Steering box question

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FlDart360

FlDart360

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will a manual steering box that came from a 74 Duster be compatible with a manual steering pitman arm form a 71 Dart? I can see the obvious difference in the Pitman arm style but can’t tell if the splines are the same size? Will the 71 Pitman arm fit the 74 box?
 
I agree, I think they went to large sector in 73. Not sure if it applies to the manual box though.
 
All of the A-body manual boxes have the same diameter output shaft. The 71 pitman will fit that manual 74 steering box just fine.

The only steering box that changed output shafts was the power steering box.
 
72bluNblu said:
All of the A-body manual boxes have the same diameter output shaft. The 71 pitman will fit that manual 74 steering box just fine.

The only steering box that changed output shafts was the power steering box.
Click to expand...

Does this hold true for all A or just 71 up?
 
All manual boxes use the same output spline count and size. The confusion comes when your dealing with P/S boxes, there is a large and a small sector box.
 
I found a good deal on one that came off a car sitting in storage for 20 years. The box was new when the car entered storage. I just don't know if 20 years of sitting is a good thing. I only want to change this thing once. I can turn it by hand and it has no play,but that is not the same as under a load installed in a car. My alternative was to have mine rebuilt by one of the vendors that many on this form use.
 
FlDart360 said:
I found a good deal on one that came off a car sitting in storage for 20 years. The box was new when the car entered storage.
Click to expand...
i don't think it would go bad from sitting, they last more than 20 years getting cooked by the exhaust. the grease is pretty thick and packed in there so i wouldn't worry about corrosion either
 
You'll need a 1&5/16 socket to move the 71 arm to the 74 box. Some do use a splitter/pickle fork but there is a proper pitman arm puller for this task. No risk of damaging the gearbox internally with the proper tool.
Chrysler had issues with the 3 bolts, steering gear to K member, working loose. They provided major funding for development of the thread locker we now know as Duponts Loctite for this one issue and application.
I think their whole problem was welding the nuts distorted the land steering gear sits on. The land on the gearbox was always milled flat. Anyway... check clean mating surfaces, evenly torque the 3 bolts. If you happen to have their special interference thread bolts, a 12 point socket fits that head. 7/16 or 1/2? I forget.
 
You can put a earlier arm on that box to fit your centerlink. I think they manual gearbox shaft was the same from like 64 all the way thru the late 80s. My box is a 60s and I put a 73 up moog pitman arm on it. The only difference is the early ones turn up the later turn down.
 
Cool to know. There have been so many discussions about pitman arms that it confuses many. I have “2” 383 67/69 Pittman’s for standard box and both are the same dimensions , without digging, there are several that claim the pitman does not fit. I suspected they went from power to Armstrong or visa versa.
 
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