pitman arm/ wishbone attatchment location?

What issues will I have if the steering link from the pitman arm to the spindle is not in close proximity to the wishbone attatchment location an the frame? I understand that the steering arm from the pitman arm to the spindle needs to be as level as possible. Help really confused!

 

An imaginary line drawn from the steering arm pivot down the drag link should pass through the radius rod mounting location to avoid bump steer.
Can you post a pic of what your setup is?

 

No pics yet, I am just putting this thing together. I am hoping to only put it together once, therefore that is why I am asking so many questions.

 

The best design is where the four points, two for the steering and two for the suspension, are laid out with the same radius and in parallel. That would be the pivot at the rear of the radius rod and the intersection of the radius rod and axle, plus the drag link pivot at the end of the pitman arm and the front pivot of the drag link at the steering arm.
Think of this as a four link rear arrangment. So long as the top link (drag link) and the bottom link (radius rod) have the same functional radius (length), then the steering arm is not tugged on as the suspension moves up and down.

The second best would have the end of the pitman in close proximity to the rear pivot of the radius rod. Suppose the radius rod is unchanged from the first scenario. Now the drag link is on a line from the steering arm, to the same point as the rear pivot of the radius rod. Now they both rotate around the rear pivot like spokes of a wheel. This has a certain amount of bump steer, because the axle doeasn't travel around the outside of the wheel in a curved path. It would if it was only connected to the car by the radius rod, but the spring constrains the axle to a more linear path. As the axle moves up on this straighter line, the steering arm moves farther away from the rear pivot of the radius rod (the hypothetical rear pivot of the drag link at the pitman arm). This induces a pull on the steering arm that would make the car pull left.
Both of these presumes that the drag link and radius rod are the same length. If the drag link is shorter, the bump steer will be aggravated. If it is longer, bump steer will be mitigated.
Now here's where all the debate begins... In the real world, the suspension travel on the front of a hotrod like you are considering is so limited that you never really notice the bump steer unless it's while traversing a speed bump or driveway.

So the objective should be scenario number one, with any miss being in the direction of scenario number two. This will limit the bad behavior induced by your final geometry. The reality of the matter is that no design is entirely free of bump steer. It is only limited through careful design.

 

The 32 Ford handled reasonably well and the drag link is no way near the same length and location of the radius rod location. The length is not as important as being level.

People like to talk about arcs and lengths but the problems come up if the drag link is running up hill and not level. Do what ever you need to do to get the drag link parallel with the ground.