Help with centerlink problem

I cannot help you but interested for oil pan clearance options.

I have a 62

arndog

The black one in the pic maybe some type of after market new and improved replacement since the arm definitely is. Or maybe a 67 since the box is a different design from the earlier models. I may have to wait until the car gets back from the body shop before pressing the centerlink bearings in

Bg

As I understand it, the curved idler and the straight idler can be interchanged on a manual steering car. Power steering cars need the curved idler.

It the different curves in the centerlink that are throwing me off. I want to say mine looks more like the black one, where it is straight from the inner tie-rod mount to the pitman arm mount. I think every one I've seen was like that one.

'62 had some wierd one-year only steering parts. I am not familiar with them, but I wonder of the bent centerlink is from a '62?

I highly recommend getting an idler arm bearing conversion kit from c2o or one of the nova parts vendors. The wears-in-not-out idler arm is not servicable, but you can install the bearing kit in the straight idler arm. I don't know much about the wears-in-not-out arm. Oddly enough, I had one on my car when I bought it, but it was worn out. (wears-out-not-in? )

I remember seeing a 62 set up and it was totally different on the idler arm end. I had another straight idler and already converted it to the bearing setup and it is a slick deal. I cleaned up the rusty center link and put it all on the ToBeContinued shelf and will have both links ready to install the bearing. Oh well on to the seats and foam.
Thanks John
bg

bg3500 said:

I remember seeing a 62 set up and it was totally different on the idler arm end. I had another straight idler and already converted it to the bearing setup and it is a slick deal. I cleaned up the rusty center link and put it all on the ToBeContinued shelf and will have both links ready to install the bearing. Oh well on to the seats and foam.
Thanks John
bg

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No problem. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but I have never seen one with funky bends like that rusty one. I recall mine being more straight on the idler arm end, just like the black one. I had a spare at one point, and both were the same.

The unpainted looks to be 63-65 to me though the portion between the tie-rod holes is bent. I looked at one of mine and it matches. I have several and the 62 has a funny ball pivot in the centerlink that mates to the idler(severe departure from yours). Either willl work for you though I would never use the bent unpainted one.

Thanks . I have been running around today checking out my buddies Novas. Both are 67s and both are just like the painted one and both have the 'wear in not out ' arm. One of the cars came with that setup but my other friend ordered the complete kit to replace a power steering set up about 10yrs ago but cannot remember for sure but thinks it was Chevy 2 only. The more I looked at all the samples I think the rusty one was in a wreck and as you commented it is tweaked . John65 has one like the painted one on his 65 with the bearing idler arm and it works so thats good enough for me. Steering,suspension and brakes worry me. Thanks everyone now on to the interior.

bg

Wear in not out are the best ones ever made for our cars.And as far as I know only two options on center links are power and Non power.

bg3500 said:

John65 has one like the painted one on his 65 with the bearing idler arm and it works so thats good enough for me. bg

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Just to be clear... I installed my bearing conversion kit into a curved idler. As I understand it, curved or straight doesn't really matter for the bearing kit. They both take the same bushings.

The "wears-in-not-out" arm that was on my car when I got it was actually frozen on the frame end. This caused it to destroy the idle arm mounting bracket. It wasn't "worn", but something cause that end to lock up. I hear other people say great things about those idlers, so maybe mine just suffered some sort of mishap? I dunno. I just found a stock arm and used the bearing kit, and it worked well.

I think either idler would be just fine. It was the centerlink that had me puzzled. I already have the kit installed so will use the bearing setup. Hoping to ease the steering effort for the wife and not have to go the power steering route. Thanks

bg