Topic: 67 Steering Parts Finishes

[Bob Gaines]

Bringing this back as someone remarked about the colors of the tie rod sleeves and clamps on the Facebook Concours forum.

There seems to be a difference of opinion between what's called out here -- sleeve is bare metal, clamps are darker and what Marcus states in his write-up -- the opposite.

His excellent suspension write-up is here:
http://anghelrestorations.com/uploads/3/5/1/2/35122002/65_to_73_suspension_guide_v2.1aa.pdf

Once de rusted and tumbled the clamps can appear the same as the sleeves. In the wild I find original clamps typically slightly darker. The reason I believe is because the clamps are made of a different spring like compared to the steel of the sleeves. If they were made of the same type steel as the sleeves then once compressed they wouldn't spring back when the bolt and nut were loosened . Spring steel is typically a darker color/shade then non. I am sure there is a range of darkness. I have seen a little and also a lot (two words right Jim)  . I think it is because of the tempering process but others could explain better.That is my opinion based on personal observations . Marcus apparently has different.

[jwc66k]

I have seen a little and also a lot (two words right Jim)  .

Thanks. I used to write procedure manuals for the Air Force and they get "picky" about words and punctuation.
An humorous example:
"In the restaurant, the panda ate shoots and leaves" or,
"In the restaurant, the panda ate, shoots and leaves".
The first sentence depicts a meal, the second depicts an act of violence - all because of a single comma.
Jim

[67gtasanjose]

..."picky" about words and punctuation....
An humorous example:
Jim

(eyeroll instead of eye roll)

[Bossbill]

I realize this whole thread is in relation to 67, so I'll start there.
The assembly manual says
- clamp bolt is 304759-S2 || phosphate and lube
- clamp nut is 34443-S7 || Cadmium plate (as noted in the 6 cyl section since V8 is not listed

However, V8 or no, all the cone-style squeeze nuts on the 67 suspension are Cadmium plate.

Jim states in this thread:
http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=20084.msg126982#msg126982
That the 66 Shelby nut is S2. Perhaps this leads this finish being thought of as correct for 67-on?

Although for a 68, Jeff notes this finish for the sleeve:
Tie rod adjustment sleeves - natural steel - Yes new steel look - not as dark as tie rods
here http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=7192.msg40595#msg40595

Here is the picture Marcus has for the 67 sleeve, nut and bolt.
I'm not sure how this can be construed as anything other than P&O for nut and bolt, dark sleeve and lighter clamp.

I'm just trying to get the right finish as there appears to be competing viewpoints.

[edit -- it took a bit to construct this post so others came in after Jeff's reply]

[jwc66k]

Jim states in this thread:
http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=20084.msg126982#msg126982
That the 66 Shelby nut is S2. Perhaps this leads this finish being thought of as correct for 67-on?

I did? I was referring to power steering differences for 64-66 V8s.
Jim

[J_Speegle]

Sure jumping around between years and such. Added some pictures to the 68 thread. IMHO some or a fair amount of light wash since I've seen the car in person. Nuts are finished differently than the article but we learn things all the time and just updating past articles and posts can be a full time job. Just ask me . Most of us have proven that what we post or write today may be incorrect or out of date quickly not possibly never. No one knows

I'm not sure how this can be construed as anything other than P&O for nut and bolt, dark sleeve and lighter clamp.

Hardening and quench will produce the same look as we've discussed and shown before but given these are small parts can't say which is original IMHO but the focus is on the look rather process. Multiple routes to the same goal

[Bossbill]

Idler Arm mounting bolts, -zinc phosphate. Washers zinc phosphate ,nuts zinc silver. Adjusting sleeve bare steel ,clamps a little darker spring steel. Nuts and bolts are zinc phosphate . Center link bare cast steel. tie rod end nuts zinc silver. Pitman arm is bare cast steel . Nut is zinc phosphate . Steering box bolts and washers are zinc phosphate. FYI many of these finishes and others are described in the assemblyline manuals. They will save you hours and hours of time if you invest in copies. FYI zinc phosphate = S2 , phosphate +oil

I was doing another run of P&O and checked the Assy Manual before finally finding this post. Here is what the assy manual says:
Steering box bolts 378331-S100
Steering box D washer 378581-S
Idler Arm bolts 374420-S
Idler Arm D washer 377112-S
Idler Arm nuts Silver.

So yeah, the bolts I took out were P&O (looking) and yet the manual has weirdness.

The manual also says the fasteners for the steering ram bracket are all -S and that can't be right either.

[Bob Gaines]

I was doing another run of P&O and checked the Assy Manual before finally finding this post. Here is what the assy manual says:
Steering box bolts 378331-S100
Steering box D washer 378581-S
Idler Arm bolts 374420-S
Idler Arm D washer 377112-S
Idler Arm nuts Silver.

So yeah, the bolts I took out were P&O (looking) and yet the manual has weirdness.

The manual also says the fasteners for the steering ram bracket are all -S and that can't be right either.

I have only seen S100 (red dye) steering box bolts on 68's .I suppose Ford could have started doing them in later 67 Mustang production (not Shelby).

[jwc66k]

The manual also says the fasteners for the steering ram bracket are all -S and that can't be right either.

The use of the "-S" without a number usually meant no (formal) finish as in P&O, zinc, cad etc. It was bare and probably had a (lite ?) coat of oil.
Not being an advocate of rust (I'm former Navy), I give the item a light P&O finish, percentage of phosphoric acid used and time in the hot bath.
Jim

[Bossbill]

Sorry, other factors in life are making me a bit annoyed.

My point is that the assembly manual is not the final word as I tend to take Bob's and Jeff's observations in the field over what the manual suggests.
There is no date on the Chassis page that suggests -S100 and the 100 portion of the text is well off line from the -S. It does look to be added later.

The power steering through-frame bolt is the same part number and finish as the idler arm bolts so they have to be the same finish. Coming out of the same bin, no?

So I'll do the steering box, idler and p/s bracket through-fame bolts as a dark P&O. Same with the D washers. Steering box lock washers are bright.
I'm a bit stuck on the lock washers of the p/s bracket (into the squish nuts) as one would think they would be bright. The bolts, as Jim suggested, would be light P&O.