Replacing out an aged f100 pitman arm isn't specifically the most exciting job you'll do on your Ford producer truck, but it's definitely one of the most important for keeping your steerage tight and estimated. If you've ever spent a long drive sawing at the steering wheel simply to stay in your lane, a person know exactly what I'm talking about. That classic "Ford wander" is a ceremony of passage for a lot of F100 owners, however it doesn't have to be your permanent reality. Usually, the particular culprit is hidden right up generally there contrary to the steering container, quietly wearing away over several years of service.
Why This Little Piece of Steel Matters So Much
Think of the pitman arm as the main messenger for your steering system. Whenever you turn the particular wheel, the steerage gear box rotates a splined shaft. The pitman arm is keyed to that shaft and swings back and forth, pushing plus pulling all of those other steerage linkage to help make the wheels turn. It's a simple lever, but it takes an amazing amount of force every single time you get around a parking great deal or hit the pothole.
When an f100 pitman arm begins to go south, it's usually the ball joint end—the side that connects to the center link or drag link—that gives up the ghost. Once that mutual gets some "slop" in it, your steering input has in order to travel through that will gap before the vehicle actually reacts. That's where that terrifying half-inch of have fun with in the steering wheel comes from. It might not appear like much on the workbench, but from sixty miles per hour on a narrow road, it seems like you're attempting to steer the boat with a wet noodle.
Identifying the Right Part for Your Specific Year
One particular thing you'll rapidly realize when hunting for parts is that will Ford didn't specifically keep things common during the F100's long production run. The f100 pitman arm you need for a 1965 manual steering vehicle is a completely different beast than what you'd put on a 1978 with power steerage.
The largest variable is the particular diameter of the particular output shaft upon the steering container. Ford used different spline counts and diameters depending upon whether or not the truck has been a "half-ton" or if it have been upgraded with heavy duty components. Most of the early trucks used a smaller field shaft, as the later 70s models, specifically those with factory power steering, moved up to the beefier version. Prior to you click "buy" on any component, you really need to crawl below there and gauge that shaft or count the splines if you can. There's nothing even more frustrating than having your truck upon jack stands simply to realize the fresh arm is just a fraction of the inch too big or small.
Manual vs. Power Steering Differences
It's also worth noting that the particular geometry changes in between manual and strength setups. A power steering box is actually larger and sits in a slightly different position around the frame. To maintain the steering linkage aligned correctly, the particular pitman arm provides to have the correct "drop" and duration. If you're doing a power steering conversion—a super popular imod for these trucks—don't anticipate to reuse your own old manual arm. It won't fit the box, and even if you forced it, the angles would be most wrong, leading in order to some pretty strange handling characteristics.
The Struggle associated with Removing an Old Arm
Let's end up being honest to get a second: getting a pioneering f100 pitman arm off a 52 pick up that's been sitting given that the Bicentennial is a nightmare. These things are pressed on to tapered splines plus held in location by a substantial nut and the lock washer. More than fifty years, they will basically become 1 with the steerage box thanks to a lovely combination of rust and stress.
I've noticed plenty of guys attempt to beat them off with the heavy hammer. Please, don't do that. You'll end up mushrooming the end associated with the sector base or, worse, shattering the internal bearings of your steering box. The only way to perform this right is with a devoted pitman arm puller. Even then, you'll probably need in order to soak it in PB Blaster for a couple associated with days and perhaps strike it after some temperature from a torch to get this to budge. Whenever it finally allows go, it generally does so with the loud "bang" that'll make you leap out of your skin, but that's just the audio of victory.
Dealing with Raise Kits and "Bump Steer"
In the event that you've decided to give your F100 a bit of a lift in order to fit some meatier tires, you've got another factor to think about. When you raise the ride elevation, the angle associated with the drag link becomes much steeper. This creates the phenomenon called bundle steer, where each time your suspension hits a drop, the truck drags to one part because the steerage geometry is away of whack.
This is exactly where a "dropped" f100 pitman arm comes into have fun with. These are aftermarket arms built with a much deeper curve to provide the connection point back down towards the floor. The objective would be to keep the drag link because parallel to the floor as possible. In case you're going upward greater than two or three inches, a drop arm isn't just a "nice to have"—it's the safety requirement in case you want to keep the truck through darting across the yellow line every time you hit a manhole cover.
What to Look for When Buying Aftermarket
When you're looking around, you'll see prices all over the particular map. You can find some cheap cast-iron versions, or you can go for heavy-duty cast steel. Honestly, this particular is among those components where you don't want to go this route. The pitman arm is usually a "single stage of failure" element. If it snaps, you have zero steering. It's not really like a bad alternator where you just coast to the stop; if this breaks, you're a passenger in your own truck.
Stay with trustworthy brands which have been within the truck sport for a whilst. Look for something that comes with the new Grade 7 nut and lock washer. Also, check out to see in case the ball shared end is greaseable. Having a Zerk fitting allows you to pump a few fresh grease within there during every single oil change, which will make the new arm last significantly more than the one Ford producer installed at the particular factory.
Set up Tips for the house Mechanic
Once you've got your f100 pitman arm in hand, the install is usually actually pretty simple, provided you have a huge enough torque wrench tool. That big nut needs a lot of muscle—we're talking 150 to 200 foot-pounds depending on the specific year and model. In case you don't obtain it tight enough, the arm may actually wiggle within the splines, which may ruin both the arm and your steering box quickly.
Also, make sure your steering wheel is centered before you slide the arm on to the splines. Most pitman arms are usually "indexed, " meaning they have got four wide splines that only allow them to move on in 90-degree increments. This makes it hard to clutter up, but it's still worth double-checking that your tires are pointed straight ahead before you torque everything straight down.
Wrapping It Up
In the end of the day, changing your f100 pitman arm is one of those maintenance tasks that provides immediate gratification. The moment you pull out of the driveway and recognize the truck really goes where a person point it with no a three-second hold off, you'll realize it was worth just of the struggle with the puller tool. It's regarding more than just convenience; it's regarding making sure your classic Ford stays on the road for another fifty years. So, grab a recording measure, check your splines, and obtain that steering stiffened up. Your over arms will thank you on the next long car ride.