Do I need a dropped pitman arm
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Do I need a dropped pitman arm
I have an 04 f350 with a 8 inch suspension lift. For some reason my pitman arm is loose with the nut tight. The dropped pitman arm has teeth rounded out and broken in some spots. Do I need to get a dropped pitman arm for it or can I get the stock arm
Fleet Mechanic
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^^^ This and if you haven't already stop driving the truck till you fix it. Also don't be surprised if you need as steering box too.
Tuned
Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Altoona, PA
Don't worry about the steering box output shaft splines.
They are much much much harder material than the pitman arm.
Just get a new dropped arm, install. Torque to spec.
Happy motoring.
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The splines on the gear box shaft are fine. But I can only find a dropped pitman arm for lifts 4 to 6 in. Would these work as well or do I need to find one for 8 in.
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Altoona, PA
Lastly...i don't know how many times over of harness the steering box splines are over the pitman arm,
But u can tell you this. The box output spline shaft is hardened heat treated steel. The pitman arm is cast. The box output shaft is three times harder. Maybe more.
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2013
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From: Altoona, PA
You just can't use a stock one with an 8 inch lift.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2012
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If the splines are messed up the new one won't go on. If there are no splines left which is kind of what you're implying then he would had already lost control of his truck.
Lastly...i don't know how many times over of harness the steering box splines are over the pitman arm,
But u can tell you this. The box output spline shaft is hardened heat treated steel. The pitman arm is cast. The box output shaft is three times harder. Maybe more.
Lastly...i don't know how many times over of harness the steering box splines are over the pitman arm,
But u can tell you this. The box output spline shaft is hardened heat treated steel. The pitman arm is cast. The box output shaft is three times harder. Maybe more.
Tuned
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 257
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From: Altoona, PA
I know it is a harder metal than the pitman arm the only l thing I was implying was for him to check the splines on the steering box which he did and that it would not have surprised me if he needed a new steering box. I've never seen that happen to a pitman arm before stock or lifted. I would also suggest that the op find the correct pitman arm all the lift kit manufactures have the manuals online with part numbers for each lift and each component in the kit so that your steering geometry is correct. There is quite abit of difference between a pitman arm for a 4" kit and an 8". If your going to buy a pitman arm there's no reason not to buy the right one for your application. I'm not trying be a dick here but if your going to give advice on here I and everyone else would prefer it be correct.
In the engineering process there needs to be something that wears.
Example..if they made the pitman arm as hard as the output shaft then you might get wear but the probability exists of breakage. Because both forces at work are of equal hardness.
Having a cast arm, it allows for over time a gradual wear that then gets replaced with posibilility of a total breakage kept to minimum.
The pitman arm has new way. I do not believe you'll find an arm longer than four inches.
That's why on a mild lift of four inches or less pitman arm is optional.
Eight inches is too much and therefore a drop arm of four inches is needed, and perfectly satisfactory.
Perhaps someone at present day is making a crazy drop arm but I doubt it. I'm not sure an eight inch drop arm would work so good.
If you were looking to correct it all the way to stock you'd have to do some other mods. Like inversions, ram assists, all sorts of things different things can achieve that.
Eight inch lift and four inch arm will work fine. I
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