Drop Pittman Arm?

[Broncopuckett]

I have a WH 2.5 inch lift. I have installed the adjustable Trac arm. Would installing and drop pittman arm be worth it? Will I gain any noticeable difference in steering or is the adj trac bar good enough?

Thanks

 

[bknbronco]

I have a 5.5" lift and no drop pitman. Drop pitmans cause extra stress on the steering box. Also remember you cant do a drop pitman without a drop trac bar or trac bar riser bracket

 

[DuctTape]

The basic idea is get your track bar and drag link parallel. Call wild horses and ask them for advice. If you aren't parallel, your options include:

Drop trac bar bracket (goes on top)
Trac bar riser (goes on bottom)
Drop pitman arm
Tie rod over knuckle conversion

If your trac bar and drag link aren't parallel, then they move in separate ways and can cause bump steer (when you go over a bump the rig steers itself). The geometry is too complicated for me to remember, but if you google you can find all the math of the how's and whys.

I'm not that good of a front end engineer, probably few are, that's why most go with the parallel rule.

From my research a riser plus tie rid over is the gold standard absent a complete re-imagining of the front end, but it is more expensive than the drop bracket or drop arm methods. Wild horses is really good with giving that advice. But I'm sure any of the major vendors wouldn't "steer you wrong".

 

[Timmy390]

I don't like the higher/steeper angles of the track bar and the drag link as a result of a lift.

I have a 2.5 SL and run both T-bar drop and pitman drop. T-bar and D-link are parallel as well as close to the factory angles. Been running them for 16 years.

Tim

 

[TN1776]

If you plan to wheel the thing and have not done so already, flipping the tie rod on top of the steering knuckles helps your angles quite a bit. I have heim steering on top of the knuckles, and a trac bar riser on the axle. My drag link and trac bar are very close to parallel and about the same length. It drives just fine and my tie rod has never been hit while off road.

 

[WILDHORSES]

I have a WH 2.5 inch lift. I have installed the adjustable Trac arm. Would installing and drop pittman arm be worth it? Will I gain any noticeable difference in steering or is the adj trac bar good enough?

Thanks

Is there a problem you are trying to fix or a goal you are trying to achieve?

Does the Bronco run down the highway at 60-70 no issues?

This Bronco is primarily used for?

 

[Glass Pony]

I installed a WH drop pitman arm and 3-way adjustable "Y" to "T" conversion on my 74 with a 76-77 disc brake D44 (2-1/2" SL).
I was having an issue not being able to center the steering box with the inverted "Y" steering.
I also had a track bar drop bracket but no drop pitman.
It's all good now, here's a before and after shot.

 

[DirtDonk]

Hey Duct Tape, glad it's gettin' all dialed in.

If it's all good, then leave it. But I had to chime in anyway regarding the angle (rotation-wise) of the tie-rod. If you do find, after some more driving, that you still have a little bumpsteer or wandering from a bit of vagueness to the steering, try rotating your tie-rod up a bit.

What you're simply trying to accomplish is to put it back the way the factory had the original one on the '66 to '75 models. You would not have had a point of reference on your '76/'77 "Y" style, but you can see it on an earlier model or in our picture of your linkage on our website here: http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Tie_Rod_Drag_Link_3way_Adjustable_7677yr

Rotating the draglink mounting pad up a bit will do two things. First it will make your trackbar and draglink even more parallel by raising the lower end of the draglink.
It will also serve to position the draglink in a position that is less prone to causing excess rotation of the tie-rod during steering maneuvers. This isn't always an issue with new rod ends, but once they're worked-in a bit from use, they will allow more rotation. So it's good to help them out a bit with proper positioning of the draglink end.
Both of those can serve to give the steering a bit more of a "direct" feel.

As said though, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! But if you want to play around a bit, loosen all the sleeve clamps (including the draglink) and rotate the tie rod centerlink up just a bit.

Paul

 

[Glass Pony]

Good tip, I may have to try that. I noticed mine is pointing down in the photos.
It should be easy enough to do.

 

[Broncopuckett]

Thanks to all. MY drag link and trac bar are currently parallel with each other. I don't plan on serious off-roading. It drives much better than when I got it...after centering the axle via the adj trac bar and putting the little sleeves on the tie rod ends to fit the F150 knuckle...it's never gonna handle like a 911 but I'm always interested in ways to make a little better.

I drive on the freeways around here between 55-65 most of the time and it does wander a little at hwy speeds but it has almost no bump steer, etc. and it stops straight now. THANKS AGAIN!!!