Pitman Arm Sizes

[Kern Dog]

The locking steering is not related to the linkage underneath. It is inside the column right near the ignition lock cylinder like so:

That black plate is cogged, in this picture there is a pin near 12:00 that engages in a recess in the plate to lock the steering. If the steering shaft is somehow shoved away from the engine and toward the driver, that black plate moves with it and the locking pin won't engage the slots in the plate.

 

[Moparfiend]

The locking steering is not related to the linkage underneath. It is inside the column right near the ignition lock cylinder like so:

View attachment 1936588

That black plate is cogged, in this picture there is a pin near 12:00 that engages in a recess in the plate to lock the steering. If the steering shaft is somehow shoved away from the engine and toward the driver, that black plate moves with it and the locking pin won't engage the slots in the plate.

Thanks KD. Any ideas about the tight steering? I noticed that it was very difficult to get the center link on with the headers. Wondering if the pitman arm might be binding with the steering assembly?

 

[Kern Dog]

I don't know what the cause of the tighter steering feel could be. Many times when I am learning things, I fumble around until I figure it out.
Maybe the center shaft of the column is off center in relation to the column outer housing and it is rubbing?

 

[Moparfiend]

I don't know what the cause of the tighter steering feel could be. Many times when I am learning things, I fumble around until I figure it out.
Maybe the center shaft of the column is off center in relation to the column outer housing and it is rubbing?

View attachment 1936595

I’ll take a look thank you.

 

[Kern Dog]

Look again:

The white arrows show what is an even gap between the outer shell/housing of the column and the steering shaft. For a short time, it wasn't. Loom at the black arrow, it shows a bare metal section of the center shaft where most of the column is a flat black color. Awhile back, my center shaft was off center and rubbing. Steering did not self center after turning despite 4 degrees of caster. I traced it to the misalignment. Later when I swapped in a Borgeson box, I found a round bearing/housing in the stash and tack welded it to the column housing. This keeps mine centered now. I don't know if mine was supposed to have a collar there and if it were lost, removed or whatever....

 

[Moparfiend]

Thanks I see a similar bare metal area like yours.

 

[Kern Dog]

You are off center there but if it isn't rubbing the outer collar, it should not be an issue.

 

[Moparfiend]

View attachment 1936621

You are off center there but if it isn't rubbing the outer collar, it should not be an issue.

What is center?

 

[Kern Dog]

Center. The middle. The steering shaft is not centered in the housing, it is off center toward the engine. Look at the gap around the center shaft where it meets the column housing.

 

[Moparfiend]

Center. The middle. The steering shaft is not centered in the housing, it is off center toward the engine. Look at the gap around the center shaft where it meets the column housing.

If I remember correctly the shaft needed to be farther forward for proper engagement at the box coupler joint.

 

[shiftenscotty]

are you saying the wheel turns by its self when you start the car

 

[Moparfiend]

are you saying the wheel turns by its self when you start the car

Nooo its stiff or tight to turn.

 

[Moparfiend]

I know this sounds stupid, but with the engine off my car is up. The wheels are off. Everything is free to move and it’s very stiff turning. Am I just imagining this because the power steering pump isn’t helping. I recall it moving freely when the wheels are off the ground even with the engine off.

 

[Kern Dog]

Start the dang thing up. Yes, the steering is stiff with no assist to it.

 

[Moparfiend]

Start the dang thing up. Yes, the steering is stiff with no assist to it.

I will I’m working on several things at the same time when I’m done with the transmission I’ll start it up. Thank you.

 

[Kern Dog]

The manual steering cars had a higher ratio, most were 24 to 1.
The power steering is 15.7 to 1. The tighter ratio means that it will be harder to turn without any assist.
I had the Fast ratio (Longer) idler and Pitman arms that changed the power ratio to approximately 12 to 1. Yeah, with no assist, it was very hard to steer. I changed to a Borgeson that is 14 to 1 and it too is not easy to steer with the engine off.