Not sure what you mean by o-ring. GM installed stops of different thickness depending on carline model. In this pic you can see the stops on the end cap. The other stop is a metal ring in the bore of the housing, that can be removed.
Got under the car today and did some more looking and measuring. Found out I'm going to have to have an arm that is bent about like the one I have now, a straight arm will hit the motor mount on the crossmember. So, I'm going to have to look at dropped arms for 4wd trucks since I'm not finding an arm with 7" hole centers and a drop to it. I don't have any way to bend one of the aftermarket flat style arms. That is interesting on the end caps. How do those come off? What would happen if you ground the stops off flat? Would that damage the box gears?
1999 jeep grand Cherokee Not cherokee Grand cherokee I think it's 1999 to 2004 Long with drop, straight not canted, Power box 1 1/8 sector Small hole taper, that can be enlarged to 1'5 inches per foot 7 degrees
Had a Vega box on a 34 with a beam axle. Switched to a mini rack and lost turning radius. Used a right tie rod end that has the tie rod mount integrated on it and corrected my problem.
You could make up a new pitman arm like this. Cut the splined end off, turn it down and weld in a new arm as per pictures
Wish I could find some dims online but that looks like it might work, and you can get them online fairly cheap.
How do you get that end cap off, is it held on with a snap ring? Got to thinking I might be able to swap caps with the two boxes I have if it will make any difference. Does it just sit there, or is there a spring or something behind it putting outward pressure on it?
Snap ring, there is a small hole to stick a punch in and push on the clip. The cap is one of the stops. To remove the other stop, the box will need to disassembled in order to remove the steel clip in the bottom of the bore. Plenty of online pics and instruction to take one apart and set up when reassembling.
Thanks scrappy. I did a little looking on google last night and found an exploded view of the box. Think I'll just continue looking for a longer pitman arm. I'm not confident I can take my box apart and get it back together without it leaking, or worse yet, not work again. It's frustrating nobody list the specs on length and hole size on their pitman arms. I'm going to talk with my parts guy when I get a chance and see if he might still have a catalog that has the measurements in it. I would buy one like the Borgersen one, but I don't have any way to bend it, and the one Gimpy posted I don't think I could ever drill the small hole correctly. And no way would I weld one, I don't trust my welding that good! No rush on it, I can still drive it as is, just have to remember it doesn't cut very sharply.
Sadly, no. My older car guys have passed on, and don't know any younger than me. Still a few of us over 60 guys left, but none with a torch.
I would think if I found one the length of that shiny one it would help. But it would still have to be bent a little. What is the spread measurement of the holes on the Jeep arm, center to center?
I have a 2002 Jeep box screwed to my bench, arm is 6-1/2" long with hair over 1" drop. You must realize that the right wheel has to turn more on a right turn than it does when turning left. Get the wide spline out of the Pittman arm. Center the steering box. Put the Pittman arm on snug 2 spines to the right. With wheels strait ahead set drag link length [I would make a test one out of whatever is handy, pvc, etc]. Should be darn close to equal steering wheel turns between left and right. If not move the Pittman arm 1 spline in either direction, adjust drag link and test again. I know that consensus says to put the Pittman strait forward or 90° to drag link but you won't get the equal number of turns of the steering wheel.
that universal pitman is great note - the thickness of the taper /\ or the height of the taper..... generally talking early ford 1.5'' per foot 7 degrees it matters how thick the taper is IF early ford steering arms and pitmans were 1/16 fatter here you could switch to dodge w100 3/4'' left and right track rod ends 34'' unf EASY TO FIND LEFT AND RIGHT FULL TAP SETS bottom, plug and taper !! rather that 11/16-18 UAE LEFT/RIGHT 19.050mm / 3/4'' and use 1'' 25.4mm cds tube rather than 7/8'' 22.2mm and have 6.50mm or 1/4 in half 3.25mm and 1/8 of meat about the threads also note the tie rod end from the drag link of a grand cherokee is 18mm - that fits that small taper probably 1.5 tpi - where I might have been - i.e. 18mm will tap into 1'' tube with a heavy wall.
Sounds like the Jeep arm is the same size as what I already have. 6" between holes. You explained exactly how I lined mine up. Centered tires, centered the box, clocked the arm to fit both. I have the same travel left to right, just need a bit more to be able to turn sharper. I'll get there eventually, not really concentrating on it right now since it's driveable as is for now.
6-1/2".. Maybe a Corvette pitman, 53-62 might be longer. Early 50's Chev pass car maybe the same. I know I hunted one down once but I can't remember what I did with it so I can't measure..
The Jalopy Journal
