Do I Need A New Pitman Arm.

[Zebvance]

I am replacing all my steering components right now. New power steering pump, one ton tie rods, power steering lines, steering box ect. For the one ton steering I am having to drill out the knuckles and pitman arm to 7/8s of a inch for the new tie rod ends.

 

The mj has a 4.5 inch lift on it right now put on by the previous owner. So I don't know if the pitman arm I have now is a stock one or a longer one fore the lift. I plan on lifting the front to 7.5-8.0 Inches by the end of the year. So my question is should I get a longer pitman arm right now. Also I have heard that the zj arms have a 1 inch longer drop. Could I use that or do I need to get one that would be good for 8 inches of lift for the future?

[HOrnbrod]

That's true about the ZJ Pitman arms. IMO I'd wait until it's all bolted up before deciding on the arm. The one you will need will be just enough drop to keep the track bar and drag link as close to parallel as possible, and you won't really know until it's all in place.  :thumbsup:

[Garvin]

With an 8" lift, you will want to do a drop track bar bracket and will have to go to a flex or rubber bushing at the frame end as the tie rod will be maxed with the stock bracket.  You will then want to get a drop pitman arm based on the size of the drop track bar bracket to keep everything in line.  When I had an 8" lift on my Cherokee, I had a 3" drop track bar bracket and 3" drop pitman arm on it.  That's about the max drop you can get with aftermarket Cherokee arms.  Other aftermarket arms might give more than that but I ended up going to one tons and high steer before really looking any further into those and now am running a stock WJ arm (1" longer but not as much drop).

[Zebvance]

I'm aware of everything I'm going to need to go 8 inches besides the drop pitman arm. I just went a head and ordered one that said it was good for 4-8 inches of lift just to be safe.

[Garvin]

Just make sure you match the drop of the track bar bracket to the pitman arm also or you will get horrible death wobble.

[mvusse]

Track bar angle to pitman arm drop has nothing to do with death wobble. It does have everything to do with bump steer, though.

[Bounty Hunter]

Just make sure you match the drop of the track bar bracket to the pitman arm also or you will get horrible death wobble.

Incorrect.  Improper angles give you bumpsteer, not DW.

[Garvin]

mvusse pointed that out and you guys are correct, not sure why I was thinking DW.  Probably because I'm still hunting the DW issue down in my Jeep...