Modern style Pitman Arm?

J

jeepguy1948

Well-known member
I am using the ‘32 style Pitman arm on my Model A (which now has the F-100 box) I need the same spline, same length pitman arm but I need it with the 7 degree tapered hole instead of the affixed ball. I could certainly do it myself if I could get my hands on the proper reamer but I’m guessing A new pitman arm is low enough as to be not worth it to modify the existing one (in large part because I don’t have a reamer). Can somebody help me out with a source for the correct pitman arm? Thanks
 
Any passenger pitman arm from 32 to 48 will fit the F-1 box. Most have the tapered hole. Lots of variety as to length, slight bend or straight, and which direction the taper comes from.

You can also taper the hole halfway in from the other side if you need the opposite direction, and it will still work perfectly. I’ve done it a few times with thousands of miles on them now.
 
I have heard that some Jeeps have a pitman arm that will fit the Ford box. But I don't know which ones.
 
The early F100 boxes have the built in ball. The later (57?on) have the tapered hole. One came with the box I bought. I modified the box by welding on a new flange to exactly replace the 32 flange. I also machined the pitman shaft to except a Model A arm. I wanted the early style arm and also needed bolt clearance. All worked fine.
 
I have had the F-100 box installed for a couple years now and it’s been great. This change is needed because I am installing a different front axle which requires a different drag link which in turn requires a different pitman arm. It’s the domino effect.
 
Just for clarity, although it may not help you, the pitman arm you have is not a 32. The 32 arm does have the 7 degree taper hole. My 33 has a built in ball, so I guess you have a 33 or 34 arm supposing they are the same.

Also if you have the F100 box you should have a pitman arm that has a few splines and a clamp bolt. If your arm is fully splined and held on with a nut, is it underslung? If so the box is F1 rather than F100.

A picture of your setup might be helpful.

Mart.
 
The sector shaft is square, it uses the Model A Pitman arm. I switched to the shorter length pitman arm that they started using in ‘32 (ball or no ball it’s the length that is different than the Model A) It is 5.5” long. I bought the steering column, shaft, box, sector shaft from Randy Gross. I really don’t know exactly what year the boxes he use are, and I don’t know what modifications he does. I just know that when it arrives at your front door it is ready to bolt in. It sounds like what I need is an actual ‘32 Pitman arm. I wonder why the switched to “no ball” for just one year and then back to the ball again. I can’t post any pictures because I am several hundred miles away at the moment.
 
I posted my question here on the V8 Forum thinking that it would be better understood but I think that I just muddied the waters.
 
You have like what I did. I used an A arm as well but I just cut the end off and welded on a salvaged part that had the tapered hole. I think it was from a steering part.
 
I have now figured out that what I currently have is nothing Henry ever made. It is a Model A pitman arm that has been shortened to be the length that was used from ‘32 on (for better leverage). If you were not familiar with the Model A steering you would have no idea what I was talking about. I think that I am going to accomplish what I require by buying a 7 degree reamerI’m not sure that what I need actually exists.
 
Yes, you might be looking for something that does not exist. For info, 1932 on uses a spline at the box. The same spline carried on at least through 1948 in cars and the F1s were the same. Square ended in 1931 on the As.
 
You can buy new short model A arms from most dealers, or new weld on balls if thats the problem
 
What are the spindles you are using off of? If they have a tapered hole why not just get a ball that fits the taper hole.
 

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Retain your pitman arm you have and make a new drag link threaded for Model A or '32-'34 tie rod ends along with a ball stud like in the previous post on spindle arm.
 
Somehow the whole point of my original post has been reversed; I am not trying to find a ball to put into a pitman arm that I already have with a tapered hole in it. What I was trying to find was a pitman arm WITH a hole in it. I have a new SS drag link that uses the “modern” style ball joints that are already on the drag link. I have already determined that the only way I am going to get what I want is to take the pitman arm that I have, cut the ball off, and drill a 7 degree tapered hole in it. For those who do not really understand the point of my original post I will try to explain it. To be clear, I did not know all of this when I made the OP. If I had I would not have even made it. A Model A uses a pitman arm that fits a square sector shaft (the shaft that sticks out the side of the box). This stock pitman arm has the ball permanently attached and is approx 6.5” long. There is available for purchase that is refered to as a “shortened” pitman arm. This is a custom made piece that is made for one very specific application; it is only 5.5” long, fits a square pitman arm, and has the ball permanently attached. This is a custom piece that is only available “aftermarket” Ford never made such an item. The 5.5” is the length of pitman arm that Ford started using in 1932 however it is not a 32 pitman arm, it is “custom”. The whole idea was essentially to create a lower final gear ratio for the steering, more turns of the steering wheel but less effort. This is why ford went to the shorter pitman arm in 32. I now know that from ‘32 on, the sector shaft is splined not square so a later pitman arm cannot simply be installed on the Model A box. To further complicate matters I am not using a Model A steering box, I am using an F-1 box that has been modified to fit a Model A. These boxes are modified by a great guy in California by the name of randy Gross. I would say that more than half of the Model A’s I know of are using this box. Randy takes a stock F-1 box, attaches it to a Model A column and shaft, welds on a Model A style flange, and one way or another creates a “square” sector shaft. I do not know if his sector shaft is a custom made piece or if he is able to machine the splined shaft to make it square. Those of you not familiar with a Model A box would have no idea what I was talking about. I, on the other hand did not know that Ford started using a splined sector shaft in 1932 so I was asking my question all wrong. Anyway, I have my course of action and can move forward. Thanks Y’all.
 
Hi again Jeepster. Look carefully at your pitman arm. It might not have enough "meat" in it to accommodate cutting off the ball, drilling a hole and having a nice round flat surface for the nut to snug down onto.
If this is the case you might need to look at a modified drag link with one end like you say with a modern tie rod end in it and the model A/32 type dismantlable type at the other.
Another alternative which may be easier, is to use your existing drag link but use one of the balls as pictured above to adapt it to the steering arm.
I actually have that set up on my 33 which is how they did it as stock.
You must understand we are only trying to help and without posting pictures all we could do is guess at what you were asking in your original post.
This has all been done a thousand times before and with good dialogue back and forth a solution should be easily reachable. Mart.
 
Hey Mart, Just for information: Does your statement about the arm having a 7 deg. taper mean that it's 7 deg. included angel or 7 + 7 = 14 deg.? Just curious, as I have gotten into this sort of dilemma while doing custom machine work for the lab where I worked for 22 years. In other words, can that taper be described as a Morse Taper or some other standard taper? Not trying to confuse the issue, but if someone tries to buy a tapered reamer, this question will come up.

Al Hook
 
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