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Restoration / Re: Bored? Feel like zincing tailpipe clamps?
« on: April 09, 2020, 12:13:32 AM »
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"Please verify outer arm length by measuring it from spindle centerline. Looking at your photos the arms look like long arms even though they have what should be short arm forging numbers. I haven't looked at steering arm photos for years so maybe I'm wrong but I would not rely 100% on just those forging numbers. There are long arms with "short" forging numbers."I have matched most if not all the part numbers for arms on my page to the factory parts manual so the forging numbers DO match the parts book but I've gotten about two emails, one from a guy who bought arms with those numbers off an ebay seller and when recieved, they were not short arms.
I will verify the measurement sometime in the next few weeks when I get the car out of storage.
Back in 2004, I verified the pitman arm and idler arm lengths but never bothered to verify the outer steering arm lengths because of the following statement from your website which is at the end of the "Steering Arm Part/Forging Numbers" section just prior to the "Pitman Arm" Section:
"Note: Outer steering arms forging numbers ARE the same as the part number."
The only other reference point I have is that steering wheel lock to lock is just over 2 turns.
Other question I would have is how would/could GM/Chevrolet have produced long outer steering arms with the wrong (short outer steering arm) casting/part number?
Richard
I 've been following along and don't want to muddy the waters but how is the firebird different in that it uses a c shaped pitman arm?Firebird was pretty much the same as Camaro for 67/68 but in 69 it all changed. The center link has the joints, not the idler and pitman. So the Pitman, Idler, center link, are all different. As far as the steering arms, I don't know for sure, they look similar.
How is that? I drove my uncles 69 Trans Am RAIV back in the day and it had extremely quick power steering?
My '69 RS is nothing special, just a lowly plane jane, 210 hp base V8 Coupe with Powerglide and a 2.73:1 open rear end. Great car to cruise around in and get the heads turning but not a performance ride to say the least.Please verify outer arm length by measuring it from spindle centerline. Looking at your photos the arms look like long arms even though they have what should be short arm forging numbers. I haven't looked at steering arm photos for years so maybe I'm wrong but I would not rely 100% on just those forging numbers. There are long arms with "short" forging numbers.
From Mr. Pozzi's website and other postings on this site:
1969 Variable Ratio Power Steering; RPO N40 with Quick Ratio Steering RPO N44:
• 2.06 turns lock to lock
• Utilized short outer steering arms and long pitman arm
• 16.1:1 on center
• 12.4:1 off center
• 14.3:1 overall over all ratio
OUTER STEERING ARM
Short Arm (Approximate 5.25" length between center of spindle to center of tie rod hole)
• Left Hand part and casting number 3954875
• Right Hand part and casting number 3954876
PITMAN ARM:
The pitman arm used for the fast ratio (RPO N44) steering option is approximately 5.8” long.
IDLER ARM
The 1968-69 models used an idler arm which is approximately 5.25" long.
Back in Feb 2004 when I was restoring the front suspension, I came across a surprise. Previously, on multiple occasions while out driving the car, I had noticed / verified that there is just a little over 2 turns of the steering wheel from lock to lock.
During front suspension disassembly and restoration I verified that the pitman arm is approximately 5.8" long and that I had the SHORT OUTER STEERING ARMS. Refer to the pictures. The first two are the left hand side, the last two are the right hand side.
Previously William posted: "2,161 [1969]Camaros were built with N44 special steering equipment....Perhaps half of N44 cars (1,080) were not Z-28."
Well, my poor ol' ride, for whatever reason, appears to be one of the approximately 1,080 non-Z28 1969 Camaros produced with the N40/N44 combination.
Stay Safe,
Richard
Learn something new every day. Sorry for my wrong information. A whole lot of people out there believe the steering gears were different for quick ratio, that was including myself, what You say makes sense, I will have to crawl under mine to check it out. My steering whell turns 2 and barely over an eighth turns lock to lock. Although I hadn't went as far as checking my spindles evrything lookes fine but I haven.t delved into looking close Yet. Again I apologize for my previous statements