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2wd box retaining 4wd steering, for now?

Stomis

Stomis

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I thought I read somewhere that the only difference between the 2 and 4wheel drive boxes are that the 2 wheel drive boxes have 4 keyways to place the pitman arm front, back, left, right while the 4wd box is only keyed left.

If this is true would I be able to upgrade my steering box, continue using the stock steering on a 2wd box and then reposition my pitman arm and go crossover later?
 
See my problem is that I need a new box. Mine leaks like a siv. I always thought that the difference in the sector shafts is what way it allows you to mount your pitman arm. If I can mount my pitman arm in any direction with the 2wd box cant I just mount the pitman arm 90* to the driver side like stock 4wd and just use a 2wd pitman arm and hook my stock steering to that?

I'll read through that thread but I think my question is a simpler than your thinking unless I'm not thinking ahead enough and you already thought ahead for me in quick case my thinking is off.

Did you get that? :D
 
The 2WD shaft is a tapered and splined shaft and the 4WD shaft is a straight shaft with a notch for a pinch bolt. The 2WD pitman arm is retained with a nut on the sector shaft and the 4WD is retained by a pinch bolt on the pitman arm itself.

There is no way to use a 4WD pitman arm on a 2WD box.
 
Stomis said:
See my problem is that I need a new box. Mine leaks like a siv. I always thought that the difference in the sector shafts is what way it allows you to mount your pitman arm. If I can mount my pitman arm in any direction with the 2wd box cant I just mount the pitman arm 90* to the driver side like stock 4wd and just use a 2wd pitman arm and hook my stock steering to that?

I'll read through that thread but I think my question is a simpler than your thinking unless I'm not thinking ahead enough and you already thought ahead for me in quick case my thinking is off.

Did you get that? :D
Click to expand...

Well, replace the box, sure.

I don't remember and no longer have the parts to check, but I don't believe that the shafts are actually the same except the keying... that is, you can't put a 4WD pitman arm onto a 2WD shaft. They're different diameter and/or splined differently IN ADDITION to having only one key or four.

In any event, the swap is easy, so the answer is yep, you're worrying too much. Fix your truck for now with whatever box/shaft you need today, and down the line when you go crossover, just swap in a 2WD shaft. Done. :deal:

-- A
 
can't he put a 2wd box on with the 2wd pitman arm and clock it 90*, then put the factory drag link on it?
 
Jason4x4 said:
can't he put a 2wd box on with the 2wd pitman arm and clock it 90*, then put the factory drag link on it?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure the 2WD pitman arm has a tapered joint made part of the pitman arm and not a tapered hole for a TRE to go into. Kinda like this.
rar20736003.jpg
 
Mine is the pitman arm used for crossover. The DLE used with it is part of the draglink.
So you should be able to use a 2WD box with a 2WD pitman arm, yet still run standard push-pull steering.
 
IIRC, when I attached my drop pitman arm on my 2wd box, I could not clock it. It would only mount in one position.
 
I wasn't sure if the crossover arm could still be used with the push/pull steering since the arm is dropped?
 
I don't know about that.
There was a thread a while ago discussing the angles of the DL. I made a post, but was quickly corrected. To this day I have no idea what the correct way to go about setting up the DL on a push-pull system is. (as far as the angle goes)
 
Right ready mix got what I was trying to say. Can I use a 2wd steering box and pitman arm and clock it to hook up to the push pull style steering? Should work if I get the right pitman arm (ford?) I'm thinking?
 
readymix said:
I don't know about that.
There was a thread a while ago discussing the angles of the DL. I made a post, but was quickly corrected. To this day I have no idea what the correct way to go about setting up the DL on a push-pull system is. (as far as the angle goes)
Click to expand...

The stock push/pull steering the draglink needs to be slightly downward (on the rear) of parallel.
 
The closer to parallel it is then you'll get the same amount of turning radius in both directions. I can't remember which way becomes affected when the draglink has too much angle on it but it needs to be slightly downward from parallel.
 
readymix said:
Mine is the pitman arm used for crossover. The DLE used with it is part of the draglink.
So you should be able to use a 2WD box with a 2WD pitman arm, yet still run standard push-pull steering.
Click to expand...
that's what I was thinking.
 
Idk my draglink is definatly not at the proper angle right now... I'd imagine that a drop pitman arm on a 2wd box would help. Guess I'll be the first to try it then?
 
I was thinking about going this route too. So what is the final word? Can a 2WD box and drop pitman arm be used with stock push/pull? Or is Stomis going to be our guinea pig?
 
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