tie rod paint codes?

[jvb6648]

Is there any significance to the paint markings on the tie rod ends?

[Mark]

Bolts were torqued to the required value.

[68camaroz28]

Bolts were torqued to the required value.

Mark, I believe torque was not the reason as its been stated many times that paint markings overall were not used to identify torque had been applied. JohnZ has mentioned over the many years of his contributions it was completed by the supplier to identify hardness had been checked. But maybe I have it mixed up?

[Mark]

could be but the same orange paint daubs are on the tie rod sleeves, don't think there much hardness in those pieces.

[jvb6648]

No paint on the adjusting sleeves or short tie rod ends, only on the longer left hand thread ends.

[Mark]

They are there on mine, 04L Norwood Z11.

[copo]

I have set of early NOS tie rod ends, they have the orange paint on the ends, it appears that they may have came from the supplier with paint markings on them.

[KurtS]

Nobody checks the hardness of 100% of their parts. Way too time-consuming.
I agree, probably not an in-plant mark, but a supplier marking.

[sixt9x33rs]

My Gold Z had a yellow dab on the inner tie rod at the threads and also the orange as shown in the pictures.

[firstgenaddict]

I believe the yellow was to quickly identify which side of the tie rod and adjusting sleeve assemblies (according to the manual they were supplied as an assembly) was to be attached to the center-link during assembly of components on the feeder supply lines. Same with the Blue mark on the centerlink.... the blue line went to the steering box / not the idler arm. 
 I thought the orange identified the quick ratio arms.

[169INDY]

Stop and think about the way the paint daubs "RUNS",,,,,,,,,,,,

[JohnZ]

The steering linkage was manufactured at Chevrolet-Buffalo and supplied as a completed assembly to Norwood and Van Nuys - all the car assembly plants did was add the grease fittings and grease.

[firstgenaddict]

Ok then to Chevrolet Buffalo is where we need to be direct our research.

Did they manufacture the tie rods, center link, adjustment sleeves, and clamps?
Or was it a plant which did the pre-assembly for component systems?

I worked in a manufacturing and assembly plant where we assembled a few of our products from components which look very similar, they were identified with color codes in order to differentiate which side

Understanding how typical assembly lines operate this is my theory... 

Someone putting together tie rod adjustment sleeves would assemble the setup with a yellow tie rod and one without, the person assembling the tie rod assemblies to the center link would know the yellow always was bolted to the center link. (either end of the setup looks similar)

These ques alone would save countless man hours in per unit assembly time and error correction.
 

[JohnZ]

Did they manufacture the tie rods, center link, adjustment sleeves, and clamps?
Or was it a plant which did the pre-assembly for component systems?
 

Buffalo made forgings, stampings, and did rough machining - it was closed many years ago.

[69Z28-RS]

Should we expect a new book...  'Echoes of Buffalo'..   on the near term horizon?