Will this work?
- Thread starter choppinczech
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Yankee Transplant
He started out with nothing, he still has most of
dont know dose it stop turning when you get so far , cause it looks like it would equal out after you turn all the way. it would go back to the cab and the wheel would not move any more .. Id say mock up and see if it works .. if it does build the link .JMO I would think the more in-line you are the better off your going to be
choppinczech
Well-known member
I'll drill out that conduit tomorrow and see how it does.
Yankee Transplant
He started out with nothing, he still has most of
that would tell you if it will work or not . I may be wrong but just looking at it , its not going to give you all the turn you need before it starts going back to the cab instead of pushing towards the wheel .. but I have been wrong 2 or 3 times in the past hr.. so ..............
What are you gaining? When you make a full left turn, won't the drag link bend be right where you don't want it to be?
If it fits, the only concern I see is if the bend can handle the sideways stresses - which can be severe in an emergency situation.
If it fits, the only concern I see is if the bend can handle the sideways stresses - which can be severe in an emergency situation.
choppinczech
Well-known member
I need that space between the steering box and the front frame tube. So I can't move the box any more forward. I'd rather not set the drag link at an angle.
Looking around on the net, I see several Z bent drag links. That might be better. The two major lengths of the bar would be parallel with the tie rod.
Looking around on the net, I see several Z bent drag links. That might be better. The two major lengths of the bar would be parallel with the tie rod.
choppinczech
Well-known member
MercuryMac
Builder Junky!
Maybe the solution to what Yankee was worried about is pull your pitman arm off and turn it counter-clockwise 1 or 2 splines so that the pitman arm is then perpendicular to the line from it to the steering arm end. Some pitman arms have uneven splines so you can't turn them. Check it out with the conduit. Then when it works, make a good stout drag link with the same bend and you'll be laughing all the way to the bank.
choppinczech
Well-known member
The photos are a bit deceiving. The pitman is perpendicular to the tie rod and a good 3" below the frame.
The deal is, if the box and end of the pitman were set to run parallel with the tie rod (like a normal setup) it'd put the box damn near right behind the front frame tube.
So I need a way to keep the box and pitman back while still running a parallel drag link.
I'm gonna mock up a Z bent drag link tomorrow.
The deal is, if the box and end of the pitman were set to run parallel with the tie rod (like a normal setup) it'd put the box damn near right behind the front frame tube.
So I need a way to keep the box and pitman back while still running a parallel drag link.
I'm gonna mock up a Z bent drag link tomorrow.
MercuryMac
Builder Junky!
Choppin' I was not explaining myself well enough. For the moment imagine a straight draglink from the end of the drag link to the steering arm. Keep the image in mind when you put the bent draglink on, because that straight line draglink is your geometry, no matter how the actual draglink kinks around. Although that straight draglink is workable it is not parallel to the tie rod and the pitman arm is not perpendicular to the draglink geometry. I think Yankee was worried that when you turned the pitman arm to the right all the way, [which would turn your wheels to the left], the pitman arm and the draglink would be almost parallel and the steering arm would not be pushed outwards much anymore. You'll be able to see this when you test your draglinks. Good luck tomorrow.
choppinczech
Well-known member
Got'cha. The angle coming into the pitman is NOT perpendicular.
Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
Yes, that's right. Or in other words you will loose steering ratio when turning left and gain it turning right because of the arc of travel of the pitman arm. Bending the drag link won't change that geometry, only re-clocking the pitman arm like Mercuryman was trying to explain will solve that. If it's a Vega box you should be able to swing it a couple splines.
I'm not a big fan of bent pitman arms but you do what you have to do. I have even seen bent ones on factory made cars so it must me acceptable. Just keep in mind that it can't be near as strong and will be much more prone to flexing and torsional twisting affects.
I'm not a big fan of bent pitman arms but you do what you have to do. I have even seen bent ones on factory made cars so it must me acceptable. Just keep in mind that it can't be near as strong and will be much more prone to flexing and torsional twisting affects.
choppinczech
Well-known member
OK, the Z shaped drag link works really well. I get the full motion side to side because it's essentially a widened straight link. Still parallel to tie rod at it's ends.
I'll make it out of 1" x .219 for strength. I'm also going to changed the tie rod to 1". Speedway's 7/8 thin walled rods seem too flimsy to me.
I'll make it out of 1" x .219 for strength. I'm also going to changed the tie rod to 1". Speedway's 7/8 thin walled rods seem too flimsy to me.
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Yankee Transplant
He started out with nothing, he still has most of
good deal 
Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
It's not really a safety issue but you will have a slower steering ratio turning left than you will turning right. Not so much in the center but more towards the steering stops. To avoid that, the pitman arm would need to be rotated toward the frame. If you turn it lock to lock you will see that the arc of travel of the pitman arm is moving progressively more to the rear on the left turn than it is to the side. While a right turn it is still moving mostly to the side in a right turn. It may not be serious enough to even worry about though.
MercuryMac
Builder Junky!
I'm glad you made the temporary drag link to try out the steering action. It looks like the short travel of your pitman arm saved you from what we were trying to explain. You can see in your second picture that if your pitman arm had to travel another two inches it would be going back towards the engine and not pushing the wheel out very much more, but luckily you're alright.
I assumed you had to go around something with the drag link and that was why it had to be bent, but with the Z'ed one it looks like you wanted the draglink to be parallel to the tie rod where it is seen in public. Is this the only advantage, because a straight draglink is stronger than a bent one. Your drag link geometry is not parallel to the tie rod and no amount of bending will change that. The whole thing is close enough to parallel, though, that it will work. Don't worry too much about making it look parallel. Keep on tinkering.
I assumed you had to go around something with the drag link and that was why it had to be bent, but with the Z'ed one it looks like you wanted the draglink to be parallel to the tie rod where it is seen in public. Is this the only advantage, because a straight draglink is stronger than a bent one. Your drag link geometry is not parallel to the tie rod and no amount of bending will change that. The whole thing is close enough to parallel, though, that it will work. Don't worry too much about making it look parallel. Keep on tinkering.
choppinczech
Well-known member
It'd have to be 3 3/4" longer.
