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Drop Pitman Arm choices

Glass Pony

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Feb 13, 2012
Messages
1,815
Loc.
Sussex County Delaware
Hi, Newbie here.
Do drop pitman arms come in different drops other than 4"?
Would a 4" arm be ok to use on a 2"-3" lift?
I'm restoring a 74' and used a Duff 2" lift and in a conversation with them due to my fiberglass body and roadster kit I should probably see closer to 3" of lift.
Thanks in advance, G.A.
 

Madgyver

Contributor
Bronco Madman
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Jul 30, 2001
Messages
14,679
Welcome to the site...

IMO, Don't use drop pitman arms. There are other better options to correct steering and tracbar geometry.
 

sixtyniner

Full Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
290
Welcome to the site...

IMO, Don't use drop pitman arms. There are other better options to correct steering and tracbar geometry.

Agree. And shouldnt be needed for 2-3 lift. Well at least not for me. I had tried a 2 inch drop and it was too much I would bottom out on my tie rod at times.
 

bknbronco

Bronco Guru
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
4,378
Loc.
North Metro, MN
IMO, Don't use drop pitman arms. There are other better options to correct steering and tracbar geometry.
Really?.....what options. I have a 5" lift and will be doing a chebby TRO swap, but not sure the tie rod will be flat enough still without a drop pitman. What options are there other than that? Ill deal with the trac bar with a riser bracket after the steering is done.

Sorry for the hijack.
 

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broncnaz

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
24,341
Well at 5in lift your options are limited. For lower lifts the TRO only is a better bet. Still a lot of people do TRO's and dont run the drop pitman arm with taller lifts. While a flatter angle is better your only going to get so flat and its not a sports car so your limited.
 

JohnJohn

Bronco Guru
Joined
May 6, 2005
Messages
2,157
Loc.
Richmond
Welcome to the site...

IMO, Don't use drop pitman arms. There are other better options to correct steering and tracbar geometry.

I also agree. I think the drop pitman arms pot to much leverage on the box and caused my frame to crack.
I went with a track bar riser and a TRO.
 
OP
OP
Glass Pony

Glass Pony

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Feb 13, 2012
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1,815
Loc.
Sussex County Delaware
Thanks for the replies guys.
Right now I have the inverted "Y" linkage and the link that goes from the pitman arm to the passenger side is not parallel with the track bar.
I don't have it on the road yet but I can see a potential bump-steer problem.
It has a later model (76-77) disc brake D44 on a 1974 EB.
 

NYLES

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 13, 2004
Messages
9,846
Thanks for the replies guys.
Right now I have the inverted "Y" linkage and the link that goes from the pitman arm to the passenger side is not parallel with the track bar.
I don't have it on the road yet but I can see a potential bump-steer problem.
It has a later model (76-77) disc brake D44 on a 1974 EB.

put stone crusher on it and forget about it
 

70_Steve

Old Guy
Joined
Dec 13, 2002
Messages
8,317
Right now I have the inverted "Y" linkage and the link that goes from the pitman arm to the passenger side is not parallel with the track bar.
I don't have it on the road yet but I can see a potential bump-steer problem.
It has a later model (76-77) disc brake D44 on a 1974 EB.
Parallel is not always correct. Only when the track bar and drag link are the same length.

http://bulletproofsteering.com/geometry.html
 

BUCKNBRONK

Sr. Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
521
Loc.
fresno
Bump steer is most likely linked to a track bar issue. I have a 5.5" lift, used a 2" drop arm, tie rod over, upper and lower track bar brakets, and a adjustable track arm. I run a rock ram so i 'm not worried about rhe xtra stress from the drop pitman. If it looks like bknbroncos- get rid of it and take the drag link all the way to the pass side and go tro- every little bit helps.
 

Madgyver

Contributor
Bronco Madman
Joined
Jul 30, 2001
Messages
14,679
Really?.....what options. I have a 5" lift and will be doing a chebby TRO swap, but not sure the tie rod will be flat enough still without a drop pitman. What options are there other than that? Ill deal with the trac bar with a riser bracket after the steering is done.

Sorry for the hijack.

5.5 coils, stock 77 pitman arm, TRO chevy joints, relocated tracbar mount on axle only, adjustable tracbar w/1 heim end.

45239_1362926799311_1415845630_30810254_1588672_n.jpg
 

4x4man514

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Bronco Guru
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Aug 28, 2003
Messages
1,057
Loc.
Augusta,Georgia
hey guys, sorry to dig up an old thread but i have the same issue. i have stonecrusher tro , and have a track bar bracket on the axle plus a drop pitman, all with 4.5" of lift. it looks like my tb needs to be dropped more or my pitman arm raised to be parallel. should i put a stock pitman back on it? or a drop tb bracket as well the bracket that is already in the front end? ? i dont know how it drives right now the body is off of it. but it sure is easier to work on now.

thanks
 
Last edited:

DirtDonk

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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,275
I for one don't mind some old threads being dredged up. Not only because it puts out notices to a few extra people right off the bat, but sometimes it's just fund to see what we were talking about a couple of years ago. :)

I think for yours it might be good to show us some pics of your setup as it is now. It's a good description, but pictures are a much better way of dealing with angles of Bronco dangles.

If you don't use one of the free online hosting sites, go ahead and e-mail me a pic or two and I can post them up for you for others to look at.

Paul
 

Justafordguy

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Bronco Guru
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Sep 26, 2009
Messages
6,253
You really should wait until you have the body back on and drivetrain in before you line everything up. The angles are going to change when you get the full weight on the springs.;)
 

4x4man514

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Aug 28, 2003
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1,057
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Augusta,Georgia
You really should wait until you have the body back on and drivetrain in before you line everything up. The angles are going to change when you get the full weight on the springs.;)


Yea I thought about that. I'm sure everything is gonna get a little flatter but I figure the bars aren't gonna get any more parallel. But that may be ok I guess from what I've read.

And I took some pics this morning but I don't know how to post them. Any tips?

Thanks guys!
 

DirtDonk

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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,275
There are a few ways to post. Since you're not a contributor (12 or 13 bucks a year) you can either post the images to a free online hosting site like SuperMotors or similar, and then link them to your thread.
Or, you can e-mail them to one of us (look for the "contributor" in yellow below our names) and we can post them up for you.
Or, if you do pays your moneys, you can simply post images straight to the forum using the "go advanced" button below this window.

There might be other ways too, but those are the most common.

Paul
 
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