982 White/Silver
I have replaced all the tie rod ends and now have a wandering Vette once again! :( I found that the steering control valve's bolt connecting it to the pitman arm moves just like the tie rod ends did just before I replaced them. :( My question to those more experienced than I is when you get a rebuilt kit for the steering control valve does that 'Bolt' come with the kit? I assume it’s a ball joint or something very similar to it.
I am normally capable of fixing just about anything if there is a kit to do so, but I have not seen any info that says that is part of a rebuild kit???

Mac
 
My rebuild kit did not come with the bolt.
 
The Eckler's kit and the one from Advanced Automotive do not come with a bolt.

I am putting a kit in my '79 tomorrow and I was wondering does the control valve bolt come right out of the pittman arm or do you have to use a puller?
 
I used a 'pickle fork' (used to remove ball joints) to help remove the control valve. If you merely loosen the bolt without totally removing it, you may be able to tap on the top of the bolt which could loosen the valve up from the pitman arm.

-Vic
 
Well that means a new control valve, unless some one knows a trick to fix this wobbling bolt?

Thanks for the info... Mac
 
That ball stud doesn't "firm up" unless the engine is running, so it has hydraulic pressure on both sides of it.
:beer
 
Cool, good to know. But just means I have to have a new one. LOL My steering is loose crus'in or sitting, engine off or running....

Mac
 
There's going to be at least two areas that'll give you play in the steering: the control valve; and the steering gear box. I replaced my ps control valve, rebuilt my ram, and it eliminated all my leaks, but I still have a bit of 'play' in the system. Some of it is inherent in the design of 70s ps systems, but in my case my steering gear box is wearing out, too, so I've got some play there.
 
The play in mine is definitely coming from the bolt on top of the control valve. I can see the pitman arm moving while the control vale does not. It almost a half an inch in both directions before the control valve moves.

Mac
 
ala75vette,

have you tried adjusting your gear box to take the play out? when i bought mine i could barely keep it on the road and the front end had been for the most part replaced so i adjusted the gear box a little and now all the play is gone.

basically what i did was put the front end up on blocks suspending the front wheels. then i loosened the set nut on the steering box and turned the adjustment screw a little to the right to tighten it up then i would turn the steering wheel full rotation left and right. what you are feeling for is when it feels like the steering is starting to bind. on my box it took from half to 3/4 turn of the adjustment screw before i felt the bind and then i backed it off just a tad so that i didn't feel it bind. it really tightened up my steering.

hope this helps.
 
My Vette...

...has exactly the same problem. The play is at the end of the pitman arm, NOT in the steering box.

If the wheels are turned with the engine running the pitman arm moves fine... it just at the end where it meets the control valve. What needs to be replaced here to rectify this?

Cheers
Dazza
 
This has evolved into almost a "dual string" discussing gear boxes & control valves!

Thanks 'yakatak76' and 'bobchad' for the info on steering gear boxes.... I'll put that on my vette 'to do' list and see if I can't tighten up my steering a bit.

And as for play in the ball joint on the top of the control valve.... it just don't seem right to me for you to have that much (half inch each way).
 

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