QA1 K member (67-72) in a 74: Pitman arm hits torsion bar

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racerdude5

racerdude5

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I need help figuring out why the top of my pitman arm and tie rod end is hitting the bottom side of my torsion bar. I know people have done this before, putting a QA1 k in a 73-76 car. The guy at QA1 says it might be the pitman arm because its for a large sector shaft and not a small sector 67-72 box, are the pitman arms any different in their shape? Also, I don't see how it can be that because the idler arm clears the passenger side torsion bar with no issues. However, one thing to note is that when I torqued the k member to the subframe, the way in which the car was jacked up may have caused the subframe to be crooked but I can't see that causing anything since I had it aligned perfectly.

Here's the parts I have:
74 Duster
QA1 K member for a 67-72 A body
Large sector shaft steering box 73-76
73-76 center link and tie rod sleeves
73-76 pitman arm and idler arm
PST Torsion bars
Factory LCA and pivot shafts
Polyurethane LCA bushings

Are 67-72 pitman arms the same shape as 73-76 pitman arms?
 
The arms are different from early to late. On one the nut is on top and the other on bottom when you attach the center link.
 
Alright. Thanks. That's not the problem as I have figured out. I measured the distance between the idler arm (top of) and the torsion bar and then the distance between the top of the pitman arm and the torsion bar. On the drivers side the distance is 5/8" and on the passenger side its 1 5/8". Something is up. Plus, people have used 73-76 steering gear assembly on a 67-72 k member, so it can't be that.
 
Forget measuring two bolt-on parts. Lay a long straight edge along the tops or bottom of the torsion bars at the K-member. Then measure the distance to the frame. EVERY 67-76 K-member has the steering gear and torsion bars in the same place relative to the frame AND each other. Start simple and work toward the clearance issue.
 
I feel ur pain, i have 68 barracuda, with an 85 model 318, (car was original 318) QA1 k mem, my manual steering box hits the heat shield on the exhaust and now wont turn at all, stock k meem works fine,
 
Is the front end up in the air still?

Had sort of the same problem on a 71 Duster i just did with a QA1 k member..the driver side tie rod where it went into the drag link was hitting the torsion bar....I lowered the car and put weight on the front end...then the tire rod slipped right in and was not hitting the torsion bar.....

also had installed a new manual steering box too....
 
By any chance, do you have a fast-rate arm? They are longer, and since they are mounted at an angle relative to the groundplane, they will travel upwards, lessening the clearance..
Check the length and compare it to the idler arm. They should be as good as the same length between the pivot points.
Also; has the steering box been shimmed for clearance?The two arms should be parking in the same plane,with the wheels pointed straight ahead. That is to say, with the front end on the ground, and the suspension relaxed, a measurement from the floor to the draglink, at the pivot points of the arms, should be approximately the same on each side(assuming the LCA inner pivots are also the same), and the link should be level from side to side. The LCA inner pivots have to at the same height irregardless.Your alignment guy should have balanced those.
If the arms are the same length, and the link does not sit level, or the arms are not parked in the same plane, I would assume the pitman is bent, and in my opinion, junk.As the car-owner,of course, you are free to heat it and bend it. Lots of people have done just that. I would not endorse it.
 
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