Today I finished installing the Skyjacker 4" lift kit on my 77.5 F250. This kit came with the adjustable drop drag link. After looking at the steering geometry, I'm thinking I may also need the drop drag link. Any advice acceptable angles for the drag link or the ball joint ends? The other challenge is that the adjustment range wouldn't allow me to center the steering wheel. In fact, I set the link at near the maximum length to lower the angle which put the steering wheel exactly upside down. I'm thinking I can just reclock the steering shaft or the wheel. But I'm more concerned about having the steering geometry in a safe and useable state. BTW, I have a Dana 44 in the front.

 

" This kit came with the adjustable drop drag link. After looking at the steering geometry, I'm thinking I may also need the drop drag link." Not getting that ?
The way you set drag link length is remove the drag link, center the steering boxes pitman arm in the middle of the travel, point the wheels straight ahead. Then adjust the drag link length till the drag link just slips in the steering arm and pitman arm. Then pull steering wheel and recenter it.

 

Can't really help with the geometry question, but I am planning to install either the Skyjacker or Rough Country 4" lift on my 78 F250. Would you happen to have any pics of the lift installed, I'm interested to see how it sits with the 4" kit.

 

Your alternatives are ??? You can run the drop pitman arm but that WILL be able to hit the leaf springs in serious situations, You can look for a skyjacker drop drag link, built heavier and I think slightly more drop. Good luck finding that. I talked the one parts hoarder in town here out of one I sold him years ago for my brother's 71 front 60 conversion we did, and when I went to order one I couldn't get it and went with a skyjacker, seems to hold up fine but looks terrible next to the skyjacker part. I guess you can put the spacer in between the knuckle and the steering arm, but I sheared bolts off in a 60 due to the extra stress from the long studs. I don't recommend it. I hit some wild snow covered hills this weekend in my 78 and exploded the engine fan and ripped the exhaust from the L&L headers but my steereing link drove me home fine, even with a loose pitman arm that I found later.

Mark A is exactly right. Center that steering link and drive it some, every 4" kit I ever had loses some altitude over the first few years and that helps your steering geometry.

 

Mark A., thanks for catching my error. Yes, I meant to say I'm thinking about adding the drop pitman arm. Thanks for the advice on how to set the drag link length. I started with setting the wheel straight and also trying to keep the pitman arm basically perpendicular to the frame. I didn't think to run it through it's range of motion and find the center.

As for a drop pitman arm, anyone know how much the drop might be? In surfing the web, it's hard to tell. I'm thinking about your (F250-WARHORSE) comment about hitting the springs. Anybody try modifying the steering arm so as to mount the drag link from the top (versus the bottom)?

I'm taking some pictures today and will get something posted. The 4" lift was just what I was looking for after looking at lots of pictures and different lift options.

 

Here are a few pictures of the installed drop drag link - unfortunately I didn't think to grab some images until after I had put the tire back on! Looks like I might have room for a drop pitman arm if the drop is around 2" - probably what I would need to get the ball joint ends of the drag link in the middle of their range of motion. Still unsure of whether I need the drop pitman arm . . . maybe these pictures will spark some advice from those of you who have more experience than I.

 

Your drag link angle really doesn't look that bad, i've seen far worse, if you wheel this truck hard i'd probably avoid a dropped pitman arm for fear of contact with the springs.

A better option imo would be to ream out the steering arm with a tapered bit, or drill it to accept a tapered insert so the drag link mounts atop the steering arm.

 

do they make a raised arm like they do for the Chevy 44?

stock one



lifted one

http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...eering-arm.jpg

 

AFAIK no one makes one, another option for the OP is to source a 76/77 highboy steering arm, it's the very same arm as the lowboy, just 2" taller.

 

looks like its hitting the spring i wonder why they made the lift like that.

 

I think your drag link will be OK, it is on a slight angle, but those springs will "settle" after a few miles. They wear the bushings in and the springs wear in, on leafs they do have a little more height when new than they do after a few years. I strongle recommend trying it. If it doesn't work, then fix it but It will drive OK as is.

 

Thats what mine looks like and I have a dropped pitman arm also, buts its a highboy with 4 inch springs and 79 steering. as long as you can go lock to lock it should be fine, i would try to find a 76/77 highboy steering knuckle before going with a dropped pitman arm. Think I have 3 or 4 lying around if one is needed

 

Thanks all for the good advice. I'm pretty close to going lock to lock, but I'm more concerned about suspension travel maxing out the motion of the drag link. Has anyone experience one of these breaking? Maybe they're stronger than I think in supporting some of the axle weight for a brief period of time.

Both the option of drilling/inserting my current steering arm or replacing with one from a HB are intriguing. However, I've seen many posts describing the nightmare of trying to loosen the steering arm bolts. So far I've had no problems with any of the suspension bolts, so maybe my luck will continue if I go down this road.

 

do they use the cone washers?

I'd redrill it if I was you.

other options are:

1. Cross over steering, your knuckle is ready for the arm

2. Run Chevy knuckles and use there lifted arm.

 

your draglink will never support the weight of the axle unless your spring breaks in half or something like that. Unless you really plan to do some hardcore off roading, dont think you willever have an issue.

Its just a 4 inch lift, people have been doing this to trucks for years pretty sure it will last for years.