Steering Component Removal

[ScottVA]

I have a 65 Belvedere 440 and I am attempting to remove the left side header to replace a starter. The header is making contact on the Pittman arm and a straight bar that runs under the oil pan. It has 4 attachment points...Pittman arm and tie rod on the left side and Idler arm and tie rod on the right side. It looks to me that this rod, stabilizer?, has to be removed as well as the Pittman, to get the header out. Any ideas or suggestions would be most helpful. Thank you,
ScottVA

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Piece of Cake Sir! That is called a "center-link" or "drag-link". All you have to do is get a pickle fork, or better yet, just a really big hammer (3 pound sledge) and detach the center-link at the idler arm & pitman arm and let it hang down (still attached to the tie rods). When you're done with your starter, just lift it back up & re-attach to the idler/pitman arms and you're done. This won't affect your alignment if you do it this way. I've had to do this myself when I ran "big tube" strip headers.

 

[ScottVA]

Thank you so much. That is great news. I may have to remove the Pittman arm as well, but that won't affect the tie rods either. What a hassle this has been. The headers are 2" and I have no idea who made them. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[silversedan]

shouldn't have to remove the pitman, just turn the steering wheel one way or another to swing it out of the way. Pitman arm can be a real pain to remove with out the proper puller.

 

[ScottVA]

I did just that, silversedan and got it out of the way. And as PurpleBeeper advised, I removed the center link and lowered it out of the way and the header still will not clear the starter and steering box. It may be able to clear if I could lift the car higher, but I cannot get the car high enough...I'm at a loss now. I think this stuff only happens to me.

 

[Glenwood]

nah, happens to all of us at one point or another.
A few pics might help to understand the obstacles. I had to unbolt the header from the bottom flange and head to rotate it out of the way enough to get at the starter on a 70 440 Satellite I had. I may have also unbolted the engine mounts and jacked it up a bit for additional clearance. I don't recall mini starters being available in those days, but I wish they were.