Heim joint question pitman arm?

[spennyluv]

My question is I am doing my front end and was wondering if i could put my heim over the pitman arm it is a stock pitman arm. Is there any negative in doing that. Thanks

 

[NYLES]

Might be Ok, just remember you wanna keep evrything as parralel as possible and make sure it will turn lock to lock without hitting any thing.....I dont see any negatives but no great positives either.

 

[73stallion]

i've put them on top of a drop pitman, but not a stock one yet. will you be using mis-allignment spacers? might stick up a bit far and hit the frame.

 

[cracker]

I have had mine like this for years without any problems. I actually heated and bent the pitman arm a little to keep the angles right.

 

[bmc69]

I have had mine like this for years without any problems. I actually heated and bent the pitman arm a little to keep the angles right.

Same here.

The biggest problem I've seen with going with heim joints is that many people try to use a 3/4" drill and take the hole in the arm (or knuckle) directly to size, removing the taper in the process. No good..that leaves the bolt a very sloppy fit and since the bolt is supposed to be taking everything in shear it can move too much and won't stay tight.

The correct way to do it is called a 'fitted bolt' and involves drilling the hole 1/64" undersized from 3/4" and then using an adjustable hand reamer to open the hole up only until the unthreaded portion of the bolt still requires a light tapping with a hammer to go through the hole. I've alos found that the Gr* bolts usually require a light sanding of the threads to get this right..the max diameter where the rolled threads are can be slightlly larger than the unthreaded shank.

 

[bronko69er]

Or better yet, get one of chucks tapered heim studs....

 

[bmc69]

Or better yet, get one of chucks tapered heim studs....

x2. Keep forgetting he has those..and I used 'em once too. %) It's hell getting old..