Pitman arm angle with wheels straight

greyghost_lj

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Myrtle Beach, SC
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Is this pitman arm angle correct? My thought is that it should be parallel with the body of the Jeep but I have no idea really.

I’m trying to track down the cause of my steering stabilizer rubbing against my track bar. Not sure if this is related at all.

Please let me know of any issues you see with my steering geometry. I am aware my axle is not centered right now (look at coil curve toward driver side).

4” lift, stock steering aside from adjustable track bar and stabilizer.
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1. I wouldn't mess around much with your pitman arm angle until your axle is centered, because it will change. If I remember correctly though, there's a dead spline in there so the pitman arm only goes on one way. All that really matters is that your axle is centered and the steering wheel points straight when the rig is driving straight.
2. Your drag link looks weird to me. The stabilizer-drag link bolt is a lot closer to vertical on mine, so the bushing at that end of the stabilizer is more above the drag link than behind. Hope that makes sense...I tried to post a picture but the forum keeps telling me "we ran into some problems".
 
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1. I wouldn't mess around much with your pitman arm angle until your axle is centered, because it will change. If I remember correctly though, there's a dead spline in there so the pitman arm only goes on one way. All that really matters is that your axle is centered and the steering wheel points straight when the rig is driving straight.
2. Your drag link looks weird to me. The stabilizer-drag link bolt is a lot closer to vertical on mine, so the bushing at that end of the stabilizer is more above the drag link than behind. Hope that makes sense...I tried to post a picture but the forum keeps telling me "we ran into some problems".
Yes that makes sense. I wonder why it’s angled that way. You think maybe I bent it? Is there some way I could correct the angle so the bushing is vertical?
 
1. I wouldn't mess around much with your pitman arm angle until your axle is centered, because it will change. If I remember correctly though, there's a dead spline in there so the pitman arm only goes on one way. All that really matters is that your axle is centered and the steering wheel points straight when the rig is driving straight.
2. Your drag link looks weird to me. The stabilizer-drag link bolt is a lot closer to vertical on mine, so the bushing at that end of the stabilizer is more above the drag link than behind. Hope that makes sense...I tried to post a picture but the forum keeps telling me "we ran into some problems".
Please post a picture of yours if you are able later
 
Yes that makes sense. I wonder why it’s angled that way. You think maybe I bent it? Is there some way I could correct the angle so the bushing is vertical?

Here's a couple photos of mine. Note the tie rod to drag link joint is pointing basically straight forward, and the steering stabilizer bolt is pointing a little forward but mostly down.

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In this second photo, note how there are a couple inches between my track bar and stabilizer, so even if my drag link spun back some, they still wouldn't touch.

PXL_20211221_025507462.jpg


Makes me wonder if your track bar is bent. Mine is a Currie/Rockjock.
 
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That's why you make the big bucks. Did you see it in the photo first or did you suspect it from previous experience and zoom in to look for it?

You didn't hit enter to separate our replies so it is messed up, but, I don't know how to zoom in, the rusty point drew my eyes to the spot, the kink is pretty obvious, and he has a complaint that would be relative to something of that nature.
 
It is, so how did it get there?

I have more experience with setting up an axle than I do with finding damaged parts, so my mind went that way first and I've never spotted a kink in a photo online so I was more focused on the overall shape, location, and orientation which wasn't lining up with how mine looks.

Based on the location of the kink and the fact that his axle is shifted significantly toward driver, I'd say it was a hard lateral hit to the passenger front, approximating sliding sideways into a curb, and the track bar folded right in it's weak spot.
 
I have more experience with setting up an axle than I do with finding damaged parts, so my mind went that way first and I've never spotted a kink in a photo online so I was more focused on the overall shape, location, and orientation which wasn't lining up with how mine looks.

Based on the location of the kink and the fact that his axle is shifted significantly toward driver, I'd say it was a hard lateral hit to the passenger front, approximating sliding sideways into a curb, and the track bar folded right in it's weak spot.
We've seen trackbars do the same on the trail and since there is very little steering without something to react against, it isn't hard to see how.

But, I wouldn't say it had a weak spot, it merely bent at a predetermined location predicated upon its design.
 
nice observation.
I wish folks would do something with whatever they are using to take pictures and get them more correct. I spent 10 minutes looking at this one trying to visualize what the differences between the shape of a right hand drive track bar and left hand drive track bar was.

This pic is all fucked up.
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I have more experience with setting up an axle than I do with finding damaged parts, so my mind went that way first and I've never spotted a kink in a photo online so I was more focused on the overall shape, location, and orientation which wasn't lining up with how mine looks.

Based on the location of the kink and the fact that his axle is shifted significantly toward driver, I'd say it was a hard lateral hit to the passenger front, approximating sliding sideways into a curb, and the track bar folded right in it's weak spot.
We've seen trackbars do the same on the trail and since there is very little steering without something to react against, it isn't hard to see how.

But, I wouldn't say it had a weak spot, it merely bent at a predetermined location predicated upon its design.
Thanks Blaine, if you look at my other post about my steering stabilizer contacting my track bar, there’s a video of me being a dumbass on top of a slick parking garage and slamming into a curb on my passenger front wheel.

I wasn’t sure if the pitman arm question and the steering stabilizer contacting question I had were related but here we are. Thanks for the good eye, I’ll be getting a new track bar now 🤣

Also I just ordered some centric rotors and BMB pads a few days ago! Excited to see how they perform.
 
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Here's a couple photos of mine. Note the tie rod to drag link joint is pointing basically straight forward, and the steering stabilizer bolt is pointing a little forward but mostly down.

View attachment 297635

In this second photo, note how there are a couple inches between my track bar and stabilizer, so even if my drag link spun back some, they still wouldn't touch.

View attachment 297640

Makes me wonder if your track bar is bent. Mine is a Currie/Rockjock.
New track bar time. Thanks for the help!
 
Thanks Blaine, if you look at my other post about my steering stabilizer contacting my track bar, there’s a video of me being a dumbass on top of a slick parking garage and slamming into a curb on my passenger front wheel.

I wasn’t sure if the pitman arm question and the steering stabilizer contacting question I had were related but here we are. Thanks for the good eye, I’ll be getting a new track bar now 🤣

Also I just ordered some centric rotors and BMB pads a few days ago! Excited to see how they perform.

Aaaah haha it all comes together now 🤣
 
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I would have guessed that the steering wheel being a fair bit off center after the curb impact as being a large clue that something was no longer how it started out.
It was completely 180 degrees upside down hahaha. I’m an optimist and everything seemed to drive fine (and look fine to my untrained eye) and I’m in college with a heavy workload, it was good enough to go so I’ve driven it and wheeled it after an alignment for about a month…