Pitman arm install help!

[Jonk67]

Ok, I've got my rebuilt steering gear box back from Stangerssite and I'm trying to install the pitman arm and it is locked up tighter than gorilla nuts and doesn't want to just ease onto the splines. It appears to be lined up with the splines, larger and smaller, I've sprayed it with WD, etc. to help slide but I only gotten ~1/2 turn out of the nut so far and it's so tight it stops and feels like I'm gonna bust something if I keep torqueing? Any tips? I'm using a large flat washer w/WD between the nut and pitman arm so the nut will spin w/o digging into the casing.

The control vavle end is already installed, could this be making it more difficult (cocking, ?) seems straight on the gear box shaft.

Also what size nut is it? I've got a 1 1/16" socket (too small) and a 1 1/8" (too big) what size is juuuust right?
Frustrated and want to get the suspension finished, column in, etc. so i can finally install the new engine.

Jon

 

[Midlife]

Splines should show...just torque it to the proper spec and be done with it!

 

[blue65coupe]

What mid said. It's not gonna fit flush. If you're worried about dust or debris, put a boot on it similar to a ball joint boot. For it to fit flush you're gonna have to have a straighter arm.

 

[Jonk67]

Ok, I didn't take any close up pics before tear down.
There's got to be a min. amount that it slides on though? I can't tell if I've got a 1/8" or 1/2" of shaft into the arm, I'm afraid one good turn and it's going to shear off the few splines that i'm on. I thought the splines should at least reach the bottom of the pitman arm hole or close enough to see them?

Wish I would have measured the length of the splines before installing the arm, at least then with the width of the arm I'd know how far I'm on. Anyone got a bare one sitting out to measure?

Not worried about dust as it's got a new seal.
Here's a couple of pics with the nut off, think I'll stick a feeler gauge in there and see how much isn't used:

Thanks, Jon

UPDATE: Ok, I stuck a toothpick up the hole and recorded ~3/16" before the end of the splines would be flush with the bottom section of the pitman, I think I'm safe the pitman width is ~3/4"-51/64" so I'm almost all of the way down. Checked my shop manual and the torque is 85-110 ft/lbs. so I set it to 100 and locked it down. The end of the threaded portion just pokes past the nut on the bottom of the shaft now.

A big thanks to ATLANTASTEVE for sending me a 6" digital mic, I used it to check the measurements above, THANKS STEVE!

Thanks for quelling my fears...one more job down.
Jon

 

[AtlantaSteve]

Jon, I have a 66 Manual box sitting up on my shelf with the pitman installed. I don't want to back off the nut (because it's going in as it sets) but I'll take pictures/measurements tonight if you want.

Glad the caliper found some use already! Thanks for all the help (both time and parts) you've given me getting my adj. strut rods built and helping me figure out how I'm gonna do the front discs!!

 

[B67FSTB]

Isn't your pitman arm mounted upside down?
Did you check the much wider spline on the shaft off the steering box ligned up in the pitman arm's bigger spline?
Just some suggestions.

 

[Anonymous]

Jon,

Here is the best pic I can get of my 66. There is very little space above the arm on mine.

 

[B67FSTB]

I have observe the pics you show .
Is there a chance you overlooked that the shaft has a wider spline that has to fit in the wider spline of the arm???
I think you about 90° wrong
The big spline of the shaft shows inboard as the bigspline of the arm points to the back!!
Did you center the steeringwheel before you mounted the arm ????

 

[Jonk67]

AAARRRRGGGHHH, after writing 90% of a reply my 11yo daughter sidelined me trying to help set up her Wii net connection so she could email with her friend in another state, then while I'm working on it she puts my web connection to sleep loosing my reply....

Lets see if I can answer some of the points:
Isn't your pitman arm mounted upside down?

I don't think it can be flipped as it would not line up with the control valve stud but I'll have to look at the pic of another '67-'68 car w/PS. If I remember correctly the hole in the pitman that goes over the control valve stud is tapered I 'think' so it can only mount one way. It also looks like if i flipped it the 'hump' would point up and hit the frame in a full right turn?

Is there a chance you overlooked that the shaft has a wider spline that has to fit in the wider spline of the arm???
I think you about 90° wrong
The big spline of the shaft shows inboard as the bigspline of the arm points to the back!!
There are 4 larger splines on the lower output shaft at 90* to each other and the box came newly rebuilt from Randy@stangerssite and should be centered. The single wide spline on the input shaft is facing straight up 12 o'clock and matches up to the single wide spline on the rag joint so that the locking bolt faces straight up as see in the pic below. I'm guessing that with the tires pointed as straight as I can eyeball them and that single spline facing up it should be centered, I then lined up the pitman in the position it is now in.

Did you center the steeringwheel before you mounted the arm ????
I'm reinstalling everything from the steering box backwards, the column was completely removed when i installed the box with the wheels straight. The steering wheel will be the last thing to go on.

Mark, thanks for the pic, now I'm wondering if I'm on all the way as I've just got a couple threads showing maybe???

Does anyone have a pic of a '67-'68 w/PS?
Here's where I'm at now:

Thanks for all the help, open to suggestions...
Jon

 

[Anonymous]

Jon,

Pic 252 gives the appearance that the arm needs to go up more onto the splined shaft.

 

[Jonk67]

Jon,

Pic 252 gives the appearance that the arm needs to go up more onto the splined shaft.

That's what I'm thinking but to get it that far my torque wrench clicked at 100 ft/lbs., I'm afraid to go harder. I can't figure out why it won't slide on farther, it was all clean/new and lubed, the splines lined up, etc. I'm 3/16" or < from the splines reaching the bottom of the pitman arm and being fully seated to where I wouldn't have any more threads to go up.
As stated I wish I knew where it was when i disassembled, didn't take a close up of it unfortunately. Stumped?
Jon

 

[AtlantaSteve]

Jon, I wasn't able to take any pictures (camera battery dead...darn teenagers) but mine looks a lot like yours. Maybe 3 or 4 threads extending past the end of the nut, and using my caliper I have .531" between the pitman arm and body of the steering box. What is your gap? Starting to think you might be alright. My box was removed from a running car that was built by a guy who has been featured in car craft, and won "best engineering" at several national shows. Former Delta Flight Engineer. He's one guy whose stuff I trust.

Steve

 

[Jonk67]

Thanks Steve, .50" is what I got also for that measurement, guess I'm good to keep adding stuff on?
Jon

 

[B67FSTB]

Use some " loctite " to secure the nut.

 

[Jonk67]

There's a huge lock washer under the nut now.
I used a flat washer only when I was tightening to push it on so it would slip with the nut instead of digging into the arm steel which the lock nut was doing. Torqued @100 ft/lbs. w/locknut.
Thanks, Jon