3car
1/2 ton status
I'm thinking about getting a set of tuff country 3" springs for a suburban i picked up. will i need a raised steering arm?
CK5
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will 3" springs require a steering arm?
- Thread starter 3car
- Start date
It all depends on what you want to do with it.
You can be fine if you stay on road, you would need one off road
i have 2 used arms. pm me if you need one.
pic added to make sure thay wanted the one i have.
pic added to make sure thay wanted the one i have.
Last edited:
TruckNutzDude
1/2 ton status
I would use one. 
Oh yea, thanks. Then I guess the OP's question was should he get a steering arm that adjusts for his lift. I have the same question. I have a 4" lift on my Suburban but am using the stock steering arm. I recently changed over to a 4.10 ratio on 8-lug axles and replaced all the ball joints and bushings. I used the stock steering arm and drag link as it worked fine before on both road and off-road driving. I also reinstalled the sway bar although from another discussion I think I could just as well omitted it. Anyhow, here's a photo of my steering arm. Hey sweettk, would you mind posting a photo of your steering arm. Thanks.
jor
jor
Oh yea, thanks. Then I guess the OP's question was should he get a steering arm that adjusts for his lift. I have the same question. I have a 4" lift on my Suburban but am using the stock steering arm. I recently changed over to a 4.10 ratio on 8-lug axles and replaced all the ball joints and bushings. I used the stock steering arm and drag link as it worked fine before on both road and off-road driving. I also reinstalled the sway bar although from another discussion I think I could just as well omitted it. Anyhow, here's a photo of my steering arm. Hey sweettk, would you mind posting a photo of your steering arm. Thanks.
jor
3" lift is getting cloe to th elimit, with 4" you are worse, you got to the limit of your ball joints on the drag link, not only will you have bump steer because of the angle but it will wear out ball joints very fast.
As mentionned by someone else with any lift it's better to have a raised steering arm to have the drag link flat but the lower the lift the less of a problem it is, I know you say it works for you and I drove mine like that for a while, but when you start going somewhere off road fast you will notice the bump steer
Well, that does make sense. Thanks. The angle of the drag link does look a bit severe. It took a lot of work to get those damn ball joints done so I think I'll take your advice. Now, I'll need to find a raised steering arm.
jor
jor
macg
Registered Member
I have 3" springs on the front of my 78 k5 and tried a raised steering arm. I ended up putting the original steering arm back on and using a dropped pitman arm. I like the dropped pitman arm much better. I think it was a 2" drop. I think the steering arm may have worked better if I had more lift.
Well steering arms are in different sizes, I had a 2" raised arm for my 2.5" lift, you want to match your lift.
I had a 73 blazer with a 1.5" lift and off road I still could feel the bump steer with the stock arm.
On the road I never felt it because it doesn't flex enough to feel it.
redbeast24740
1/2 ton status
I have a 6" lift on mine and i didnt put the steering arm on at first. WOW did i not have a turning radius. and OMG it took me 3 days and 2 cans of pb blaster to get that f-n thing off. O I FORGOT TO MENTION THE SLEDGE HAMMER ALSO
There is an easier way to take those off:
a chisel in the crack of the cone washer a couple of whacks and then tilt it down and try to spin the cone washer off as if it was a nut, the thing is it becomes a nut from the constant pressure on the threads it cuts threads.
It has worked so far everytime
It's easier if you spray PB blaster on it first so it can slide on the outside and the threads inside.
redbeast24740
1/2 ton status
yea i was putting the lift on with my wifes father that thought he knew everthing and he took a chisel to them and well made them flat with the arm.
. after several days of frustration they came off.
. after several days of frustration they came off.macg
Registered Member
He probably had a 4" raised arm on a 2" lifted truck
Since he liked the 2" droped pitman arm.
I had a 4" arm on a 3" lift. I mostly was driving on the street and it felt like the blazer would kinda sway sideways a little with every bump that I hit going down the highway. I dont feel that with the 2" dropped pitman arm. I didn't know that there was anything other than a 4" raised steering arm.
There is I believe a 2.5" raised arm, I had one.
With the arm you wanna be at or slightly less than the lift not more.
88jimmy4x4
1/2 ton status
I have never heard of a 2.5" steering arm
88jimmy4x4
1/2 ton status
Well steering arms are in different sizes, I had a 2" raised arm for my 2.5" lift, you want to match your lift.
I had a 73 blazer with a 1.5" lift and off road I still could feel the bump steer with the stock arm.
On the road I never felt it because it doesn't flex enough to feel it.
I have never seen anyone sell a steering arm less than 4"
