Steering, tighten up factory linkage or go hiem joints?

[cody72sport]

ok, so im running factory power steering, with 33" tires, i dont do much rock crawling mostly trails, ive got quite a bit of slop in my steering, seems to be loose at the passenger side tie rod, which is around 40 bucks to replace

i also need to get my front axle centered again after the lift, so im thinking replace my bad tie rod, install my wildhorses track bar riser that ive got in the garage and then get a drop pitman arm.

thoughts? options? im trying to get through college debt free so my budget is tight!

 

[DirtDonk]

If everything else is in perfect shape, I'd just replace the one end if I was on a budget.
But make sure you've done all the testing first, so you don't overlook any other loose joints/ends before deciding. It'd be a shame to replace the one, only to find out you need to replace others anyway, and could have upgraded for just a little more, if not about the same money.

Did you find the loose link by muscling things around? Or have you done the test where a helper moves the steering wheel back and forth continuously while you watch ever single component of the steering?

Just checkin'

Paul

 

[cody72sport]

If everything else is in perfect shape, I'd just replace the one end if I was on a budget.
But make sure you've done all the testing first, so you don't overlook any other loose joints/ends before deciding. It'd be a shame to replace the one, only to find out you need to replace others anyway, and could have upgraded for just a little more, if not about the same money.

Did you find the loose link by muscling things around? Or have you done the test where a helper moves the steering wheel back and forth continuously while you watch ever single component of the steering?

Just checkin'

Paul

I had my brother move the wheel and i climbed underneath, there is a minor amount of movement on the other end, but a lot of movement at the passenger side, and its been missing its dust cover since i bought the bronco in 2009

 

[ENDLIFE]

I would have to go with the Donk on this. However, if your steering linkage was like mine with with the one adjuster on the drivers side, the long linkage on the passenger side, so maybe it could be grounds for heim joints. The long side is well over a $150. I have access to a machine shop, so I decided to build my own heim joint steering linkage. I love my new steering linkage, but if I could have afforded to stay stock I would have.
BUT, if you get the studs from BC Broncos it leaves your options open for linkage options. I have the WH track bar riser, tie rod over steering arm, and I had to get rid of my drop pitman arm to get all my geometry as close as possible. If you would like to see i'll post some pics.

 

[DirtDonk]

I had my brother move the wheel and i climbed underneath, there is a minor amount of movement on the other end, but a lot of movement at the passenger side, and its been missing its dust cover since i bought the bronco in 2009

Good to do that test. Let's you see all sorts of little issues.
And that other side that just had a little movement? That's bad too. When these things are good and tight, as they should be, they have zero movement side-to-side. They can rotate, but can't move sideways until they're showing wear.

The other nice thing to have (eventually at least) is an adjustable draglink. You can replace just the draglink when you're using stock stuff, so when any of the rod ends on the draglink wear out, I'd spend the extra and get the adjustable one.
If you don't, you might end up driving around (after a suspension lift anyway) with a crooked steering wheel and off-center box. Yes, the pitman arms often fix this, but not always. The adjustment just lets you get that much more fine-tuned.

So, it basically sounds like you could get away with replacing just the one end for now. But you will eventually (and probably sooner rather than later) need to replace the other ends as well. They all wear out sometime...

Paul

 

[bknbronco]

Why the need for the trac bar riser and drop pitman? Seems over kill....id just get a adjustable trac bar. Even after you do the riser and pitman arm you might still not get it dialed in.

I have a 5.5" lift and still using the stock pitman arm, drop ones put stress on the box.

Id skip the heims and do a GM 1-ton swap. The GM swap is 4 way adjustable. But your on a budget so id just replace the one end as long as the other 3 are in great shape....if there iffy then the GM 1-ton is the cheapest way to go. Besides I hate heims, as much as I hate the stock linkage. Since you have the riser then your already set for the GM conversion.

 

[DirtDonk]

How much lift are you going to end up with cody?

Paul

 

[cody72sport]

I have a bc 3.5" lift already, and it will stay that way for the foreseeable future

 

[DirtDonk]

Then I disagree with bkn and think the dropped arm and bracket are in no way overkill. He's only getting away with a stock pitman arm because he's got extensive modifications to the rest of his steering linkage AND trackbar that help compensate for the lift.

What you're contemplating with your 3.5" lift are literally the almost universally accepted (and expected) companion modifications to keep your EB steering even remotely nicely.

Another thing that your worn, or even worn-in, steering ends are allowing is some twist motion in the tie-rod that adds to the already vague steering feel of the steeper steering angles. Tight new ends don't allow so much twist.
But I'll go farther and say that, whether Heim-style or GM-style or standard style is what you end up with, add an adjustable draglink to your system. Same concept as the adjustable trackbar.
While the trackbar lets you fine-tune your axle's side-to-side position under the frame, the draglink allows for the fine-tuning of the "on-center" position of the steering box and steering wheel.
Both are good things. Even with the drops correcting the angles and, by design, at least some of the off-center positioning, they're not always exact. That's where the adjustable links come in handy.

Paul

 

[cody72sport]

Then I disagree with bkn and think the dropped arm and bracket are in no way overkill. He's only getting away with a stock pitman arm because he's got extensive modifications to the rest of his steering linkage AND trackbar that help compensate for the lift.

What you're contemplating with your 3.5" lift are literally the almost universally accepted (and expected) companion modifications to keep your EB steering even remotely nicely.

Another thing that your worn, or even worn-in, steering ends are allowing is some twist motion in the tie-rod that adds to the already vague steering feel of the steeper steering angles. Tight new ends don't allow so much twist.
But I'll go farther and say that, whether Heim-style or GM-style or standard style is what you end up with, add an adjustable draglink to your system. Same concept as the adjustable trackbar.
While the trackbar lets you fine-tune your axle's side-to-side position under the frame, the draglink allows for the fine-tuning of the "on-center" position of the steering box and steering wheel.
Both are good things. Even with the drops correcting the angles and, by design, at least some of the off-center positioning, they're not always exact. That's where the adjustable links come in handy.

Paul

Question.... does an adjustable drag link alone add enough length into the system so that i wouldnt need a drop pitman arm? or do they need to work together to get everything correct?

 

[DirtDonk]

Not sure. Unlike an adjustable trackbar, there's not a ton of thread available. I haven't measured one lately, but I'd have to say that your safe adjustment range on a draglink is an inch or so total.

That might be enough however. I just don't think so.
And I would never do that anyway. After a lift, you've just made too much of an angle change for it to be happy. Or I should say "in most cases" since there are those here running stock linkage with lifts. When most try that however, they hate it. So keep that in mind.
If yours is lifted currently, and you're only experiencing a slight wandering or loose feel in the steering, then maybe you're one of the few that can live with a 3.5" lift and stock steering angles.

Normally though, for '66 to '75 Broncos with "stock-design" linkage at least, if you use a dropped pitman arm, you should use a dropped trackbar bracket (or riser) and vice versa. This way the angles of the draglink and trackbar not only go back to a more normal angle, but they also stay near parallel to each other too. Just like the factory intended.
The length and angle relationships are quite important things to take into account.

I can get a measurement for you, but for now I'll say no, you would have to do both a pitman and a draglink.
The draglink is mainly for fine-tuning the on-center position of the box, even after the pitman arm installation. But it's also just a nice upgrade when your old linkage is wearing out and you have to replace it anyway. Even a stock Bronco can have an off-center steering wheel just from suspension sag.

Paul

 

[cody72sport]

Not sure. Unlike an adjustable trackbar, there's not a ton of thread available. I haven't measured one lately, but I'd have to say that your safe adjustment range on a draglink is an inch or so total.

That might be enough however. I just don't think so.
And I would never do that anyway. After a lift, you've just made too much of an angle change for it to be happy. Or I should say "in most cases" since there are those here running stock linkage with lifts. When most try that however, they hate it. So keep that in mind.
If yours is lifted currently, and you're only experiencing a slight wandering or loose feel in the steering, then maybe you're one of the few that can live with a 3.5" lift and stock steering angles.

Normally though, for '66 to '75 Broncos with "stock-design" linkage at least, if you use a dropped pitman arm, you should use a dropped trackbar bracket (or riser) and vice versa. This way the angles of the draglink and trackbar not only go back to a more normal angle, but they also stay near parallel to each other too. Just like the factory intended.
The length and angle relationships are quite important things to take into account.

I can get a measurement for you, but for now I'll say no, you would have to do both a pitman and a draglink.
The draglink is mainly for fine-tuning the on-center position of the box, even after the pitman arm installation. But it's also just a nice upgrade when your old linkage is wearing out and you have to replace it anyway. Even a stock Bronco can have an off-center steering wheel just from suspension sag.

Paul

any advice on removing a pitman arm that doesnt want to come off?

 

[ransil]

any advice on removing a pitman arm that doesnt want to come off?

soak it with PB blaster, install puller, crank down on puller, whack the side of the pitman arm with BFH. if may come flying off so keep yourself clear.

 

[cody72sport]

soak it with PB blaster, install puller, crank down on puller, whack the side of the pitman arm with BFH. if may come flying off so keep yourself clear.

smacking it with a big hammer wont damage the power steering box will it?

 

[bmc69]

smacking it with a big hammer wont damage the power steering box will it?

Never seen it happen, myself. Ransil's description is how it's always done.

 

[DirtDonk]

I'd have to say that I've never heard of anyone damaging a box either, but I will also say that from the very first time I took hammer to pitman, I've cringed when doing it with just one hammer.
What I do, even with the puller tensioned as described, is lay one heavy hammer up one side of the pitman arm, and smack the daylights out of it on the other side with another big hammer.
This always made me feel like some of the shock was being absorbed by the "receiving" hammer, while at the same time multiplying the shock waves. While the "dishing out" hammer is not required to be so aggressive as to mangle any bushings or seals.

But it's basically the preload tension supplied by the puller, helped along no little bit by the deforming shock waves that really get a tapered joint to cooperate.
Sometimes the biggest problem is finding a truck-sized pitman arm puller. They typical auto parts store versions are sized almost big enough for a Bronco pitman, but not quite. Very frustrating. Some well-stocked ones might have one, while others can special order one for you. But they're not as common as we'd like to see when we're in dire need that minute. %)
Any decent group of Bronco-friends in an area should have at least one BFPAP (you figure it out!) among them to make the rounds.

Paul

 

[Fairlane514]

Big F'NG Pitman Arm Puller