I need a measurment please, D60 steering arm

[GsxrMike]

I installed a shorter draglink last night and I got the steering almost centered but I have a question. My knuckles on my D60 are not going all the way to the stops on either side. My only conclusion is that my steering arm is "too long". I measured from zerk to zerk (kingpin cap to TRE) and I got 8". Is this correct? I got my steering arm from Virgina4x4. Anybody see any problems with having a new hole for the TRE reemed into the steering arm? I am pretty sure it would make it harder to turn but I don't have any trouble now and I may get a smaller turning radius.

 

[4X4HIGH]

I think i understand what you're talking about so i measured my ORD crossover arm and from the king pin zerk to the center of the DLE is 7"

 

[tRustyK5]

I have the ORD arm too, 7" from the zerk to the center of the DLE. On the other end of the drag link i have the Superlift pitman ORD supplies with their crossover kit and as near as I can measure it it is 6.5" from center of the DLE to the center of the sector shaft hole. The ORD arm comes with two holes, the nearer one is ~5" from the zerk and it's for the tie rod in a high steer application, the outer hole at 7" is for the drag link.

Rene

 

[4X4HIGH]

I just went out and took the measurement of the ORD pitman arm and i come up with 6.375" from center of sector shaft to center of DLE.

 

[Fred_M1010]

Yes, I'm afraid your steering arm is too long, even for a superlift 1104 pitman arm (which I belive is one of the longest pitman arms).

I did a lot of measuring and calculating when I made my crossover,
and I came to the conclusion that the steering arm shouldn't be more than 1.1 times longer than the pitman-arm.
If you have a lot of flex I would even recommend that they should be the same length.
(I'm running a 5.5" pitman arm and a 6" steering arm myself, but the throw is limited just slightly by my ram-assist)

I don't think it's good to let the steering box bottom out before the knuckles hits the stops

 

[GsxrMike]

OK thanks for the answers guys! I have the pitman arm that comes with the ORD crossover kit for the D44. (I assume it is the same as the arm that comes with the kit fo the D60). I guess I will have to take off my steering arm and have a new hole reemed into it. Or I may just get a new steering arm. If I get a new hole reemed, should I go for 6.5" or 7" from zerk to zerk? I am afraid that 7" may come close to overlaping my exsisting hole. Thanks again guys!

 

[Fred_M1010]

I think either would be ok.
You could always fill up the old hole with weld.

 

[garydan]

I don't think it's good to let the steering box bottom out before the knuckles hits the stops

Really? I think it would be the opposite. I was just looking in this area yesterday on my truck. The knuckles hit the stops then the steering box moved the axle the rest of the way. That doesn't seem ideal to me either.

But... as I'm typing this I could think where you would be right. If some unknown force (such as falling sideways against a boulder of some sort) moves your wheel to the point it hit the stops it could potentially cause damage to the steering box.

 

[Fred_M1010]

Well, I don't have any proof for it...
But in a stock truck the limiting bolts are designed to be the limiting factor.
And as you said, if you get a sideway shock-load (which isn't unusual when crawling) when steered almost to the max,
the steering box will have to take all the impact.

But when you run hydro-assist, you should let the cylinder be the limiting factor,
because then the steering will be so strong, you can break joints and limiting bolts otherwise.