which center/drag link am I looking for?

[clementine]

Helll00000000 FABO!!
I have gone down the road of changing my pitman arm to point down instead of up (1967 barracuda 4 speed 383) to try to clear the TTI headers. With moderate success. Which center link do I look for at this point? 68-72? or 73 up? I have a later K member now which has the updated idler.

Thanks fabo!

 

[SMCARNUT]

I am using the 73 and up drag link on my 71 Duster for that same reason.

 

[Professor Fate]

I can't say for sure that this will help your header clearance issues, but the thing people keep forgetting is that the factory '68/'69 big block cars used different idler and pitman arms than the normal slant and small block cars- they have a greater offset and locate the centerlink slightly lower for better oil pan clearance, which may aid header clearance too. Don't know if the TTIs were designed with these in mind or not.
The big issue is that NONE of the normal suppliers (O'Reilley, NAPA, etc.) acknowledge this difference in their part listings anymore- "one size fits all". Back in the day, parts listings did recognize this and there were different part numbers for the BB A bodies. Right now, the only place I know of that lists the big block pitmans & idlers is Firm Feel. There may be others, but none that I know of other than a few NOS/Obsolete suppliers.
Firmfeel Mopar Suspension and Steering
Just so you know.
Oh, and the centerlink that you want to use with a downward-pointing stud in your idler and pitman is the '73-'76 unit.

 

[clementine]

Oh, and the centerlink that you want to use with a downward-pointing stud in your idler and pitman is the '73-'76 unit.

and this unit is different in that its holes are not 90* (roughly) to each other like the one that came with my car, and that the taper points down of course. Is it by chance slightly longer? and is much straighter? AND, is the K member have to match the center link? I thought it was just idler/pitman/center matchymatchy.

Thanks Prof!

I have these laying around and i think the one without a pitman/idler on it is the one.... the holes where said idler/ pitman live, are slightly (1/2-3/4") further apart than my 67 center link.

 

[72bluNblu]

K member doesn’t have to match the center link, you just need to match the pitman, idler and center link. Unless you have a ‘67 K with the one year idler.

In your picture the center link without the pitman/idler attached appears to be a ‘73-76 center link, they mount everything with the tapers pointed down. They are shaped a little different, I don’t recall the width being all that different though.

 

[67Dart273]

K member doesn’t have to match the center link, you just need to match the pitman, idler and center link. Unless you have a ‘67 K with the one year idler.

In your picture the center link without the pitman/idler attached appears to be a ‘73-76 center link, they mount everything with the tapers pointed down. They are shaped a little different, I don’t recall the width being all that different though.

THIS!!^^
..........And of course remember the pitman has to fit whatever spline your steering box has......
Early: up through 72

Late: 73/ later

 

[72bluNblu]

THIS!!^^
..........And of course remember the pitman has to fit whatever spline your steering box has......
Early: up through 72

View attachment 1715981527

Late: 73/ later

View attachment 1715981528

And if you need a 73+ style pitman for a small sector power steering box, you’ll need to buy a pitman for a ‘73+ manual steering box. Because unless something has changed none of the parts descriptions will match a small sector power steering box with a 73+ pitman. But it fits, I have the 73+ manual pitman on the small sector power steering box in my ‘71 Dart with the 73+ center link and idler. With the ‘71 K for that matter.

The ‘73+ power steering idlers will be for a large sector power steering box.

 

[clementine]

Thanks @72bluNblu! I have a new PST manual box with a pitman that fits and points down that I got from a member on here awhile back. On it is written "73-76". I have that center link and I will post a picture of it next to my old 67 center link for comparison. There is a slight difference in distance between the Idler/Pitman arm holes. The guy I got that from does a lot of B bodies so it may not be correct. Got my refurbished K in and T bars slid in nicely! Ill post pics of the center links in a bit.

 

[clementine]

Yeah, so it looks like i probably have a B body center link. But i wonder what this other center link with the idler/pitman attached to is off of?

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Here is what I see.

You have a 67 - 72 A-body drag link
63 - 66 A-body drag link. The narrow one
70 - 72 B body drag link. The wide one

I don't see a 73-76 A body drag link in your collection

 

[clementine]

Thank you sir!