60 Steering Question

[Wayne G.]

I recently detailed some of the cars front components with a few yet to go... 60 FI Big Brake, so she has the quicker steering plate.

There is a large ROUND thing in the center of the car can't remember what its calledfor the steering. There is a FELT or RUBBER GASKET WASHER ON the OUTSIDE of it... how important is that to be in good shape, it is all strecthed out...

I would say its about a 2-3 inch round by 1/4 high washer/gasket.
Also I can see its available at the repo places, is this something hard to install, it appears I can remove the adapter plate and slide a new one all the way up and over? Or must I seperate something, I had checked the part for crackes as I read people make the mistake and sometimes jack the car there, but it all looks fine... side question is it OK to jack in the center of the front crossmember or not? Is one uses a peice of wood to spread the jack load off the small puck?

thanks

[Donald H.]

Re: 60 Steering Question

Sounds like you may be talking about the third arm? Not clear from your description. If this is what you mean, and you are talking about the third arm bearing seal, not sure how you would replace it without removing the third arm from the third arm bracket.

[Wayne G.]

Re: 60 Steering Question

Sounds like you may be talking about the third arm? Not clear from your description. If this is what you mean, and you are talking about the third arm bearing seal, not sure how you would replace it without removing the third arm from the third arm bracket.

Yes that is it the LARGER item on it has a rather large round seal, it almost looks as if it were felt, the way its all droopy, Is it super important I see Paragon has one, How would I install a new one? Easy item to just take partially off an slide on the new one? Anything I should do special... Grease it? Any way to check it? She only has 54k orig miles but age of course is another factor but things are pretty rust free on this one... never seen rain, if anything it seen many a day of dusty roads and stone chip and tar roads that actually put one heck of a coating on things.

I had pressure washed the whole underside and it almost looks new... was a shame to have to use the water but only way it would come off and some spots had to even wire brush on a air tool, it's amazing how new... even the yellow and blue markings are all intake... and most of the original paint is there... just have to touch up a few things... really would love to remove the fender splash sheilds there is tons of tar splash on it.. and well just so so hard to clean by hand and thinner and that kills the paint anyhow so clean and blast and repaint would be faster and give a nice detail to the wheel wells....

thanks...

[Donald H.]

Re: 60 Steering Question

There are very good instructions in teh ST-12 in the steering section on the third arm assembly. Nothing super complicated about replacing the seal, but it's more than a few minutes of work. I believe the seal is mainly to keep dirt and stuff out of the third arm assembly.

So, if you aren't driving the car much, I might be inclined to leave it alone rather than take it apart. But I'm no expert and so someone else who has a longer history with maintaining a C1 may have a different opinion.

Don,

[John F.]

Re: 60 Steering Question

Call Tom Parsons!

[Tom P.]

Re: 60 Steering Question

This round seal that you speak of is in fact a foam/sponge rubber "seal" (and it's a VERY WEAK excuse for a seal) that goes between the center steering arm and the brakcet that mounts to the front cross member.
The seal is availabe from all the Corvette vendors.
To replace the seal, it is necessary to seperate the steering arm from the brakcet, which is too easy to do-----------------------unless you own a 62 with either the 340 or 360hp engine (the steering arm won't come completely out because it hits the harmonic balancer).
This seal was part of the original factory assembly and about all the good it did was to keep large particles from getting between the steering arm and the bracket. It is pretty worthless for keeping out water, mud, crud.
The original bearing in the steering arm usually had a seal on only one side of the bearing. But the later GOOD replacement bearings have a seal on both sides of the bearing, so there really isn't much of a concern with keeping trash out of the bearing.

That brings up another issue. Replacement bearings (with a seal on both sides) are becoming increasingly difficult to find (my local parts store can no longer order them). So if you can obtain a new bearing, I would strongly recommend buying one and putting it on the shelf.