Topic: Pitman Arm

[Steve-0]

Sorry, just a relative comment.

[jfrabat]

The mounting points of the track bar and pitman definitely do not align, so I'm thinking of doing the drop pitman arm. If I have it correct, the rule of thumb would be that if you have the track bar bracket then the dropped pitman should be used. If there's no bracket, then stick with the stock pitman arm, correct?

Depends on the angle of the trackbar, which can change depending on if you are using brackets or an adjustable trackbar.  In case of my JKS adjsutable trackbar (the telescoping one), I needed to go back to the stock pitman, whereas with the bracket I needed the dropped one.

In this pic, you can see the relative angles, and if I were to use a dropeed pitman, the angle would get worse, not better (there would be a greater gap at the top)...



Another before the tires were changed:



In my case, i still got a bit of bumpsteer, but it is manegeable, and there is nothing more I can do anyway short of removing the trackbar (hich I dont want to do because the Jeep has to drive all the way up to 400 miles from San Jose to Panama on the road).

Felipe

[Bounty Hunter]

Depends on the angle of the trackbar, which can change depending on if you are using brackets or an adjustable trackbar.  In case of my JKS adjsutable trackbar (the telescoping one), I needed to go back to the stock pitman, whereas with the bracket I needed the dropped one.

Sounds like the same thing he said, bracket=drop pitman, no bracket=stock pitman.

[dwtaylorpdx]

I'm not sure the relationship your pointing to , My 94 YJ has been
without both track bars since about 1995. I tried it with and without
them and I could not find a positive influence, other than the side
load it places on the bushings. which in 200K miles has not hurt anything yet...

I do run the anti-roll bar/sway bar. I like the way the YJ stops better with it.

If you put poly bushings inthe front spring holes in the frame youll be
hard pressed to tell if the track bar is there...

As far as bump steer, the link is supposed ot be as paralell to the line
drawn between the ball joints as possible, angle above or below increases
bump steer..
Good luck

Dave

[jfrabat]

Sounds like the same thing he said, bracket=drop pitman, no bracket=stock pitman.

Your right; I misread the first time around...

[neale_rs]

...other than the side load it places on the bushings...

Actuall, running a track bar will put side loads on your bushings every time the suspension moves.  Without the track bar the steering will put some side load on the bushings but it is hard to tell which situation will cause more bushing wear.  In any case, I also run no track bar and it is fine, it has almost no effect on the handling.

[mrcabinet]

So, after checking the pretty-much-useless wrecking yards here for an XJ arm and having no luck, then peeling myself off the floor when 4wheel parts told me the price of a new dropped arm, my question to you guys is: Do any of you have a dropped pitman arm that needs a new home? If so. please feel free to post here or pm me.

Thanks!

[Jeffy]

Try www.car-parts.com.

[sharpxmen]

So, after checking the pretty-much-useless wrecking yards here for an XJ arm and having no luck, then peeling myself off the floor when 4wheel parts told me the price of a new dropped arm, my question to you guys is: Do any of you have a dropped pitman arm that needs a new home? If so. please feel free to post here or pm me.

Thanks!

if you're not in a big rush i will let you know on saturday - i have a new drop pitman arm that came with my 4'' lift kit and i am working on getting WJ knuckles in so i might not need it but i will only know on Sat evening or Sunday noon the latest. It's for a YJ but i think it should fit the TJ as well (i don't think they are different but i don't know for sure).

[mrcabinet]

Sharpxmen -

That would be great! There's really no hurry, other than now that i know what needs to be done, I'm anxious to do it. From what I understand, '86 through '06 are all the same, so long as it is for power steering.

I did try carparts.com before my last post, but couldn't find one. I've noticed that their catagories can be rather vague and hard to search.

Thanks again.

[sharpxmen]

Sharpxmen -

That would be great! There's really no hurry, other than now that i know what needs to be done, I'm anxious to do it. From what I understand, '86 through '06 are all the same, so long as it is for power steering.

I did try carparts.com before my last post, but couldn't find one. I've noticed that their catagories can be rather vague and hard to search.

Thanks again.

95 YJ with powersteering, so that should do it. I'll let you know as soon as i figure it out.

[dwtaylorpdx]

Just a note on the track bar, I found that it also had the effect of causing
my YJ to over rotate on washboard roads, scary thing was it depended on
which direction you were turning. One way it would turn quickly (On its own) the
other way it would understeer, but slide to the inside. Very very odd.

Dave

[Steve-0]

This guy still has one. I have asked him to see how much it would cost to mail it and he would gladly accept paypal but wont ship till payment has ben made. If you dont get it, I might just take it.

http://portland.craigslist.org/grg/pts/1453165901.html

[jfrabat]

I gave mine away about two months ago; but try the local craigslist and see if one comes up.

[mrcabinet]

Steve-O

Thanks for the link. I thought about having my brother that lives in LO go and get it, but then I saw it was in Carson. I'm a native Oregonian, lived there for 38 years, wheeled and hunted in every corner of the state, and have never heard of Carson! After pulling it up on a map, I would hope that he'd ship since he's almost in Idaho!