pitman arm
 

Need a shortened pitman arm for better steering. Need a source to buy. Thanks

Re: pitman arm
 

All the big parts houses have em now, Try Mikes or Snyders, I am pretty sure they have new ones now.

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IN the Winter 2010 Issue of the Model A Times we reported on Snyder's new short pitman arm. Not a modified original but brand new.

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Contact Snyders, you won't be disappointed ! Wayne

Re: pitman arm
 

Can you explain why you would want to use a shorter arm? I've used longer arms in the past to make the steering quicker, I'm not sure with vintage boxes why you would want to make it slower?

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To make it easier to turn the wheel. But more turning.

Re: pitman arm
 

Ok. Thank you.

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You may need an adjustable drag link to center the steering.

Re: pitman arm
 

Hello Thomas,
You need to know the shortened pitman arm is not a cure for poorly maintained steering components, as mentioned you will most likely need a adjustable drag link.

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I have 2 problems with this one:

Shortened Pitman Arms only come LHD we have to heat them and twist them to face the "right" way. A dissapointment!

Contact Snyders! Not likely. They seem to not want to deal with anybody outside US now. Their new website has a "Contact Us" form where a phone number is required. Our telephone numbers have more digits than those in the US. The site won't recognise them and won't allow the message to be sent.
Seems dealing with Snyders has just been taken off the table. Can't understand their business smarts cutting so many customers adrift.:eek:

Re: pitman arm
 

I rebuilt my steering box with the needle bearing sector housing,installed a shortened pitman arm, and installed nylon inserts in the tie rods and pitman rod. no need for an adjustable pitman rod. You wouldn't know it was the same car. Steers wonderfull and light. I love it.

Re: pitman arm
 

If you have access to a friendly machine shop then you may be able to make one which is what we have to do with a number of the less prolific makes of car. Ideally you want a piece of EN24T bar so that you can have the structure running lengthways down the finished arm. I get the thing wire cut (spark eroded if you prefer) in plan and then elevation. The wirecutting will produce all splines and tapers probably more accurately than the original. Then I use a linishing belt and a die grinder to take off all the square edges so it looks like the forged original that is being replaced. The Delahaye / Delage ones we did last year took me about an hour each on top of the machine shop time. No doubt a Snyders one will be cheaper but I wouldn't want to be heating and twisting it before using it

Re: pitman arm
 

I've tried to upload a photo but it all just seizes up once I've uploaded and hit the close this window button.

Re: pitman arm
 

Did you call them and ask?

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I bought mine from Brattons. Good quality but it increases the turning radius. Difficult in tight spaces.

Re: pitman arm
 

Didn't hurt the turning radius on my roadster. I still turns lock to lock and is better than the power steering on my Lincoln if the car is in motion. First Model A I ever had that returns after a turn, but I had 7 tooth steering and changed that to the 56 Ford at the same time as the shorter arm. Very easy to drive now. Next will be a synchro so the bride can drive it. You will love it I'm sure.

Re: pitman arm
 

Mitch, No I haven't rung them. It's easier to stay with my other supplier. I doubt a call would do anything anyway. Quite some time ago, I suggested they change some of the advice they were giving. For example, they used to say that con rods should be installed with the dippers facing the passenger's side. If we weren't on the ball, that would end in disaster and they would be up for making good the damage. I suggested they tell people to install them facing the cam shaft but years later, nothing had been done. There are other examples but I'll leave it at that for now.

Re: pitman arm
 

If you search past threads you would not have this problem.

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I'd like to see a photo. This might help:

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...ading+pictures

PS. I use IrfanView
http://www.irfanview.com/
to resize photos.

Re: pitman arm
 

So, what is the length of the stock pitman arm? And, how short is the shorter version?

Asking because I'm new to fixing Model As. Owned and drove a few of them years ago but didn't do much fixing, just drove them and replaced parts from an auto wreckers when parts were needed.
Right now I'm working on a "refurbished" '31 CCPU that I need to get ready for the safety inspection before I can insure and license it.

Re: pitman arm
 

Just installed the shortened arm from Snyders. I like the steering feel a great deal over the stock one. The wheels still turn the same angle left and right as before, just requires a bit more steering wheel rotation, as the mechanics dictate. Just a matter of taste and muscle, I guess. 34 psi in the tires.

I could not get the repro arm to tighten up on the sector shaft. Torqued it to about 100 ft-lbs and the bolt snapped, still never was completely tight. Solved this issue by coating the sector shaft with stud lock grade loctite and giving it 24 hours to set up (with a new retaining bolt, of course).

I overhauled the drag link with new steel ends. Steering wheel centering not a noticeable issue for me. Overall, I like it, but some revision to material, process or tolerances needs to happen to allow the arm to clamp down properly.

John

Re: pitman arm
 

In terms of steering, after I installed shocks the 1.25" of steering play was hardly an issue... At this point I cannot imagine trying a short arm... at least on my car.

Re: pitman arm
 

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Thanks to MikeK for the info.

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Trying again


There you go Updraught I finally did it.

Re: pitman arm
 

Hey Mike,

Glad you got it sorted. Just had my own computer drama where the cable fell off the disc drive (a known problem on this model):mad:. Thought I'd lost everything for a bit...

That pitman arm looks impressive.

I've just bought a supposedly rebuilt RHD 1929 steering column which looks like it has a 1932 two tooth type box put on it with a pitman arm that looks somewhat like that.
I guess the idea is that the ball can be changed which it can't in the Model A box. I'm hoping it will work out.

A shortened one would be a touch of luxury tho .... :)

Re: pitman arm
 

Some pictures of my steering box.
Wonder whether anyone else has one like this?

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNj...VVmLy/$_57.JPG
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNj...VVmMZ/$_57.JPG
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTIwMFgxNj...VVmM4/$_57.JPG
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxMj...VVmLe/$_57.JPG