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| Later Pitman and Idler Arms on an Early A-Body? https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=59953 |
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| Author: | SpaceFrank [ Wed Jul 27, 2016 9:50 am ] |
| Post subject: | Later Pitman and Idler Arms on an Early A-Body? |
I searched around and found this question asked at least once, but didn't see a solid answer. Pitman Arms for a 62-66 A-body are difficult to find. It looks like there's one choice in most auto parts stores made by Rare Parts, and it's $130+ depending on where you shop. This is the same price as the one offered by FirmFeel. The idler arm story is basically the same, minus 30 bucks or so. Meanwhile, pitman and idler arms for a 67-72 A-body are cheap and plentiful (with the exception of the 67-only idler arm, which is even harder to find). The obvious question is whether the pitman and/or idler arms for 68-72 A-bodies can be used in a 62-66 A-body. It would make sense that you'd need to use both of them together, because maybe they got longer or shorter. If they're both longer but otherwise the same, that would actually be preferable for speeding up the effective steering ratio. I know the A-body got wider starting in 67, with a correspondingly wider center link that won't fit under a 62-66 A-body. I also know the 68+ idler arm is a different design, with only one ball joint as opposed to two ball joints for the 62-66 part. I'm not 100% sure how the 68+ idler arm attaches to the frame, but I assume at minimum I'd need a bolt. Maybe the hole in the frame for the old idler arm's ball joint would need to be drilled out, depending on bolt size. The geometry of the two pitman arms looks about the same, but I can't tell from pictures how different the dimensions are on this or the idler arm. I assume the splines on the pitman arm are the same, since I've read everywhere that steering boxes are interchangeable through these years. Anybody have data on this? If not, I plan to order both 68+ arms at the local parts house and take my old parts in to compare dimensions. |
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| Author: | Joshie225 [ Wed Jul 27, 2016 10:39 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
I used a Pitman arm for a '72 on my '66 Dart. I could not tell a difference between the two. The late through-bolt idler arm obviously won't fit an early A body with a stud-mounted idler arm unless one modifies the K-member with a [ shaped bracket for the late through-bolt idler. |
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| Author: | 65 dartman [ Thu Jul 28, 2016 6:24 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Quote: I used a Pitman arm for a '72 on my '66 Dart. I could not tell a difference between the two. The late through-bolt idler arm obviously won't fit an early A body with a stud-mounted idler arm unless one modifies the K-member with a [ shaped bracket for the late through-bolt idler.
Did you use the stock early A Pitman arm or try the 68-72 arm?
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| Author: | Dart270 [ Thu Jul 28, 2016 11:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Crazy. I have not looked closely at these and will now do so. Might modify my 64 and 66 to use later pitman and idler arms... Lou |
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