pitman arm length

[singledad]

Wiil a longer pitman arm and/or shorter steering arm make the steering not so quick?

[birdman_express]

Yes.

[TomL]

A longer pitman arm ( the part that is on the steering wheel end) and shorter steering arm (on the spindle end) will make your steering quicker.

Tom

[Old Goat]

Here is how I have always figured out my pitman arm length. It works good for me.

Mount your spindles on the front axle. Hook up your tie rod between the two spindles and set your toe in pretty close to 0. Turn the spindles to either full left, or full right. Put the end of a tape measure in the center of the hole in the steering arm that your drag link (the rod that connects the pitman arm to the front axle) hooks to. Then turn the spindles the whole way the other direction, without moving the tape. You are measuring the distance that the hole in the steering arm travels from full lock left to full lock right. Whatever that distance is, divide it in half and add 1/8" (the 1/8" is to keep your pitman arrm from going over center). That is the length you want your pitman arm to be from the center of the steering column to the center of the hole that the rear of the drag link connects to. For instance, if your steering arm travels 5" from lock to lock, you want your pitman arm to be 2-5/8" from the center of the steering column to the center of the hole the drag link connects to. This will give you the easiest steering possible with direct steer.