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what is an acceptable drag link angle?

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88jimmy4x4

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I just installed a TC 3" lift and my drag link is at an angle, not flat like when it was stock.

So what is an acceptable safe angle for the drag link?

Im thinking of buying the pitnam arm drop but its $100 and I dont want to spend the cash if I dont need too.

Please post pics of your drag link/steering angles for conventional dana44 front 6 lug factory style setups.
 
$100 is cheap insurance for the pitman arm to get a better angle on the draglink.

You will be spending more in the long run by replacing the draglink as it wears out if you don't go with the pitman arm.

You have 2 options:

1. Drop pitman arm which drops 1.5" down and is still better than nothing.

2. Raised steering arm which raises the DL end 4" and gives you a negative 1 on the angle but should still work fine. This would be much closer to level and stock than the pitman arm.

The raised steering arm can be had for half of the pitman arm price. And it will still give you a better angle.

I vote for the raised arm.
 
I guess your right about the money. I have a new TC steering arm in a box now but I cannot get the old one off after following advice from here on where/how to hit on it. I hate to hit too much more and compromise its integrity if I cant get it off. Im afraid the cones have rust/welded themselves to the stud and arm. This lift has faught me the whole way and I had to cut off leaf spring bolts because they had rust/welded themselves to the sleeves which is why I think the arm/cones are not budging. I thought about the pitnam thinking it might be easier install choice for me.
 
I know the steering arm can be a bitch to remove as I've done countless lifts thru the years. I've even resorted to using a sledge, too. Some come off quicker than others. Some don't. Just have to keep pounding away at it. Eventually it will come loose.

On my '85 K30 with 4" Skyjacker front and rear springs, I've got their 1.5" drop pitman arm only because I didn't want the 2.5" raised steering arm block which puts leverage on the longer studs that come with the block. It was safer to run the pitman arm instead.

But using a raised steering arm on the D44 and 10 bolt fronts is just as safe as running a non-raised arm. The studs are not changed nor affected.

Being that you're in Texas, I'm surprised you're having trouble with the cones and studs since most southern rigs "should be" rust free and not give any trouble with rust, etc.

Where did your rig come from?
 
Came from south dakota, the truck body itself is rust free and it had some sorta original undercoating, even under the hood in spots so I know that was original. The front leaf bolts came right out but the rears were frozen. Its a 1991 so has the extra digit on odometer and carfax verfied it only has 67000 original miles
 
Until others from SD chime in, I'm betting they do use road salt and even with the low 67K on your rig, that small amount of salt can still do wonders in rusting stuff inside the little nooks and crannies of spring eyes and bolts, no matter what age the truck is.

Oh yeah, that underside coating you're referring to is probably Ziebart. While I've never seen the stuff up close or in person, I've read and heard about it.
 
thatK30guy said:
Until others from SD chime in, I'm betting they do use road salt and even with the low 67K on your rig, that small amount of salt can still do wonders in rusting stuff inside the little nooks and crannies of spring eyes and bolts, no matter what age the truck is.

Oh yeah, that underside coating you're referring to is probably Ziebart. While I've never seen the stuff up close or in person, I've read and heard about it.
Click to expand...

I bet your right, even though the nut came loose and bolt looked good, my problem was internal. Plus I think this set up a few years. When I did a brake job I could see the outline of the rear shoes on the drums, even the little circles where the shoe rivets were.

jms said:
The notion that the push-pull draglink ought to be horizontal is a myth.

The draglink ought to be parallel to the front part of the spring.

I have 3" TC springs on my truck. Before I had x-over steering, I used a drop pitman arm with the push-pull setup. No bump steer on the road, and steering worked well except for situations with high suspension articulation in the rocks.
Click to expand...

Im in south texas so no rocks here, pitnam should work for me then. To me I would think it would work better with a little upward angle.

I read somewhere in a thread about 3" lift that a members truck rode better with stock setup than with the arm or anything so he went back to stock steering and was happy...I dunno.
 
I wouldn't worry about ditches, creeks, whatnot. You're majority of the driving time will be on pavement.

Just do the pitman arm and be done with it.
 
88jimmy4x4 said:
I said no rocks, we do have creeks/ditches and unlevel earth :popcorn:
Click to expand...

If you are having a problem getting the steering arm off, here's something you didn't try:
Spray some penetrant lube let it sit and then get a chisel and hit the cones in the split to try and spin them counter clockwise, they seem to develop threads on the stud side so you have to unscrew them.
That's the only way I have done it, the beating it with a sledge hammer got me nowhere.
You will need new cones but those are cheap and you should get new ones anyway since the old ones are rusted to the studs.
Good luck.
:waytogo:
 
thatK30guy said:
I wouldn't worry about ditches, creeks, whatnot. You're majority of the driving time will be on pavement.

Just do the pitman arm and be done with it.
Click to expand...

Do you know if the new skyjacker pitnam comes with the bolt/nut etc?


imiceman44 said:
If you are having a problem getting the steering arm off, here's something you didn't try:
Spray some penetrant lube let it sit and then get a chisel and hit the cones in the split to try and spin them counter clockwise, they seem to develop threads on the stud side so you have to unscrew them.
That's the only way I have done it, the beating it with a sledge hammer got me nowhere.
You will need new cones but those are cheap and you should get new ones anyway since the old ones are rusted to the studs.
Good luck.
:waytogo:
Click to expand...

okay, I might try that...give it one more shot. I bought new cones allready. I have everything I need except for the old arm removed and that secret touch.....lol
 
Bump steer is caused by the length of the drag link being too long or too short when the suspension cycles.

A tie rod with bends in it has no particular advantage other than removing angle from the DLE's at ride height.
 
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