So my axle swap is done, but I have 2 issues..

When I compress the drivers side, after about 3 inches of up travel the pitman arm hits the steering arm...I basically see 3 choices.
1- get a custom pitman arm (that is my first choice)
2- relocate steering box (dont really want to)
3- put bumpstops so it can't go to that point(see next issue)

The other issue is I had a front driveshaft from an 85 lengthened...only I think they added too much tube..I only have about 1 1/4 inch of "up" travel
on the yoke. Is that going to be enough?
I guess I may need some beefy bumpstops...any recommendations?

Thanks for your advice...I have been all over the web looking

one more question..where can I get a pitman arm like this now??



Here is how mine looks

 

When you say you only have 1 1/4 inch of up travel, what is limiting the travel? The amount of slip or the amount of angle?

 

The question about limiting travel is important. You shouldn't have to bumpstop out travel because of shaft compression. On a low truck with limited compression anyway, it sounds like a waste.

I have a flatter pitman from Poly Performance.

Messing with moving the box is a pain for the benefit. On IFS trucks, just leave it be, don't move the axle that far forward and don't run supersized tires.

 

I am not sure how much uptravel I have. I am concerned with the amount of slip..the angle looks ok and I get no vibration with the hubs locked. When I told the guy at the driveline shop what I wanted, I am not sure he listened.

How can I test uptravel with both wheels at the same time?

I think you are right Adrian...I saw Poly and Sky have almost flat and flat pitman arms...I think that is all I need.

 

If you have soem heavy duty cargo starp and a anchor on the ground, you can crank the front end down. But I doubt you have such a means.

Or you can get Andre the giant to sit on your front bumper.

ANothe roption is to lift your front end. Take the springs off of the shackles. Put a jack under the pumpkin and jack it up. Just a thought.

 

I have the exact same problem. Sky has a 3\4" drop pitman that I'll be trying. I guess thats what I get for trying to use the stock pitman. I thought it would work but I didn't get as much lift as I expected from my spring swap. I also haven't put my bumpstops on yet, because I don't know where my travel will stop at.

 

Yours looks worse than mine. Did you order the pitman yet?

 

Here is my driveshaft....see the amount of "up" slip I am concerened with?



Here are more pics of the steering clearance issue..I am thinking different pitman arm, there is not much room to move the steering box forward...

 

On the spline travel, Will it slide all the way to the yellow mark before the arrow?, If it will, It looks like plenty of travel for the angle of the shaft.
Can you drop the shackles just to test that?

How about just changing the angle of the stering box? or with another pitman.

 

If you take out some leaves you can compress the suspension, but that sounds like a lot of work.

You could always do the math and calculate how for it should travel. Don't forget that the axle will also move backwards when compressed.

 

Steve==you dont have issues with the pitman arm? or you just havent tried it? Seems like a chronic problem on our trucks.

I am going to bring my truck to the guy that lengthened the driveshaft to see what he thinks...I just think he did not listen to what I needed.

 

Yeah, mine is bad. I'll be ordering another pitman today. I don't want flat, I want like 3\4"-1.0" drop I think.

 

I haven't really tried it yet, but when I look at the travel allowed by the bumpstop I might not have a problem. It'll be close. RobG has the same problem.

 

I need to PM RobG and see how he fixed it. I may just heat up and bent my pitman arm up a little until I figure out a better solution.

 

Could anyone that has a modified pitman arm post a pic for me, and give details?

Steve--could you post a pic of yours so I can see your bumpstop setup and how your pitman arm and steering arm line up?

 

Here you go:
http://www.robinhood4x4.com/misc/bumpstop1.JPG
http://www.robinhood4x4.com/misc/bumpstop2.JPG
http://www.robinhood4x4.com/misc/bumpstop3.JPG
http://www.robinhood4x4.com/misc/bumpstop4.JPG

That's the best I can do without taking off my tire. It seems the zerk on the tie rod is about 1" in front of the centerline of the drag link.

 

Thanks Steve...yours is almost exactly like mine, but with those bumpstops and extensions you may not hit. I need about 3/4 of an inch at most to clear it.

 

There has to be more people that have this issue...I will probably have Front Range make me one like the first pic.

If you have pics post em...

 

I am also going to look into using a 2wd pitman arm...I found this on an old Pirate post....

 

Dude, I am really wondering what is causing all this.

Your set up is not exotic so the apparent HUGE issues seems out of whack.

Look hard for an arm that will bolt to what you have. If that doesn't work, move the box.

On V-6 trucks, you usually have to bumpstop that a long ways out before things hit anyway.