Drop pitman arm?

[ChiefJosh]

At what lift height do I need a drop pitman arm, and what happens if I don't get one?

[comancheman]

I'm at 5.5 and definetly need one. it reduces the angles that your draglink and tie rod are at, putting less stress on your steering components. also I'm not sure if the is pitman arm related but i cannot turn all the way to the right after putting in the lift actually i can barely turn to the right at all but if your not having any problems why worry about it

[Rokhound]

If you need one still one from a ZJ there suppose to be about 1" drop stock from an XJ/MJ i think :nuts:

[JOMJ87]

It also helps it not bind during flex. Honestly if you want to kill 2 birds you could do a High steer conversion and with that it will fix the steering angles and it also allows you to upgrade to a heavy duty steerng linkage. Thats just my opinion on the subject but if money is tight there are cheap ways to fix it and there are home fab stuff you can do to flip you drag link on top of the axle. And if your real good at fab then you could even make something decently cheap. Hope this steers you in the right direction.

 

Cole

[DirtyComanche]

With a DP arm, you need to drop the track bar. Or raise the axle side mount. Raising the axle side mount is better if you can - helps keep the roll axis flat and high.

 

 

 

AS said, a ZJ arm is a bolt on drop. 1" or 1.5" or something. I have one lying in the garage IIRC, unless I threw it out. I'd whip it out and compare it to a stocker, but I don't think I have one of those.

 

 

 

But, the correct solution is highsteer or at least OTK steering. And get rid of that Y-link BS while you're at it... Oh, and raise the track bar mount too.

[CWLONGSHOT]

I added a ZJ pitman arm with my steering upgrade and Kevins track bar.

 

Just like Dirty said its all realitive and needs to be done so things remain parallel.

 

The Kevins TB drops the frame end about an inch and that matches the ZJ pitman arm in mt MJ.

 

 

comancheman: I'm at 5.5 and definetly need one. it reduces the angles that your draglink and tie rod are at, putting less stress on your steering components.

 

CW

[ChiefJosh]

Why do I need to drop the track bar as well? I've got an adjustable track bar, can't I just adjust it to make up the difference?

[jeepaholic]

You want to try and keep the angle of the trac bar and drag link the same ie. parallel. :popcorn:

[DirtyComanche]

You want to try and keep the angle of the trac bar and drag link the same ie. parallel. :popcorn:

 

Yup.

 

 

 

But to clarify that, that's the angle drawn by a straight line between the two joints on the track bar, and the passenger side TRE on the knuckle and the TRE at the pitman arm. The factory track bar is curved - making it hard to tell exactly what's going on with the angles.

[87manche]

if you drop the pitman arm and not the trackbar mount you will have bumpsteer. How bad it gets is really subjective.

The other thing to consider is that with a dropped arm you're applying more leverage to the output of the box, and the box itself. So I would really want to reinforce that area.

[DirtyComanche]

True to that. I've seen a couple snapped sector shafts from DP arms. Although, maybe their time was up anyways.

 

 

 

Either way, a steering box brace on one of these vehicles is pretty much mandatory.

[jeepaholic]

Or you could do like i did..(pics coming in morning)...but that would involve changing over from tre's to Hjoint and elevated bracketry.

[Pete M]

I think my arm is out of a TJ. About 1" lower than XJ/MJ. But practically none of my steering is stock MJ (in parts or design), so I can't really comment more than that.

[Eagle]

Why do I need to drop the track bar as well? I've got an adjustable track bar, can't I just adjust it to make up the difference?

If the drag link and track bar are not parallel you get bump steer. Not an issue on the trail at low speed but very disconcerting (and possibly unsafe) on the street or highway.

[Oizarod115]

is it true drop pitman arms create extra stress on the PS box and frame in the area?

[87manche]

is it true drop pitman arms create extra stress on the PS box and frame in the area?

see above :)

[ChiefJosh]

Geeez! It really doesn't ever end, does it????? Once you touch one thing on one of these trucks, it breaks- So you figure, okay, it broke, so instead of replace it- upgrade it. It seems like every week I learn in a new more real way - JEEP - Just Empty Every Pocket.

 

Okay, so here's where I'm at: I replaced all of the stock steering stuff when I first bought the truck- tie rod, drag link, all the ends. Then my D35 went, so I decided to go SOA. So I'm trying to finish all of that up without having to sell the rights to my firstborn child in order to afford it. When it is all said and done, I'll be at about 6" lift, with drop brackets on the control arms, and an adjustable track bar. What should I do with the steering? Keep in mind that I also have a leaky front and rear windsheilds to take care of, so cost is of utmost importance. What are my options?

[87manche]

with 6" of lift you're going to be maxing out the TRE's on the draglink and the trackbar.

Get the trackbar sorted out, and then look into an OTK steering setup.

 

You can do it with stock jeep parts and some goforit flip inserts.

 

You'll need a RHD draglink, and a solid stock zj tie rod. You drill out the knuckles and then tack weld the flip inserts in, so you can run the tie-rod over the knuckle.

 

You'll have to modify the swaybar brackets, and likely have to relocate your trackbar. JKS makes a 30 dollar bracket for the trackbar that's quite nice, it just needs to be welded on your D30.

 

voila, cheep OTK conversion. This will lessen the angle on your trackbar and your draglink, and get the tie rod up to a safer postion.

[Oizarod115]

is it true drop pitman arms create extra stress on the PS box and frame in the area?

see above :)

 

must've only read the 1st half of that post. :oops: thought i'd read through it all too. :oops:

[ChiefJosh]

What are these magic "goforit flip inserts" that you speak of?

[DirtyComanche]

They allow you to reverse the taper in the TRE holes in the steering knuckles (or anything else for that matter). So, instead of the TRE being below the knuckle, it can be above it.

 

 

 

 

It's just a little tapered cone thing.

[jared]

i just put a dp arm on my xj, and i did the rustys hd tracbar bracket with the bushing instead of the tre. it works fine and was only about 130 for both. but over the knuckle would be the best setup.

[feerocknok]

They allow you to reverse the taper in the TRE holes in the steering knuckles (or anything else for that matter). So, instead of the TRE being below the knuckle, it can be above it.

 

It's just a little tapered cone thing.

It must make it so you have to run a smaller end, right?

[ChiefJosh]

No, it doesn't make you run a smaller TRE, because you drill out the knuckle to 3/4", then drop the flip insert in and tack it in place.

 

I found the link for the TRE flip inserts, once I spelled Go-Fer-It "correctly." Here's the page: http://www.goferitoffroad.com/products.htm

 

I also read Go-Jeep's write up on his setup, which utilizes these TRE flip inserts. Here's the write up: http://gojeep.willyshotrod.com/HowtoOTKSteeringLinks.htm

 

Here's my beef with the whole thing: It all seems like a great idea, but I don't like all the fabrication that Go-Jeep had to do to get it all to work. Has anyone done something similar to this without all of the work? I know, I'm probably looking for corners to cut, but I guess what I'm asking is there an easier way to do OTK with the TRE flip inserts?

 

jared: How much lift are you running, and how is that all working out for you so far? Do you drive your XJ on the road much? How is it?

[DirtyComanche]

Most people just flip the tie-rod. It doesn't work as well, but is a lot easier than sourcing a RHD drag link. Either way inverted Y steering never really works that well (IMHO).

 

 

 

Although, there's really very little to it once you have the parts. You drill three holes and tack the inserts in place. Yes, the holes are a little hard to drill - I'd probably not have used a single large drill bit. Actually, I'd not use a drill bit. A tapered fluted reamer with some gear oil on it would cut through that stuff nicely.