Firm Feel fast ratio pitman arm install

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67dodgedartconv

67dodgedartconv

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Looking to install the fast ratio pitman arm on the steering box shaft then mount the assembly to the k frame. However, the firm feel arm does not have a master spline to match up to the master spline on the output shaft on the steering box. How do I get the arm lined up properly on the shaft so I am not a spline or 2 off?
Thanks for any help.
 
You can lay one over the other and mark it where the index is. They can be laid where the mounts touch with the drop arm opposed.
You can also try called them at Firm Feel. Those guys can be quite helpful. Remember that they are 2-3 hours behind your time.
 
Are you putting it in an abody?

What headers exhaust manifolds are you running? Only thing that might fit would be TTI shorties and Schumacher tri-y. There's a chart on the firm feel web site of what fits and doesn't fit.
 
autoxcuda said:
Are you putting it in an abody?

What headers exhaust manifolds are you running? Only thing that might fit would be TTI shorties and Schumacher tri-y. There's a chart on the firm feel web site of what fits and doesn't fit.
Click to expand...
67 Dart with factory 273 manifolds. Don't know if head pipes are going to have to be modified yet.
 
autoxcuda said:
Those are not on thier list. Did you talk to them?

Firmfeel Mopar Suspension and Steering

Are there headpipes and manifolds on the car now? Have you moved the idler and pitman through its motion near the exhaust yet?
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When I bought them from them they did not say they would not fit. Told them I was using manifolds. Engine is out of car but k frame installed. Trying to install the pitman so I can install everything else and see if they fit. Just don't know of easy way to line up pitman arm. Surprised it did not have master spline. Once in I should be able to raise exhaust pipes up to manifold height without engine in and see if they clear.
 
I don't know how they are going to fit unless they are immediately routed toward the back and kept high and tight.
 
This was covered in Mopar Action a few years back. Don't remember what they did about the splines though.
 
jos51700 said:
This was covered in Mopar Action a few years back. Don't remember what they did about the splines though.
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I'll try kerndogs suggestion and see if that works. Didn't want to pull old pitman off old box, lazy I guess and didn't know how close I could get it just eyeballing spline match between the two.
 
I remember they used a cut off wheel to make the master spline but I don't know how they lined it up correctly.
 
67dodgedartconv said:
Crap, just remembered my old pitman is for small sector shaft and new one is large so I can't even use old one to help line new one up.
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If turn the wheel full lock to the right, put a piece of tape on it, count turns as you go lock left, center is half way, now the steering wheel is centered.

Point the wheels dead ahead, line up your parts and cut your spline. Anything else is off a little, the alignment man fixes it.

Right? Wrong?
 
jos51700 said:
If turn the wheel full lock to the right, put a piece of tape on it, count turns as you go lock left, center is half way, now the steering wheel is centered.

Point the wheels dead ahead, line up your parts and cut your spline. Anything else is off a little, the alignment man fixes it.

Right? Wrong?
Click to expand...
Sounds like a place to start. Called firm feel and they said similar. Set wheels straight ahead, install other parts, and see where the pitman wants to go. If it turns slightly more one way than the other probably have to move it a spline or 2.

They did say the reason they do not have a master spline is that the TA and AAR fast ratio boxes are master splined in a different position from regular boxes, so they made fast ratio arm to cover both.
 
moparmat2000 said:
I believe the fast ratio pitman and idler arms essentially just C body arms,
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The passenger side is.

But I'm not so sure about the pitman. I know it's the same length as the C-Body. But the geometry might not put the centerlink flat.
 
I just ordered a new pitman for the 340 Swinger I'm redoing . When I compared the new arm to the stock one it was shorter.... Urgh... I didn't think about that when I ordered it.
 
I got my fast ratio arms from PST. They arent installed yet. If anybodies interested, i can go look tonight and see if the pitman has a master spline.
 
moparmat2000 said:
I got my fast ratio arms from PST. They arent installed yet. If anybodies interested, i can go look tonight and see if the pitman has a master spline.
Click to expand...

Are you going to try to put them in an abody car?
 
Does the 16:1 manual box in my 340 Swinger have a faster ratio or just a longer arm ?
Autoxcuda, Are you implying they may not fit an abody?
 
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mbaird said:
Does the 16:1 manual box in my 340 Swinger have a faster ratio or just a longer arm ?
Autoxcuda, Are you implying they may not fit an abody?
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The 16 to 1 manual box has a different worm gear assy inside
 
Does it also use a different pitman arm ? Like I said the one I ordered from Rock Auto is about 1" shorter than the stock one.
Same shape though..... The idler arms were identical though.

I want to make sure all will be right before I assemble and align.
 
mbaird said:
Does it also use a different pitman arm ? Like I said the one I ordered from Rock Auto is about 1" shorter than the stock one.
Same shape though..... The idler arms were identical though.

I want to make sure all will be right before I assemble and align.
Click to expand...
I think the only difference is the small sector vs large sector, and of course the drag link and pitman/idler changed on the 73 up stuff
 
mbaird said:
Does it also use a different pitman arm ? Like I said the one I ordered from Rock Auto is about 1" shorter than the stock one.
Same shape though..... The idler arms were identical though.

I want to make sure all will be right before I assemble and align.
Click to expand...

Fast ratio manual is in the gearing in the box. The manual std 24:1 pitman is the same as the fast ratio 16:1 arm. Like was said before.

From what you are saying, you ordered a stock replacement pitman. It should be the same length as an original one. The "length" is center of the spline hole at the steering gear to the center of the ball joint ball itself.

The center of the balljoint is inside the end of the pitman. You can get approximation of that by measuring to the zerk fitting hole.

Comparing that to your old one may help; assuming your old one was correct.

I know for a fact you can bolt on a E/B body pitman on an ebody and the length will be close or basically. BUT the centerlink will not sit level. That will wear out your idler and create some binding. Power steering will overcome the binding so you may not feel it binding. But it's still not good.
 
I placed them side by side . The centerlink stud is .5" - 1" off....I'm not sure how much that changes the ratio.

might not be a big deal....
 
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