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Old 02-21-2020, 12:54 PM   #1
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Pitman arm

Hey everyone,
I have a 99 RB 7.3 that I did a home brew 4x4 conversion using a 05 f-250 coil spring front axle. I’m trying to get the steering dialed in and still doesn’t feel right, I initially reamed out my stock pitman arm to fit the larger truck ball joint and I was getting a little bump steer, now I put on a truck pitman arm that’s longer and it’s better but now it’s hard to turn the tires from a dead stop. Is there one in the middle that would work? What pitman arm does MG use with his kit?

Thanks

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Old 02-28-2020, 12:14 PM   #2
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Action Van makes a special pitman arm for their lift used on RSC vans. They maybe able to help!

Action Van Suspension - We make driving a van fun again! Ford Van Lift Kits. Bolt on kits for your E-Series Ford Van.
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Old 02-28-2020, 01:02 PM   #3
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+1 on contacting Action Van

We reached out to them a few months ago with a similar concern. They said they could make a custom pitman arm for us. Not sure on cost, we ended up going a different route. Our problem was ultimately not a pitman arm issue after all.
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Old 03-01-2020, 04:21 PM   #4
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RLC85:
Can you post up some pictures and details of your axle install? I’m considering the same year axle swap.

Did you fab your own brackets? What coil springs did you use?

Thanks
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Old 03-11-2020, 01:21 PM   #5
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Thanks for the info, I’ll check out Action van.
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Old 03-11-2020, 01:32 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by upsidedown View Post
RLC85:
Can you post up some pictures and details of your axle install? I’m considering the same year axle swap.

Did you fab your own brackets? What coil springs did you use?

Thanks
Yes, I made all of the brackets and I used aftermarket radius arms for a super duty with a 6” lift. That way the brackets are tucked up tighter to the frame. Springs are cc880s with a 2” lift puck under them
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Old 03-11-2020, 02:15 PM   #7
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Thank you for the pics and info.

Are the radius arms from BDS? Or another manufacturer?

Nice job on your Radius arm brackets at the frame. Looks good.
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Old 03-11-2020, 02:24 PM   #8
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Thanks! They are by Blitz Auto and I got them on eBay, cheaper than most but very high quality and beefy.
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Old 03-11-2020, 02:34 PM   #9
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You might want to contact Chris at UJoint for a source for your pitman arm.

You have an option to use a high steer arm machined into the knuckle if you want. I think that Sky Off-road makes one for a Reid knuckle machined for the passenger side for the 2005+ axle.

Then you would need to raise the mount for your angle on the Track Bar to match the flat angle of the high steering.
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Old 03-12-2020, 08:12 AM   #10
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Nice DYI swap!


The counter guys at every 4x4 will prescribe the same Rx when you mention bumpsteer "you need a different pitman arm", but that's the bullshit one-trick pony answer.


A dropped or longer pitman arm is often the answer when raising a truck, but a Ford van's steering box location and angle is so different, that swapping out the pitman arm hardly changes the bumpsteer condition.


To improve things, you have two goals.


1) get the drag link and track bar the same length, and same angle.
This makes the axle housing move in the same arch as the drag link when the suspension cycles, which minimizes bumpsteer







2) get the drag link (and track bar) as parallel to the ground as possible. This location places the drag link at the center of it's arch, again, minimizes bumpsteer. You can achieve this by doing the 'cross over steering mod' to the passenger side knuckle. There's a machine shop in Redding, CA that offers the arm and service, so does Ujoint Offroad, who did mine for me. It's precision machine work, you want the type of arm that both bolts, and is keyed into the top of the knuckle, you need a milling machine and skills to pull off this DYI. Or just mail your knuckle in, pay the man and get it done, which is what I did.




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