Topic: 67 Steering Parts Finishes

[orgnl70]

Early 67 Metuchen built. What would be the the correct finish for the following parts:
Idler Arm mounting bolts, washers and nuts.
Adjusting sleeves, clamps and bolts
Center link
Tie rod end nuts
Pitman arm and nut
Steering box bolts and washers
Thanks in advance

[Bob Gaines]

Early 67 Metuchen built. What would be the the correct finish for the following parts:
Idler Arm mounting bolts, washers and nuts.
Adjusting sleeves, clamps and bolts
Center link
Tie rod end nuts
Pitman arm and nut
Steering box bolts and washers
Thanks in advance

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

[J_Speegle]

.............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.

And by using the search feature. Much if not all of the questions have been asked before. The search will likely also produce pictures of many of the finishes

[Bossbill]

I've searched, but this one seems elusive.
The assy manual doesn't appear to call out the center link idler arm pin/bolt finish, as it is part of the 3304 assy.

I thought it might be heat treated as the rest of the center link was heat treated.
Also, the chassis, bolt-up side of the idler arm itself was heat treated.

Heat treated or not?

I haven't yet cleaned up the machined areas where the tie rod and ram go through. I assume all of them have the shiny, machined surface (as well under the pin).

[on edit -- add center link to first sentence; 2nd edit -- add idler arm itself]

[jwc66k]

The assy manual doesn't appear to call out the center link idler arm pin/bolt finish, as it is part of the 3304 assy.

Only hardware items, screws, bolts, washers and nuts, had a finish code (blank was unfinished, which is still a code).

I thought it might be heat treated as the rest of the center link was heat treated.
Heat treated or not?

Those items were hot stamped from rod. At the end of the process, they were dropped into an oil bath, not a real heat treatment, but more to cool the part for handling and give some rust protection.

I haven't yet cleaned up the machined areas where the tie rod and ram go through. I assume all of them have the shiny, machined surface (as well under the pin).

I don't believe any machining was involved other than drilling the mounting holes and the threading of the other end.
So, what do you do?
I don't know, but I would do a light phosphate and oil treatment, primarily to give some surface protection.
RUST IS YOU ENEMY.
Jim (USN trained)

[J_Speegle]

I thought it might be heat treated as the rest of the center link was heat treated.
Also, the chassis, bolt-up side of the idler arm itself was heat treated.

Heat treated or not?

You can finish them using what ever you choose. End product IMHO would be dark similar to strut rods, spindles and the like.  If you go really dark the machined surfaces will contrast a bit too much and "grab" the eye. Not what I think your looking for

I haven't yet cleaned up the machined areas where the tie rod and ram go through. I assume all of them have the shiny, machined surface (as well under the pin).

Yes machined surfaces would be brighter than the surrounding unmachined surface. I typically use gun bluing repair fluid since I can control where it goes and where it isn't applied and hopefully some additional extra work.  Choose what is best for you

[Bossbill]

Ok, here is the center link and one drag strut.
The yellow paint is exactly as the original had on it.

They have not yet been oiled (Boeshield).

[note to others, the paint is specific to 67 power steering only]

[Bob Gaines]

Ok, here is the center link and one drag strut.
The yellow paint is exactly as the original had on it.

They have not yet been oiled (Boeshield).

[note to others, the paint is specific to 67 power steering only]

The drag link is typically a darker dull steel compared to the strut rod which is typically a lighter shade steel with a slight shine to it.

[Bossbill]

This reminds me of the conversation about "The Color Gray!" And its infinite variants.

Thanks, Bob. I like the color of the strut rod after Boeshield and its "shinier" look, so I darkened the center link another shade.

If I remember I'll shoot another pic. Maybe take it outside since shooting in this shop full of fluorescent lights doesn't help determine colors and shades.

[J_Speegle]

This reminds me of the conversation about "The Color Gray!" And its infinite variants.

IMHO the strut rod (if different in tone or tint) isn't far from the other heat treated parts used as part of the suspension originally. But that's just me

Of course we're not looking for a monotone finish - color, tine and tone would have been variables based on many factors including how dirty the quenching oil was that day

[Bossbill]

While looking at the center link, it's not a very nicely finished piece. The forging marks are everywhere and the metal itself has pores. It's just a forged piece that doesn't have to look nice to perform its intended duty. Even if finished precisely like a drag strut it can't be as shiny as the much nicer metal finish of the strut.
So yes, the drag strut will look shiny and the center link, not so much.

I think by the time I was done I tried 4 or 5 different finishes/shades on the drag strut, with only 2 or 3 on the center link.

[jwc66k]

Here's some samples of "lightly phosphated" 65-66 center links (there were four, one's on my "K" car, the second on 6S1902), strut rods and hood hinges. The hood hinges are dark here but have lightened up over time. The center links were done in 2010, the strut rods and hood hinges in 2012. Don't overdo your parts.
Jim

[Bossbill]

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

[jwc66k]

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

The component pieces, sleeve and clamps, were delivered to the suspension sub-assembly area wrapped in clean cotton towels after being de-greased and washed in detergent - or came in a bucket or wooden box still covered with the oil used in the stamping process. The hardware was phosphated and oiled. Think "dirty". The assembly line workers did not wear tuxedos on the line.
Jim

[J_Speegle]

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.

Only see the sleeves (maybe I missed a reply ) mentioned in the first two post and the discussion moved on to larger other items.

Of course some of it comes down to what each has experienced or even pictures again (digital details as discussed before). In the Article you attached in some pictures the clamps are the same color as the sleeves, in others the sleeve is darker that the clamps or so it appears. In others the tie rods are brighter/lighter than the sleeve. The article more seems to focus on parts numbers and specifications, which it does do a great job of,  rather than part finish comparison. 

Allot of this reminds be of the discussions about semi-gloss black and how glossy or flat one finish should be compared to another.

Just me