70Duster340
Well-Known Member
How loose should the ball joint end be? Mine is moveable, but I can't find any looseness in it. Just trying to avoid the cost, if at all possible.
Thanks
Thanks
Pitman arm
- Thread starter 70Duster340
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Ironracer
Gearhead
The old ones May be better then the Junk they are trying to sell us!
70Duster340
Well-Known Member
As long as it's not too loose to reinstall, I'll keep it.
Define loose!
Does the ball move up and down in the socket.
Does the tapered shaft not fit the tapered hole on the center link?
Loose could mean diferentbthibgems to diferent people
Does the ball move up and down in the socket.
Does the tapered shaft not fit the tapered hole on the center link?
Loose could mean diferentbthibgems to diferent people
I would think that as long as it doesn't "wobble" in the cup it should be ok.
Mine had a noticeable click in it when I moved it from side to side, so I replaced it even though it didn't wobble.
Mine had a noticeable click in it when I moved it from side to side, so I replaced it even though it didn't wobble.
70Duster340
Well-Known Member
The ball does not move up and down in the socket, but it does have a sort of a click when moving side to side.
How old is it? How many miles
70Duster340
Well-Known Member
I can't be sure. The odometer only shows 34,000+, but I can't believe that's accurate.
Did you clean it internally?
It probably will not fall apart, but you might feel the looseness in the steering wheel.
You could get a new one and compare the feel. If it's the same return the new one.
It probably will not fall apart, but you might feel the looseness in the steering wheel.
You could get a new one and compare the feel. If it's the same return the new one.
70Duster340
Well-Known Member
Thanks. What would be a reliable manufacturer? Some of the pitman arms I have looked at are well over $100.00.
Ironracer
Gearhead
I WOULD have said Moog, but the quality on them, as everything else, has went south
70Duster340
Well-Known Member
Absolutely. I used to buy either Moog or TRW parts. Neither can be completely trusted now.
Ironracer
Gearhead
I forget who @72bluNblu , recommended for my Lca pins and bushings.... maybe they make a quality PA?
70Duster340
Well-Known Member
Hopefully he will chime in.
Proforged.
They do make a pitman arm for the large sector power steering box, doesn't look like they make a small sector one for the earlier cars though.
If the ball joint doesn't have any end play it should be ok, although clicking isn't really a good sign.
70Duster340
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I don't want to go to the trouble of reassembling this, only to have to remove it again for replacement.
P.S. This is for a manual steering box.
70Duster340
Well-Known Member
It's the later V8 centerlink.
70Duster340
Well-Known Member
That would be up, sir.
Ok. So yeah, that's a '67-72 centerlink. The '73+ pitman has a ball joint that points down. '67+ all the centerlinks were the same, V8 or /6, and in '73 they swapped the taper direction and took the 90° turn out of the centerlink where the inner tie rod end goes.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Proforged makes one for that particular application. I have used Mevotech stuff before too, haven't been burned yet but the Proforged stuff seems better.
1970 PLYMOUTH DUSTER Mevotech MK7074 Mevotech Supreme Pitman Arms | Summit Racing
70Duster340
Well-Known Member
Thanks much for your time!
How much do you drive the car?
1000 miles a year?
10,000 miles a year?
Depending on how old you are a parts store replacement will last you a life time.
It's an easy part to replace so I would not get too hung up on it
1000 miles a year?
10,000 miles a year?
Depending on how old you are a parts store replacement will last you a life time.
It's an easy part to replace so I would not get too hung up on it
Yeah the only issue is some of the new stuff doesn't have the right tolerances. I've run across ball joints that were so tight they would effect the steering effort and some that were sloppy loose right out of the box. If the replacement is made correctly you're absolutely right, but the quality control is more hit and miss with some of the replacements.
70Duster340
Well-Known Member
Well, I haven't driven it in years. It's been stored in the garage, torn apart, for several years now. I'm ashamed of myself for that, and am now trying to get it back together so I can once again enjoy it. I agree it's an easy to install part, I just don't want a part that may fail during a drive.
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