phoenix

I must be missing something because I can't get the control valve off the relay rod.

The entire front suspension and steering are off the car, frame is cleaned and prepped for POR15. While it is drying, I am trying to get all of the steering parts cleaned and start rebuilding the control valve and slave cylinder.

I removed the pinch bolt from the end of the control valve but I still can't get the control valve off. Is there a trick to this, or should I have done this while it was still on the car so that I could use a pickle fork?

I've tried prying it, heating etc...

Next stop, help from the forum. :D:D

Jvette73

Try laying the controll valve down on a hard surface in a posistion so the relay rod can be tapped with a hammer on its side. Sometimes this will help seperate the two. It works on tie rods and draglinks anyway. Should work for this too if you can get into the right posistion to shock the eye with a hammer.

Swamp Thang

Put the rod in a vise and use a pickle fork. If it doesn't pop at first, use the fork from the opposite side of the joint.

Frankenvette

If I remember correctly, the control valve screws on/off the relay rod. Not easy to do sometimes. I really had to crank on it and had to have my machine shop screw the replacement control valve on since the threads on the relay rod where messed up.

Regards,

Jim

norvalwilhelm

The control valve is screwed onto the relay rod. Remove the pinch bolt then turn the valve counter clockwise with a pipe wrench. A pickle fork will not work. In most cases a pickle fork just destroys boots on anything. I seldom use my fork for anything but taking the rear cross member out.
I found removing the valve from the pitman arm alot harder. Here again they recomment the pickle fork but kiss the boot goodbye.
Good luck