Hey guys,

I have a 75 F250 4x4 that the previous owner installed a 79 4x4 power steering box as well as the Dana 44 front axle. The conversion was not finished and it still needs a drop draglink as it is about 6" of lift. The question I have is that it looks like I have clearance issues with the pitman arm hitting the leaf springs and limiting total wheel travel. I checked out the mounting and I don't see how it could have been mounted any differently.

I am wondering if the correct pitman arm is installed. It is a drop pitman arm that is about 6-1/2" from center of steering box mount to center of the drag link mount. It also looks to be 3" in drop.

Could somebody with this steering setup measure the length of their pitman arm from center to center so that I can compare with mine? Also, how far away is the center of the pitman arm away from the edge of the leaf spring when the steering wheel is centered. Right now the (stock) drag link is parallel to the leaf spring when the wheels are centered - is this correct?

I imagine at the minimum I will need a new drop drag link, but I don't think that would increase wheel travel, only correct the angle.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Doug

 

Is your pitman arm pointing toward the rear or the front of the truck?

Jhooch

 

I have had only negative experience with a drop drag link, ends wearing out prematurely. Have you looked into a crossover style steering? Thats a popular conversion up here, and seems to help bump steer. I think you can still get a lifted C arm for a dana 44 if you want to stick with that drop draglink.
Good luck.

 

My pitman arm is pointed towards the outside of the truck, perpendicular to the frame when in the center of its travel. The steering box is mounted to the inside of the frame (4 bolt 4x4 box) and the pitman arm goes under the frame, above the leaf spring. Just about identical to the article on this web site (although I have the 4 bolt box instead of the 3 bolt):

https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...r_Highboy.html

The problem is that when the pitman arm travels through its arc, it hits the leaf springs at each extreme. With the current drag link, this limits the amount the wheels can be turned. I'm hoping that finding the right pitman arm, drag link combination can resolve this problem. If not, my only option might be crossover steering. While crossover is obviously better for offroad, are there any drawbacks for highway driving?


Doug

 

Sorry for my ignorance, I'll still kind of new to the steering systems on these trucks. By C arm, are you referring to the steering arm which is bolted to the top of the knuckle? If so, an arm for a lifted truck would simply sit taller than the stock one eliminating the need for a drop drag link so the stock one could be used?

I have looked into crossover steering a little, and that might indeed solve my problem. I seem to remember reading somewhere that it was not recommended for vehicles that see a lot of city/highway driving though. Is that so, or did I misunderstand what I read?

Thanks again,
Doug

 

I just added a couple of pictures of the pitman arm to my gallery to help show my problem. Check out the crew cab gallery to see what I am talking about.

Doug

 

9thPony: Hey don't worry, If you can't learn anymore you might as well be dead. I've had my Truck/coach mechanics license since 1992,fixing everything years before that and I learn more almost every day.
I tried several lift steering configurations. I did not have the option of a lift C arm because I always used the dana 60 front. In your gallery, the photos don't look like you will have clearance issues. A lift C arm bolts to the top of the left steering knuckle and should allow you to use the stock drag link. I had 6" skyjacker front springs and ended up using a drop pitmann arm and the drop drag link but was very unhappy with the draglink, I had to change one end or the other almost every Monday after a weekend of wheeling. I found the crossover steering idea after I had just about completed my 4wheeling days. Check out Skyjacker for different options.
I think the crossover would work best on highway as you loose the bump steer with good engineering. Your dana 44 is fairly easy to line up also, with the adjustable BJ sleaves.
If you want decent road handling dont go over 38s. The tires start to flex before your suspension, feels pretty weird on a dippy road!

 

This is a Trail Master drop pitman arm for a 77.5-79 f250. 6 3/4" center to center. 3 1/2" drop, measured from the bottom of the big end to the bottom of the small end.

 

Thanks for the picture and measurement Mark. That pitman arm looks to be very close, if not identical to what I have on my rig. Do you have any clearance issues with the leaf springs?


If I rotate the pitman arm I hit the leaf spring each direction, although near the end of the range. If I connect the stock drag link (from the 79) it seems to limit the amount the tires can be turned in each direction because of this clearance issue. I think I need to find a 79 4X4 and check out what it is supposed to look like and what kind of clearances it has. My only reference is my other 75 F250, but it has the 75 steering system which is much different.

Thanks,
Doug

 

Thanks for all the information, I think I will have to look into the crossover option in more detail and see what it would take to convert my steering over to this kind of system. My whole truck is kind of in a mock up stage right now so if I ever plan on converting, now would be the time.

As for tire size, I wasn't planning on going to big anyway (wife and kids have to be able to get in . I was thinking 35's, maybe as big as 37 but that would be the max. I think with the long wheel base of this truck heavy 4 wheeling will probably not be an option anyway, but I would like to be able to handle moderate offroad trials to get away from the crowds here in California.

Thanks,
Doug

 

Would you recommend going to a stock pitman arm with this configuration? From another members post in this thread it looks like my pitman arm is a drop. If my pitman arm had less of a drop it looks like it might clear above the leaf spring when turning the wheel right, where as with the drop arm it is running into the leaf spring. Is that normal to have the pitman arm/drag link rotate above the leaf spring?

Thanks again,

I don't think this project would even be a possiblity without help from this forum. I have a lot of experience with old Mustangs, but never did any serious modifications, and the ones I did do were simple bolt ons. This project will definately be a learning experience for me. I am at least lucky when it comes to paint/body work - my father in law has been in the industry for almost 40 years and is going to walk me through the whole process. He can even get me paint and supplies at cost, or in some cases free, so that will help.

Doug

 

Doug, I am using a 78-79 F150 4X4 power steering gear with 80-96 internals so it will rotate the opposite way. My steering box mounts on the outside of the frame and my pitman arm points straight back. I am going to have to use a crossover steering setup so the drag link will clear the springs. Should have this swap completed soon. I'll let everyone know the outcome. I run 3" Rancho springs and 35" tires.

Jhooch

 

A stock 77.5-79 arm only drops 1 1/2" from the bottom of the big end to the bottom of the small end. The center to center is the same

 

This is the factory arm. I see in your pictures you do have a drop pitman arm but the factory arm is what you needed. I wonder now since the box was fitted in with the drop arm if the stock arm will fit in right ?

 

I just found an artical online that might explain why I am having clearence issues. It looks like Ford redesigned the frame on the 77.5 to 79 f250s to have more of an arc, and moved the crossmember back further to allow more clearence between the frame and the leaf spring. This allowed them to put the integral power steering with the pitman arm going under the frame. On the 73 - 73.5 There is little to no arc in the frame, so the power steering assist actuall goes through the frame to avoid the clearence issues. I verified this setup on my other 75 f250 and that is the case.

I knew the pictures I was seeing of 79 power steering setups looked like they had more room above the leaf spring than I did. Now I just have to figure out how to get around this. I looks like a stock 79 pitman arm would clear the leaf spring, but barely. My concern is that when the wheel is turned far to the left there would be very little clearence between the bottom of the drag link and the top of the leaf spring, maybe 1/2" or 1". If there is any spring compression in this condition the suspension will bind on the draglink.

The more I think about it crossover might be the way to go. If I simply rotate the pitman arm 90 deg towards the back so that the pitman arm is centered pointing straight back towards the rear of the truck, and run a drag link staight across to the other side, I could probably avoid any clearence issues. Even the drop pitman arm I have looks like it would be correct for this configuration. I think all I would need is the passenger side steering arm (plus machining), and an adjustable drag link.

Does this sound about right to the experts here?

Thanks,
Doug