How should I torque the pitman without stressing the box?

[robroy]

Hi Folks!

I went to install the pitman arm on my new box today, and I realized that I should probably be really careful about torquing it. If I just hook up the torque wrench and heave on it, it'll stress the steering box pretty badly (I think).

What's the best method of torquing the pitman arm on the steering box without stressing the box out? Do I need to wait until the steering arms are all hooked up to the wheels, so the wheels can take the stress off the box?

Or is this completely not an issue, and the steering box is really able to take it with no problems? I need to torque it to 150 ft/lbs or something like that.



Thanks!
-Robroy

[mrtleavitt]

Get a buddy to hold against the pitman arm while you tighten the heck out of it! Also, the frame looks great how did you go about it and what did you paint it with?

[robroy]

Get a buddy to hold against the pitman arm while you tighten the heck out of it!

That's a good suggestion and I'll resort to that if need be, but I'm doing almost all the work solo. Also, I'm not sure if I know any buddies who are strong enough to keep back 150 ft/lbs of torque with their hands!

Also, the frame looks great how did you go about it and what did you paint it with?

Thanks! Here's what I did:

1. Cleaned it with tons of degreaser and water.
2. Used a wire wheel on an air powered grinder to grind away the hardest core, baked on grease and rust.
3. Hit the most sensitive areas (welds and complex shapes) with a siphon sandblaster unit containing crushed garnet.
4. Used the Rust Bullet "Metal Ready" product, which is phosphoric acid. I sprayed it all over the frame and let it sit in the sun for fifteen minutes; it turned kind of white and blue.
5. Hosed it down thoroughly to stop the acid process. Dumped a bunch of baking soda all over the ground to keep the acid from causing problems in the dirt.
6. Used the wire wheel to grind off some of the weird white a blue "powder" from the surface. I think it's called a "flash rust." I probably didn't need to do this step but I did anyways.
7. Wiped it down with paint thinner and let it dry in the hot sun.
8. Hit it with a coat of Rust Bullet Automotive with an HVLP gun with a 1.8mm tip.
9. Hit it with a second coat of Rust Bullet Automotive after about 2.5 hours. It dried very quickly on the warm/hot sun.
10. The next day, hit it with two coats of Rust Bullet Black Shell.

It was a lot of work but the results sure look good!

Thanks Mrtleavitt!
-Robroy

[fordman]

i would install everything and get it tight and then torque it down. i don't think there would be anyway to torque it without a way to stop the shaft from turning without putting it all together. i'm surprised you stayed with manual steering.

[robroy]

Hey Fordman! I think you're probably right; I'll just need to wait until there's more mass attached to the pitman arm before torquing it.

About manual steering, yes I actually prefer it because I like the raw, direct feeling. Not to mention that I have weak arms and can use all the exercise I can get! I also like the simplicity of less stuff to go wrong.

That said, I've never driven a Bumpside with power steering so far. If I tried it I might change my mind!

-Robroy

[robroy]

Welp, I gave another try to torquing the pitman arm today now that the wheels are on and the engine's installed.

I got to about 150-180 ft/lbs before the wheels started to turn. That's probably good enough, although I might turn it a slight be further with an impact wrench before it's all set.



Robroy

[ToughOldFord]

Get a buddy to hold against the pitman arm while you tighten the heck out of it!

That's a good suggestion and I'll resort to that if need be, but I'm doing almost all the work solo. Also, I'm not sure if I know any buddies who are strong enough to keep back 150 ft/lbs of torque with their hands!

Thanks Mrtleavitt!
-Robroy

LOL, my 'buddies' always manage to disappear when I could use help with something. Helping seems to be a one way street with me.

[fordman]

if you want to go more by hand you could tie the steering wheel down so it wont turn.

[robroy]

Hey Fordman, thanks!

Yeah that's a good idea; maybe that's what I'll do.

At first I was really concerned over stressing the steering box out, but now that I've seen how it behaves, I don't think it's a stress on the box really. For example, the box didn't even *budge* the wheels until I got over 150 ft/lbs.

I guess that means that either the box is remarkably resistant to bump-steer (which might be the case) or there's really a lot of torque there naturally whenever the steering wheel is turned! I guess gears make a big difference.

Thanks Fordman!
Robroy

[convincor]

wedge a block of wood between it and the frame.

[robroy]

Hey Convincor, thanks for that suggestion--that's smart and should be pretty easy to do. I think that's what I'll do!

Robroy

[70_F100]

Like a lot of other things, run it up with an impact wrench.

In all of my years working in dealerships and truck shops, I've never seen anybody torque a pitman arm, although that's the proper way to tighten it.

You'll never hurt it with a 1/2" impact.

[robroy]

Hey 70_F100 thanks for the advice!

Yeah maybe that's the best approach. It's nice to know that the pro' mechanics do!

Thanks again,
Robroy