Hi guys....just had the steering box rebuilt on my 48 Canadian Merc pass car. As I understand it the steering woodruff key should point straight up and the pitman arm should point straight down . My steering wheel is way off centre by say a third. With the wheel in correct straight ahead position the pitman arm points slightly to the drivers side. I realize the drag link can be adjusted shorter but is the pitman arm not in its correct location? Thanks.
Pitman arm clocking
- Thread starter Pg409
- Start date
V8COOPMAN
Well-known member
The Pitman arm needs to be center of travel between LEFT and RIGHT locks (lock to lock). To center steering wheel, adjust drag link 'til wheel centers with Pitman arm straight ahead.
Welcome to the 'Barn!! DD
V8COOPMAN
Well-known member
Run the steering box FULLY from left lock to right lock, counting number of turns. Return exactly one half of the number of turns to CENTER. Install Pitman arm straight ahead. Then, adjust drag link to line-up with hole in Pitman arm until steering wheel SHOULD be straight. Is that better? DD
Most pitman arms have 4 flats that align it on the sector shaft.
In hot rods we have done I have cut grooves into the flats to match those already there. That allows you to put the pitman arm anywhere you want to on the sector shaft.
You must center the sector in the middle of the worm shaft, then you can clock the pitman arm where you want it..... then you can dial in the drag link to fine tune.
Will you be 10000% where you want it to be ? Probably not but you should be very close.
In hot rods we have done I have cut grooves into the flats to match those already there. That allows you to put the pitman arm anywhere you want to on the sector shaft.
You must center the sector in the middle of the worm shaft, then you can clock the pitman arm where you want it..... then you can dial in the drag link to fine tune.
Will you be 10000% where you want it to be ? Probably not but you should be very close.
As you turn the steering wheel lock to lock you should feel a spot in the middle where ther is slight resistance, that is dead center. Most steering boxes have it and that is where the steering box should be when going down the road. Once you find it you need to align the pitman and wheel to this point.
cajunfirehawk
Senior Member
Some excellent info here gents, thanks!
cajunfirehawk
Senior Member
I don’t understand how rebuilding the box would change the clocking. There is a key that index’s the worm on the shaft. Perhaps the rebuilder did not get the worm aligned and forced it on anyway. I would want to pull the bottom cover and see if the shaft and worm show the key undamaged. The other possibility is he used heat and somehow twisted the shaft.
I would like to know the cause.
The pitman shaft has 36 splines. Therefore changing clocking must be in 10 degree steps.
I would like to know the cause.
The pitman shaft has 36 splines. Therefore changing clocking must be in 10 degree steps.
Tinker
Well-known member
Remember the stearing wheel is also installed/clocked separately.
It reminds me of a story, when I was installing a od cable for my 53. I took an afternoon running the cable only to see the pull handle was upside down. I cursed and cursed my self as I went home. The car was at my father-in-laws. I came back the next day ready to rerun the cable. My father-in-law said get in and try it first to see if it was working first. I grabbed the handle and it came right off... oh yea the handle had a allen head keeping it to the cable, all I had to do was put the handle back on 180. At the time I was a bit angry as I felt a bit humiliated. Funny now, I guess he could have just told me. hahaha
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It reminds me of a story, when I was installing a od cable for my 53. I took an afternoon running the cable only to see the pull handle was upside down. I cursed and cursed my self as I went home. The car was at my father-in-laws. I came back the next day ready to rerun the cable. My father-in-law said get in and try it first to see if it was working first. I grabbed the handle and it came right off... oh yea the handle had a allen head keeping it to the cable, all I had to do was put the handle back on 180. At the time I was a bit angry as I felt a bit humiliated. Funny now, I guess he could have just told me. hahaha
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