Will 73+ center link fit 71 truck idler & pitman arms?

[AZChevyland]

My truck has 1971 center link, pitman and idler arms. I am putting on 73+ spindles and 73+ inner and outer tie-rod ends. The 73+ tie-rod pins are to large for the 71 center link so I am hoping to go to junk yard and pull a 73 center link for cheap. Only i dont know if my existing idler and pitman will fit on a 73 center link. Anyone know?

[lolife99]

I check O'Reilly Autos website.
It appears the idler arm is the same,... but the pitman arm is different.
Maybe you could run a 73-87 steering box and make it work.

You should be able to use a 71-72 inner tie rod and couple it to a '73-87 outer tie rod, since they are the same 11/16" thread size.
This will allow you to use your existing 71-72 style centerlink.

On a side note:
(you can't do this with the 63-70 inner tie rods because they are the smaller 5/8" tie rods. Unless you use a "conversion" tie rod adapter that companies like CPP and PerformanceOnline sell).

[c10seconds]

Just to throw it out there..., im local and have a brand new still in package set of cpp billet conversion sleeves to make this work. Let me know if you're interested.

Lamar
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[AZChevyland]

lolife99, as your note states, i must have 70 center link becuse the inner tie-rods are the small thread.

With that c10seconds, i may want to go with the conversion sleeves you have, but first i may try pulling a 73+ center link with the pitman arm. I am told (Jeff Norton CPP) the 73 pitman arm will fit the steering box. Is this correct? Its a 67 power steering steering box.

[lolife99]

The conversion sleeves will work if your centerlink is the 63-70 style.
BUT,... the 63-70 had the opposite "thread direction" on the inner vs the outer tie rod.

So,... to make this work with the 63-70 center link you need:
1) 73-87 outer tie rods
2) conversion sleeves for the 5/8" inner-to-11/16" outer tie rods
3) the inner tie rods will have to be a set of 63-70 outer tie rods used in the inner tie rod location. Otherwise the thread is the wrong direction to screw into the conversion sleeve.

I'm not familiar with the 67 steering box,... so I can't help you there.

Here's a picture of my POL conversion sleeves, with the same centerlink setup I described above.

[AZChevyland]

Wow. I love pictures. That what i will have to do if the 73 center link idea dosnt work. I think it would be nice to have all 73 if possible. I will hit the junk yard this weekend and hope the 73 pitman arm fits on my 67 steering box.

Thank you guys.

[Chevydude56]

I did this swap this summer on my '67 with manual steering . I used the center link and inner and outer tie rod ends from an '84 C10 . I had to change the idler arm to a newer one to match ('90 suburban ,square body).
No problem with the original pitman arm.

[ERASER5]

Originally Posted by AZChevyland

My truck has 1971 center link, pitman and idler arms. I am putting on 73+ spindles and 73+ inner and outer tie-rod ends. The 73+ tie-rod pins are to large for the 71 center link so I am hoping to go to junk yard and pull a 73 center link for cheap. Only i dont know if my existing idler and pitman will fit on a 73 center link. Anyone know?

I am confused. Is the truck a 71 or just the drag link? If you are doing a drum-to-disc swap, I would get ALL the parts from the same donor.

FYI: In '79 the caliper banjo bolt changed to metric. Get the '79+ calipers. A metric banjo bolt is easy and cheap to find. The earlier SAE banjo bolt MUCH more difficult and expensive to find. Mine were $10 apiece plus shipping.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by AZChevyland

My truck has 1971 center link, pitman and idler arms. I am putting on 73+ spindles and 73+ inner and outer tie-rod ends. The 73+ tie-rod pins are to large for the 71 center link so I am hoping to go to junk yard and pull a 73 center link for cheap. Only i dont know if my existing idler and pitman will fit on a 73 center link. Anyone know?

The later model center-link will work w/the earlier pitman & idler.

[AZChevyland]

I have been checking with parts guys and the tech at CPP. There is some confilicting info because of the mixed year stuff. What i seem to be finding out is that the PO must have did the disk break conversion with disks from a 71-72 C10. Thats why the original 67 (my truck is a 67) tie-rods and center link were in-tact. They fit with the 71-72 disk brake spindles.
So now here i am doing new drop spindles for 73+ and tie-rods inner and outer for 73+. I thought everything was allready updated with 73+ stuff so everything would work. Never expected 71-72 spindles.
Well now i am hoping a 73+ center link will work out soon as i can find a donor at the junk yard. I heard the idler arm is the same from 67-88 but the pitman arm will need to be a 73+. I will pull the donor pitman arm as well and hope it fits to my 67 power steering box.

[AZChevyland]

Originally Posted by Chevydude56

I did this swap this summer on my '67 with manual steering . I used the center link and inner and outer tie rod ends from an '84 C10 . I had to change the idler arm to a newer one to match ('90 suburban ,square body).
No problem with the original pitman arm.

Chevydude56, from what i can tell the idler arms work all through those years. What was the difference on yours. Was the idler pin to small for the hole in the center link?

[Chevydude56]

Originally Posted by AZChevyland

Chevydude56, from what i can tell the idler arms work all through those years. What was the difference on yours. Was the idler pin to small for the hole in the center link?

I can't remember but I think the stud on the idler arm was too small for the new center link.

I looked the idler arm up on Rock Auto website , they list one for '67-'82 and a different one for '83-'91 . (square body ).

I think that a center link from a '73 - '82 may fit you're original idler arm but I had to change to newer idler arm to fit the '84 center link I used .

hope this helps

[AZChevyland]

Originally Posted by Chevydude56

I can't remember but I think the stud on the idler arm was too small for the new center link.

I looked the idler arm up on Rock Auto website , they list one for '67-'82 and a different one for '83-'91 . (square body ).

I think that a center link from a '73 - '82 may fit you're original idler arm but I had to change to newer idler arm to fit the '84 center link I used .

hope this helps

Your right about the different size holes in the center link for the idler arm. I was at the junk yard this weekend and found (3) 73-87 trucks. Two trucks had the large hole in the center link for the idler and one had the small hole. My 67 idler arm fit the large hole center link. So, actually all four holes in the center link I pulled were the large holes and worked with my 67 pitman arm and idler arm.
Thanks.

[AZChevyland]

Originally Posted by lolife99

The conversion sleeves will work if your centerlink is the 63-70 style.
BUT,... the 63-70 had the opposite "thread direction" on the inner vs the outer tie rod.

So,... to make this work with the 63-70 center link you need:
1) 73-87 outer tie rods
2) conversion sleeves for the 5/8" inner-to-11/16" outer tie rods
3) the inner tie rods will have to be a set of 63-70 outer tie rods used in the inner tie rod location. Otherwise the thread is the wrong direction to screw into the conversion sleeve.

I'm not familiar with the 67 steering box,... so I can't help you there.

Here's a picture of my POL conversion sleeves, with the same centerlink setup I described above.

Lolife99, where did you get the idler arm blue grease seals?

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by AZChevyland

Lolife99, where did you get the idler arm blue grease seals?

They came with the new Moog brand idler arm.

[mechanicalman]

Originally Posted by AZChevyland

My truck has 1971 center link, pitman and idler arms. I am putting on 73+ spindles and 73+ inner and outer tie-rod ends. The 73+ tie-rod pins are to large for the 71 center link so I am hoping to go to junk yard and pull a 73 center link for cheap. Only i dont know if my existing idler and pitman will fit on a 73 center link. Anyone know?

Dis-regard.