shortened pitman arm

I have to add one thing thing to what I posted above. One of the worst causes of driving instability which causes lack of confidence and discomfort is slop or play at the steering wheel. Personally I find play at the wheel to be intolerable. Shortening the pitman arm will increase any perceptible play at the steering wheel proportionately to the increase in ease. The bottom line is condition of the steering column MATTERS!
 
b ramsey said:
you guys are funny. if you shouldnt weld on one, why is it made of steel?
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There are three reasons:

1. In addition to PROPERLY shortening the pitman arm, most ALSO need the ball replaced which is a second "surgery".

2. By most accounts the newly manufactured units are properly forged, decent quality and relatively inexpensive.

3. If you are truly a welder with the requisite knowledge in basic metallurgy then you already know there are "welders" and folks that believe they can weld.

We are not talking about a fence post here. Your life (and your grand kids) may well depend on it! Now that isn't to say you are not capable of doing so but those decisions are clearly up to the individual.

 
Un-scientific example. If you're trying to lift the corner of your house with a 8 foot bar and a rock, let only 6 inches of the bar extend past the rock.
That 6 inches is the same function as the pitman arm. Chief told me that.;)
 
short arm .... for $29 im not going to depend on a weld . sorry but its not worth it to me ................... steve
 
b ramsey said:
you guys are funny. if you shouldnt weld on one, why is it made of steel?
Click to expand...

If you have it welded you should get a certified welder. I can weld most any thing, but would not weld a steering part.
High strength steel can have its property s changed when you weld it. You need the right rod, right heat, right penetration, and cool it right. We used to make cylinders for power plants. I had guys working for me that were real welders, lots better than me.
 
A way to visualize the leverage is to look at teeter toter, steering linkage at one end, wheel the other and the box at the fulcrum.

wheel-------------<box>--------------steering linkage
__________________|___________________________
wheel-------------<box>----steering linkage
__________________|___________________________
Notice the link between the steering linkage and the box, with respects to the box to the wheel which remains the same. See the advantage of the shorter link.

One has to look at the system, not one piece.

The radius should be still the same if it's hitting the locks, just more turns then stock.

GW
 
I posted this picture on the old fordbarn several years ago. This shortened arm was already on a Model A that I purchased. I do not know who welded, ground and powder coated it or care. I was not smart enough to have the arm checked out before putting the car on the road.

The first time I had the Model A out on the road and was about 450 miles from home (MARC National in Indianapolis) it snapped with no warning. My wife and I had just come off of a six lane interstate filled with tractor trailer trucks going about 70 MPH. That would have been a BAD place for it to have broken. We were lucky and were only going about 20 MPH in a straight line when it broke and I was able to get the Model A stopped without hitting anything.

As has been said here by several of the guys, either know how to weld and do it yourself, get a CERTIFIED welder, or better yet buy one of the NEW short forgings that most of the new parts dealers are selling.
 

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People are buying or inheriting cars with shortened pitman arms that don't know how they were made or how strong they are. This is not good.

If you don't know where your shortened pitman arm came from, I recommend short arm inspection, looking for signs of a problem before it becomes a disaster.
 
IMG_1663-003 (2).jpg

This broke at the bottom of my own driveway on the morning of leaving for a 800+ mile tour. I was an early adopter of the shortened pitman arm and this was purchased from a Model A vendor. The ball broke loose and the paint behind the "weld" didn't show that it had broken loose. Put the original pitman back on and went on my way.... Seeing some of the hills and curves on this tour was giving me a lot to be Thankful for as it could have been a deadly outcome......:mad:
 
FWIW, In some jurisdictions it's not legal to weld steering components, certified welder or not.
 
Perfect explanation Steve s. I really felt a big difference with the shortened arm. They are too cheap to buy, don't try to shorten an old one.
 
shorter pitman makes for slower steering but with less effort also/and a reduced turning radius.someone post before has their wires crossed.
 
CarlC askes about the shorter arm on the cars equipped with F100. My roadster has both and I find it turns quite satisfactorily. Much like power steering when moving and it also improved the turning of the wheels at rest, though obviously it is best with the car in motion. The arms still move from stop to stop, so I cannot understand the thought that the turning radius will increase. If you can turn it until the stops are met, how will that change the radius? It does take more revolutions of the wheel to get to the stops with the F100 box than the 7 tooth my car had, but a U-turn is possible if you don't race into it, turn the wheel to the stop with minimum forward motion, then make your turn. You will have to turn the steering wheel more turns than without the shorter arm, I found, to achieve the same turn. Very easy though. Bought the arm made new, not a backyard weld job.
 
Might as well put in my 2cents as they say. Having just installed a new one from snyders, I love it, works just fine, its easier to steer and did not effect the overall turning radius. Still turns from stop to stop. Like others have said, you now have to turn the wheel a little further to get the full range. Also my roadster is slightly lowered in the front so the shorter arm also helped to reduce the upward pitch of the drag link thereby reducing bump steer effects.
 
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