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Order of pitman arm

1

1969chevmalibu1969

Well-Known Member
I’m finished as far as I want to clean. My question is would I install the pitman arm beiore I mount to frame or install mounted to frame? Any other pointers that might help also. Thanks
 

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I put mine on last. The car and all four tires were sitting on my homemade 2x4 'tire bunks' that put the bottom of the tires about 16" off the ground. I then jacked up the front of the car just enough for the tires to come out of the bunks and used a tape measure to position the tires as straight fwd as I could. Using the tape measure to measure the front tires, inside to inside, center tire to center tire, and outside to outside. I then lowered the front tires back in to the bunks and remeasured to ensure they didn't move. Now the car was sitting under its weight with the tires straight, sitting in the bunks. I had to adjust the steering links a little to get everything centered.

Then I mounted the steering gear box. Then mounted the steering shaft and 'snugged' it to the box. Turned the steering wheel left to right, with each time counting the turns and undoing the steering shaft and re-centering the shaft until the wheel was centered with equal turns to the righ and to the left.

Lastly mounted the pitman arm as everything should be centered. You should be extremely close as the steering links and tires are straight, and the steering wheel is centered to the steering gear box, dead center to full left to full right lock. Now you're just bringing the two together.

Any ones thoughts?
 
EDIT: I then took it to get an alignment. The tech said it was almost perfectly straight and I could have driven it like that. Though since on a laser, I had him change it for more highspeed driving.
 
cage2592 said:
I put mine on last. The car and all four tires were sitting on my homemade 2x4 'tire bunks' that put the bottom of the tires about 16" off the ground. I then jacked up the front of the car just enough for the tires to come out of the bunks and used a tape measure to position the tires as straight fwd as I could. Using the tape measure to measure the front tires, inside to inside, center tire to center tire, and outside to outside. I then lowered the front tires back in to the bunks and remeasured to ensure they didn't move. Now the car was sitting under its weight with the tires straight, sitting in the bunks. I had to adjust the steering links a little to get everything centered.

Then I mounted the steering gear box. Then mounted the steering shaft and 'snugged' it to the box. Turned the steering wheel left to right, with each time counting the turns and undoing the steering shaft and re-centering the shaft until the wheel was centered with equal turns to the righ and to the left.

Lastly mounted the pitman arm as everything should be centered. You should be extremely close as the steering links and tires are straight, and the steering wheel is centered to the steering gear box, dead center to full left to full right lock. Now you're just bringing the two together.

Any ones thoughts?
Click to expand...
So if I do this last, that means I need to install the rear suspension and rear? And then even further with tranny and engine which is what I was hoping for before I put the body on?
 
cage2592 said:
I put mine on last. The car and all four tires were sitting on my homemade 2x4 'tire bunks' that put the bottom of the tires about 16" off the ground. I then jacked up the front of the car just enough for the tires to come out of the bunks and used a tape measure to position the tires as straight fwd as I could. Using the tape measure to measure the front tires, inside to inside, center tire to center tire, and outside to outside. I then lowered the front tires back in to the bunks and remeasured to ensure they didn't move. Now the car was sitting under its weight with the tires straight, sitting in the bunks. I had to adjust the steering links a little to get everything centered.

Then I mounted the steering gear box. Then mounted the steering shaft and 'snugged' it to the box. Turned the steering wheel left to right, with each time counting the turns and undoing the steering shaft and re-centering the shaft until the wheel was centered with equal turns to the righ and to the left.

Lastly mounted the pitman arm as everything should be centered. You should be extremely close as the steering links and tires are straight, and the steering wheel is centered to the steering gear box, dead center to full left to full right lock. Now you're just bringing the two together.

Any ones thoughts?
Click to expand...
The splines on my steering gear had "spaces" in between the splines that help you install the pitman arm clocked correctly.
I rotated the gear box back and forth and located the center slot in the splines and installed the arm centered on the slot. Easy peasy. :)
I switched from manual steering to power steering (Jeep Cherokee) , so I had to buy a new pitman arm (power is longer)
 
Nashville Cat said:
The splines on my steering gear had "spaces" in between the splines that help you install the pitman arm clocked correctly.
I rotated the gear box back and forth and located the center slot in the splines and installed the arm centered on the slot. Easy peasy. :)
I switched from manual steering to power steering (Jeep Cherokee) , so I had to buy a new pitman arm (power is longer)
Click to expand...
Curious as was your car together when you did yours? I’m gonna follow cages advice as much as I can. I’ll come back to this later and finish brake lines, parts of the brake and rear suspension/ rear ect.. Thanks for your input.
 
I guess it doesn't have to have all the weight on the tires or the rear in. When I jacked up the front of my car at the beginning, it had a severe "tow in" and I was worried that if the weight wasn't on the front of the car, my adjustments for tire straightness would be off and I wouldn't get everything straight. When I rebuilt mine, the car was in pieces so I didn't take it apart and see how it it all came apart and adjusted. Plus I installed new spindles, aftermarket upper lower A-arms, and Viking coil overs that lowered the front 3 inches. All parts measurements were all over the place. Also, my steering gear box was an aftermarket 'Turnone'.

Cat:
Click to expand...
The splines on my steering gear had "spaces" in between the splines that help you install the pitman arm clocked correctly.
I rotated the gear box back and forth and located the center slot in the splines and installed the arm centered on the slot. Easy peasy. :)
I switched from manual steering to power steering (Jeep Cherokee) , so I had to buy a new pitman arm (power is longer)
Click to expand...

cheveslakr said:
At neutral turn, your pitman arm is pointed straight to the rear....and with that "flat spot" it can only go on one way.
Click to expand...

Yes that would be better as well that they recommended. I don't remember mine having a flat spot but its been about 4yrs. I would still have done it that same way though to ensure everything was straight since I hadn't done it before.
 
Last edited:
cage2592 said:
I guess it doesn't have to have all the weight on the tires or the rear in. When I jacked up the front of my car at the beginning, it had a severe "tow in" and I was worried that if the weight wasn't on the front of the car, my adjustments for tire straightness would be off and I wouldn't get everything straight. When I rebuilt mine, the car was in pieces so I didn't take it apart and see how it it all came apart and adjusted. Plus I installed new spindles, aftermarket upper lower A-arms, and Viking coil overs that lowered the front 3 inches. All parts measurements were all over the place. Also, my steering gear box was an aftermarket 'Turnone'.






Yes that would be better as well that they recommended. I don't remember mine having a flat spot but its been about 4yrs. I would still have done it that same way though to ensure everything was straight since I hadn't done it before.
Click to expand...
Thanks for explaining. I put new spindles on two and never thought that might be an issue. I have pictures of the way it was and was going to also reference. I thought the grooves would only allow it to go a few ways and trial and error I’d get it close enough for when the shop takes it. I was trying to get all the front done before I started the back. I was just trying to hook up the front linkage.
 
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