center link question.

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center link question.

Postby monzalarry » Wed Aug 28, 2019 11:58 pm

is the center link on a 1979 pontiac sunbird a hollow tube or a solid tube. i switched the power steering box to a manual steering box. changed the pitman arm also. now the center link is just barely rubbing the oil pan. the engine is a sbc. any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Re: center link question.

Postby Smiley » Thu Aug 29, 2019 2:55 am

It is a solid forged rod,small manual box uses a different drag link.
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Re: center link question.

Postby monzalarry » Thu Aug 29, 2019 6:16 pm

thank you for the help.
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Re: center link question.

Postby monzalarry » Thu Aug 29, 2019 6:17 pm

do you have a picture of the small steering box. because i dont know the difference between the two steering boxes.
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Re: center link question.

Postby hammerdown7 » Fri Aug 30, 2019 5:35 am

tspvegabox-2T.jpg


This may be an aftermarket Vega manual but the size is correct.
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Re: center link question.

Postby monzalarry » Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:06 pm

thank you i will check mine and post back with answer. THANK YOU
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Re: center link question.

Postby Smiley » Sat Aug 31, 2019 2:59 pm

3pedals wrote: * The 889 mounts lower in the car because the pitman arm hangs lower with the bigger box (on right).
* The idler arms are the same With P/S and Without P/S so the 889 bends back up to meet it (on left).
* On the 889 the stud is lower than the hole (on right) so the 889 and 816 inner tie rod points are the same.
* The 889 doesn't hang lower overall because it has less drop (under the oil pan) between the tie rod holes.
* Oil pan clearance is the same for both 889s and 816s.
Now I understand why GM engineers needed two different center links. :idea:

IMG_1280.jpg

IMG_1277.JPG

IMG_1278.JPG
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Re: center link question.

Postby monzaaddict » Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:44 am

get a larger manual steering box, pitman arm, spacer and steering coupler from a Cosworth Vega and keep your center link.
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Re: center link question.

Postby 1971VegaCT » Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:10 am

Question....
After modifying the oil pan extensively i upgraded the spindles to S10's. Because the tie rod is mounted approx. an inch further forward the inner tie rod now hits the pan again....uhg! Has anyone used a shorter idler and pitman arm combo to pull the steering components forward a bit??
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Re: center link question.

Postby 73 307 GT » Sun Apr 03, 2022 4:44 pm

I have a related question. My '73 was originally a power steering car. I swapped to a manual box, when I installed the V-8. This is my forever project, so this was forever ago. At the time, I wasn't aware that manual steering and power, used different center links. A little over a year ago, I bought an "out of the box" manual link. Today I started to put it in. After I got the front cross member out, I held up the new one to compare it, and found it's about 2 inches longer overall, and almost an inch wider between the tie rod holes. Looking back on my Ebay account, the link was listed as fitting a -75-'78 Monza and a "75-'77 Vega. Is there a diffence between early and late Vegas, or is my "out of the box" link, for something else? Thanks in advance.
'73 Vega GT - 307/350/Monza rear w/ Powertrax locker
'85 Corvette Coupe - 350/4+3 trans/Z-51/no cats
'95 Blazer 2 door - 4.3/4wd (daily driver)
'01 Blazer/Trailblazer (wife's)
'86 Suburban - 350 w/ Vortec heads (tow vehicle)
'93 S-10 - 4.3/2wd
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Re: center link question.

Postby cjbiagi » Sun Apr 03, 2022 5:45 pm

That sounds like a completely different centerlink. What is the part number?
Clyde.........75 Monza 2+2
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Re: center link question.

Postby 73 307 GT » Sun Apr 03, 2022 7:02 pm

cjbiagi wrote:That sounds like a completely different centerlink. What is the part number?

It was in a plain white box, with BX899 on one end flap. It's also about 0.132" larger in diameter, than my old one.
'73 Vega GT - 307/350/Monza rear w/ Powertrax locker
'85 Corvette Coupe - 350/4+3 trans/Z-51/no cats
'95 Blazer 2 door - 4.3/4wd (daily driver)
'01 Blazer/Trailblazer (wife's)
'86 Suburban - 350 w/ Vortec heads (tow vehicle)
'93 S-10 - 4.3/2wd
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Re: center link question.

Postby cosvega76 » Mon Apr 04, 2022 8:17 am

That must be a different center link. The only difference between the H-body center links is the distance from the LH tie rod end connection and the pitman arm stud (except for a slight oil pan clearance height between the inner tie rod ends).

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Re: center link question.

Postby cjbiagi » Mon Apr 04, 2022 8:28 am

H body power centerlink is DS889, manual is DS816. You have 899 which is wrong.
Clyde.........75 Monza 2+2
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Re: center link question.

Postby 73 307 GT » Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:49 pm

That's what I figured. Thanks alot guys.
'73 Vega GT - 307/350/Monza rear w/ Powertrax locker
'85 Corvette Coupe - 350/4+3 trans/Z-51/no cats
'95 Blazer 2 door - 4.3/4wd (daily driver)
'01 Blazer/Trailblazer (wife's)
'86 Suburban - 350 w/ Vortec heads (tow vehicle)
'93 S-10 - 4.3/2wd
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