Drop Pitman Arm question!!!! ugh!

[SwaintaN]

To begin with, this is a somewhat kinda, not really, but ok... repost.... I started a thread called What are these bushings? (pic)! and it was stated my drop pitman arm wasnt long enough.. i bought a Skyjacker FA400 which is THE EXACT same as the Rough Country arm... skyjacker was just thicker! SOooooo should I try to get the FA500 or would that be WAY TO MUCH DROP!! here are updated pics below. Should I leave the RC on and send back the FA400 and just deal with them not being straight or what!?!

This is the picture that was seen that brought up the question that the tie rods/drag link were not level.

 

[Maniak]

How much more drop is the fa500 vrs the fa400.. If its an inch or so, I'd get the fa500 as you could use another inch or so of drop to get those arms flat.

~Mark

 

[SwaintaN]

the site i ordered it from suggest the fa500 would be to long, as its ment for a 7-9" lift so its 5.5" long where the fa400 is for a 4-6" long... and i didnt think to measure it.... is that why is feels "loose" while driving it? cause of it not being leveled

 

[Maniak]

I don't know about "loose" but the steering wheel will move left/right as you drive over an uneven road. There was a night/day difference in how our X drove once I went with the longer drop arm.. (its for a 5.5" lift, and we only have 4" or so of lift, if that)..

~Mark

 

[SwaintaN]

so i should save up and buy the longer pitman then? the fa500? the "loose" is what you described.. where it will turn left/right on uneven/bumpy roads

 

[Maniak]

Since the fa400 is the same drop as the your current drop arm, it isn't going to help any..

What need need to verify is how much drop is on the fa500 compared to the fa400.

Once we have that we can figure out how it will work with your current lift. From what I read though it "looks" like it is about 1.5" more drop than the fa400. If that is right, from the pics it looks like it will work. To be safe, take your pitman off the tie rod and drop the tie rod until it the arms sit flat. If you can move it 1.5" or more to get them flat then the 1.5" extra drop that the fa500 has it right.. ASSUMING that the fa500 is really 1.5" more drop than the fa400.

~Mark

 

[SwaintaN]

since im taking it off, measuring how far to make it level, putting it right back.. wont dick with the alignment at all will it? (i still drive it every now and then)

 

[SwaintaN]

heres what i dont get... looking at the site.. they say they are the same, length, width etc... just different weight?!?! Manik you say you use the fa500 with a 4" lift? did you have to change the drag link like it said

 

[Maniak]

I have no idea which one I have, other than its a superlift drop arm (with the yellow stripe) with Duff 3.5" lift springs.

Also, when you take off the drag link off the pitman arm so you can move the drag link up/down to check measurements it won't affect alignment. The worst it will do is be hard to get the draglink back up to the pitman arm since when you move it up/down it will move the tires.

However, When install the new pitman arm (longer), that will affect your alignment (adding longer pitman moves toe out)

~Mark

 

[91ROKKRAWLER]

i got the FA400 from skyjacker and i'm gettin ready to move to the FA600 which is meant for the 6-8" lift. i hate bumpsteer

 

[SwaintaN]

i got the FA400 from skyjacker and i'm gettin ready to move to the FA600 which is meant for the 6-8" lift. i hate bumpsteer

what is your lift height currently?

 

[SwaintaN]

what is your lift height currently?

im an idiot.. i saw ur lift size... haha... i have to save up for the f500 cheapest i can find is 220.00

 

[Flip4ford]

I'm running around 6" of lift but had to buy an 8" pitman to level everything out. Some times the factories measurements are a little on the "short" side.

 

[SwaintaN]

i ended up finding the fa500 for 177.00 but its gold... ugh.. already have enough gold on the truck, lol. yeah it seems like the pitman im using now wold have worked the the 2" lift/leveling kit

 

[HahnsB2]

This has been covered before. The standard pitman arms sold for 4" lifts are only dropped 2", the one for retarded 8" TTB lifts (the skyjacker extreme drop) is the only one with a true 4" drop and is actually useless above 6" of lift.

 

[Maniak]

Soo.. as I read it..

if the fa400 is only dropped 2" (and not enough) and the one for the 8" lift is dropped 4" then you need to make sure you can really move the rod down another 2" from where it is now. If not then your stuck in the middle where the 2" drop isn't enough and the 4" is too much.

~Mark

 

[SwaintaN]

This has been covered before. The standard pitman arms sold for 4" lifts are only dropped 2", the one for retarded 8" TTB lifts (the skyjacker extreme drop) is the only one with a true 4" drop and is actually useless above 6" of lift.

wheres the thread?

 

[Maniak]

I finally got a pic of how our front looks. this is from straight on, sitting on the ground in front of the truck. AFIAK this is the fa400 drop arm (superlift) on a James Duff 3.5" lift.

We get virtually no bump steer since putting on this dropped arm.

~Mark

 

[SwaintaN]

first off, let me say i wanna scream!!! AHHHHHHHHHH

ok now that I have screamed... I have one the pitmant arm that came with RC lift kit!!! I ordered FA400.. SAME LENGTH! Sent it back, saved up a lil mo money, ordered the FA500, right length, wrong spleen thingy (where it attaches to the power steering) sending it back, NOW what do I do?!?!? to get that all level!!!

 

[91ROKKRAWLER]

um... scream some more, throw a tool, grab a beer and stare at it. the FA600 from skyjacker is the 8" arm that is about right for 4-6"