High travel, high clearance & high octane, a streetable adventure LJ story

I just hammered my steering shaft to collapse it. It did collapse a bit should it be free to move back and forth or did you just tap it down till it was short enough to install the box?
 
B00mb00m said:
I just hammered my steering shaft to collapse it. It did collapse a bit should it be free to move back and forth or did you just tap it down till it was short enough to install the box?
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Just keep tapping it. It helps if you draw a line on it so you can visually see how far it's moved.
 
I ground my steering stops to their max that the axle UJs allow. Now I want to dial in my pitman. I made a telescoping pitman. I know I won't be able to perfectly transfer the pitman length that hits stop to stop to my blank parts Mike arm. So if I have to be off then do you agree I should be slightly shorter pitman. Is there harm in letting the steering box stop slightly before the knuckles? How did you transfer your demo part to the real pitman?

If it needs to be perfect I guess I could add a dab of weld to get it just right?

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B00mb00m said:
I made a telescoping pitman.
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Good idea!

B00mb00m said:
Is there harm in letting the steering box stop slightly before the knuckles?
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Everything should stop at exactly the same point. If one side is stopping before the other you're going to need to either clock the arm or change the position on the knuckle (or a combination of both). There's nothing fun about this part. I'd also suggest loosely getting your track bar mocked up at this point.

B00mb00m said:
How did you transfer your demo part to the real pitman?
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I measured very carefully. Worst case you'll need to adjust the position down on the knuckle to correct.

It looks like you are using a Reid knuckle? To adjust the position on the knuckle you might have to think about ways to make an adjustable steering arm if you can't get enough adjustment out of the pitman arm.
 
Track bar is in now, that was an old pic.

Yes Reid knuckles so I don't have steering arm adjustability. I just have steering stops and pitman to adjust.

When you tuned your test pitman did you have everything tightened down to limit slop in system?

How did you get a good accurate measurement of the demo pitman? I'm thinking caliper inside of both circles then plus 1/2 each calipered hole diameter, but that doesn't strike me as a 3 decimal measurement. Did you do something different?

You mention if the steering travel isn't perfectly balanced then you would bend the pitman or adjust steering arm. Why not just center the steering by adjusting drag link and let the steering wheel be not perfectly centered? Is there any other downside to using drag link to center steering stroke?
 
B00mb00m said:
Track bar is in now, that was an old pic.

Yes Reid knuckles so I don't have steering arm adjustability. I just have steering stops and pitman to adjust.

When you tuned your test pitman did you have everything tightened down to limit slop in system?

How did you get a good accurate measurement of the demo pitman? I'm thinking caliper inside of both circles then plus 1/2 each calipered hole diameter, but that doesn't strike me as a 3 decimal measurement. Did you do something different?

You mention if the steering travel isn't perfectly balanced then you would bend the pitman or adjust steering arm. Why not just center the steering by adjusting drag link and let the steering wheel be not perfectly centered? Is there any other downside to using drag link to center steering stroke?
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In stock form, the pitman is pointed a bit to the right side when the wheels are straight ahead. Aftermarket pitman arms may not have the same timing on the splines and you need to clock it over 1/2 spline to get even travel side to side. The easy way to split the travel is bend the end of the pitman over.

You can not run the steering wheel off center. If you look in your box the steering gear came in, PSC specifically warns that the box has to be run on center. The reason for that is when it is off to one side, the valve is slightly open to provide assist in that direction and you will generally have or create a pull to that side.
 
Ahhhh man that explains so much. I just used drag link to center earlier this year and couldn't figure out why it steered weird. Ok tonight I'll go back drawing board with regards to the pitman! If needed I could go RCV axles to increase stops but was trying not to dump another K$
 
B00mb00m said:
Ahhhh man that explains so much. I just used drag link to center earlier this year and couldn't figure out why it steered weird. Ok tonight I'll go back drawing board with regards to the pitman! If needed I could go RCV axles to increase stops but was trying not to dump another K$
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Yep, you would be surprised by how many folks fight a pull that is from an off center steering gear. Use some weld to get the stops to hit or grind them down if they hit too soon.
 
B00mb00m said:
When you tuned your test pitman did you have everything tightened down to limit slop in system?
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It's a progression. Especially the first time, it's difficult to commit and burn things on. At first I made quick and ugly mockup brackets and tacked them generally where I thought they'd go so I could begin cycling the axle. Next I refined the brackets to reduce slop and verify the position. Lastly, I made the final version, tacked them, cycled, and only once I was 100% certain of their placement I fully welded them on.

B00mb00m said:
How did you get a good accurate measurement of the demo pitman? I'm thinking caliper inside of both circles then plus 1/2 each calipered hole diameter, but that doesn't strike me as a 3 decimal measurement. Did you do something different?
Click to expand...

I measured 4 different ways: 1) I did measured as you mentioned, 2) I measured CTC as best as I could eyeball, 3) I traced the holes onto paper and measured CTC, 4) I measured the entire length of the pitman (outside to outside) and subtracted the "thickness". I found that all of these resulted in a very similar number that I was comfortable working with. I did the same to place the new hole in the blank pitman.

B00mb00m said:
You mention if the steering travel isn't perfectly balanced then you would bend the pitman or adjust steering arm. Why not just center the steering by adjusting drag link and let the steering wheel be not perfectly centered? Is there any other downside to using drag link to center steering stroke?
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The steering gear is strongest in the center.

I wrote about removing the masters to clock the pitman back on this post: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...e-adventure-lj-story.9956/page-15#post-267543

In addition to removing the masters you will also need to bend the pitman like Blaine mentioned.

B00mb00m said:
If needed I could go RCV axles to increase stops but was trying not to dump another K$
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You don't have to, but if you think you will be, you'll want to do that now to get the additional steering angle.
 
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For people's reference Parts Mike was able to drill the flat pitman arm for me since I don't have a drill press. BTW what press and vice are you running I really could use a similar setup.
 
B00mb00m said:
For people's reference Parts Mike was able to drill the flat pitman arm for me since I don't have a drill press. BTW what press and vice are you running I really could use a similar setup.
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They can. I've had more issues with other people's work than I can count so I opted to do it myself. My biggest concern is that I couldn't guarantee they'd match the depth I wanted.

My drill press is JET 354170. I don't think it's perfect but it was the best I could find for the money. The vice I use the most in it is a Wilton 11698 8" Cross Slide Drill Press Vise.
 
What tabs did you use for lower CO mount? I have these left over from the genright CO hoop kit

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Did you guys oil up the stub shafts? I got them started but now they are not wanting to slide...

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Ya burrs are clean. It looks like the bending process may be deforming the tube. It has a noteable ovalization at the seam. Maybe the mandrel during bending wasnt fully supporting it??

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B00mb00m said:
Ya burrs are clean. It looks like the bending process may be deforming the tube. It has a noteable ovalization at the seam. Maybe the mandrel during bending wasnt fully supporting it??

View attachment 110320
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You are using DOM tubing and not pipe, correct? If it makes you feel better, I've had multiple things not go as smoothly as they should have adding days to my build. My suggestion is to take your time, do it right, and have fun.

I have a new post coming down the line hopefully tonight that will help you with the next steps once the hoops are in.
 
Ya I'm using the good stuff. The straight section of tube that genright sent fits and slides as does another tube that I have. Something about the hoop has deformed the tube in some way. Only thing I can do is start grinding with the flapper wheel to make it fit. I will call genright on Monday.

Looking forward to another post I'm almost caught up to your guide, I don't want to have to start doing this without your writeups!
 
Dude pipemaster rocks for this sort of coping! Two thumbs up. I would have seriously f-ed the coping up without it.
 
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