center link question

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black_bishop

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hey all, quick question about center links. I am doing a disk brake swap on my 72 swinger from a 73-74 dart. I thought I had the 73+ center link but now I cant find it. I have ordered all new tie rods and a new idler and pittman arm for the 73+. Am I able to use these on a 71/72 center link or do I have to scrounge up a new center link?

BTW, this is in conjunction with a 440 swap with a 187 pan if it makes a difference.

Thanks in advance for any guidance offered.
 
the tapers on the centerlink between 67'72 and 73+ are reversed 67-72 pittman and idler pins face up and the 73+ face down
 
so i can just put them in from the bottom like I would the 73+? if so, that's great news. Thank you for such a quick response.
 
no I answered before i thought a bit. to use the 73+ idler and pittman you will need a 73+ center link
 
black_bishop said:
so i can just put them in from the bottom like I would the 73+? if so, that's great news. Thank you for such a quick response.
Click to expand...

Nope. There are FOUR pieces which must be used together.......

Depending on what you have large/ small spline steering box, you must have a pitman to match that

"Whatever the pitman is" must fit the steering link, and the idler arm is same.


So box, pitman, idler, and center link all have to be compatible, AKA all four early or all four late.

Tie rod ends did change but you can use a set of these on any year 67/ later. 67 had the oddball idler arm ball mount so that is an oddity.

To put this another way, the above 4 components are INDEPENDENT of year or what brakes you have, as long as those 4 pieces are "kept together". This applies 68 and later, because of the 67 oddball idler

You don't have to change ANY of this to change anything about A arms or brakes, nor do they matter as to year of the K member.
 
I kind of suspected as much, but was hoping to be able to use what i have. new idler and pitman it is then.
 
Be sure you aren't confused. That center link can be a confusing piece "out of the car" LOL

This might help

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=236925

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showpost.php?p=1969999398&postcount=2

67Dart273 said:
The whole deal with later/ early boxes (big/ small pitman shaft) is the center link, pitman and idler. Everything else fits. I guess the exception is the 67 K member which has a "different" idler mount, so I'm not sure there is any way to adapt a later idler to a 67 K, at least without fabrication/ welding, which at least one member on here did.

So look at your center link where the studs come up through for the idler and the pitman. Are the nuts that hold them on top or on the bottom of the center link?

Early setup has nuts on top:

attachment.php
Click to expand...
 
66fs said:
If your K is a 72, you should be using 72 stuff.
Click to expand...

Completely irrelevant except for

the anti sway bar

the engine mounts

and for 67, the oddball idler.

My 67 has a late spool mount (73/4) K and sway bar, and lower arms

Because of "the way I operate" for some time this setup had drum brakes

and even after the conversion to disk brakes, it had an early manual box with the early center link. I used a 68--72 idler arm with the 73 K

ONLY AFTER tearing the car down for paint did I install a late 73 power box, which dictated the large spline pitman arm, and the later center link and idler arm.
 
67Dart273 said:
Completely irrelevant except for

the anti sway bar

the engine mounts

and for 67, the oddball idler.

My 67 has a late spool mount (73/4) K and sway bar, and lower arms

Because of "the way I operate" for some time this setup had drum brakes

and even after the conversion to disk brakes, it had an early manual box with the early center link. I used a 68--72 idler arm with the 73 K

ONLY AFTER tearing the car down for paint did I install a late 73 power box, which dictated the large spline pitman arm, and the later center link and idler arm.
Click to expand...

He already has the 72 stuff. All he needs, is to swap for new 72 idler and pitman then the 72 center link and every else will just connect up. I'm wondering if you use the 68 383 idler and pitman arm, can you use a standard big block pan? Just like an Original 68 69 383 "A" body. I also have the 73 up K frame in my 67 Barracuda.
 
AFIK, the split is 73 -74 and 75 - 76. the 73-74 uses the same center as the 72 {basically}
the 75 = 76 uses the different center with the specific idler/pitman AND ball joint. I bolted a 74 disc setup on my 64 dart. the dart had the original center-pitman-idler. the ball joints I used were the 73-74 style. yes there are 2 spline sizes for the gearbox. on the 73-74 stlyle of center link. the idler/pitman mounts to the center from below just like the earlier drum cars. I really dont know the reasoning for the design change.
 
omahamoparguy said:
AFIK, the split is 73 -74 and 75 - 76. the 73-74 uses the same center as the 72 {basically}
the 75 = 76 uses the different center with the specific idler/pitman AND ball joint. I bolted a 74 disc setup on my 64 dart. the dart had the original center-pitman-idler. the ball joints I used were the 73-74 style. yes there are 2 spline sizes for the gearbox. on the 73-74 stlyle of center link. the idler/pitman mounts to the center from below just like the earlier drum cars. I really dont know the reasoning for the design change.
Click to expand...

This is very confusing. Refer to the diagram I posted earlier. The 73/4 center link IS NOT the same as 67-72 and is not interchangeable without the other parts mentioned.

So far as 383/440 I don't know what all fits the pan area
 
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