Pitman arm question for power steering

Hi all, sorry if this is a question already answered, but I searched and searched and did not find an answer. I decided to go to power steering in my '70 CJ5 when looking at replacing the manual box because it had a saginaw box from 1958 or so. I got a rebuilt saginaw power steering box for the 1972-1976 Jeep J10, Wagoneer and 69-76 big chevrolet cars. I am collecting all the parts to mock it up and am a little confused by which pitman arm to use to mock it all up the right way the first time. I have installed a 2.5" BDS suspension. My question is which pitman arm should I run? From what I understand the indexing on the 76 and later power steering arms is different and it will affect the steering lock to lock using one of those. I found a Skyjacker 2.5" drop Power steering pitman arm for 72-75 CJ's but its $100! A stock straight one for 72-75 is about $30 As far as spline count goes are all the power steering pitman arms the same between 72-75 and 76 and later?, can I run a stock 72-75 CJ5 pitman arm on the saginaw box? The Saginaw power box is a 32 spline output shaft. It seems to me that it would work since it is the same box as a 72-76 Wagoneer but I did not know if 72-75 CJ's power steering pitman arm had a different spline count and a different box. Also, I know it will depend on the height i mount my Saginaw box ( i will be using an advance adapters mount) but do any of you know if I might be able to use the straight arm or should I bite the bullet and get the 2.5" dropped arm?
As always, thanks for the advice and sharing of the knowledge.
-Roger

 

I have a '70 CJ5 with a 1 1/2" lift. I used a 3" drop pitman arm for my conversion. It all depends on the placement of the steering box on the frame horn.

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

 

Thanks for the info rocmoc. Are the spline counts the same on the 72-75 Saginaw power steering pitman arm for the CJ and the Wagoneer? Just want to make sure i get the right Pitman arm.

 

Not all Power steering boxes are created equal........is this a 3 or 4 bolt mount? is the input shaft 13/16" .8125 x 36 spline? Is there a 6 and a 7 cast in the gear housing just below the front bell shaped cap?

Dropped Pittman arms are clocked differently............you can take a tri-angled shaped Jewelers file , of course one that correctly fits the groove and cut another spline in the area where the key is now and is blank.......been done hundreds of times. Just make sure your cut is exactly half way between the two other splines. Now the Arm can be clocked anywhere.

Correct mounting positioning is important.........for and aft / up and down and also the angle of attack of the input shaft going forward to the firewall and U-Joint or joints.

 

Thanks for the information Tarry. It is a 4 bolt box. 13/16th input with 36 splines. The sector shaft is 1-1/4" 32 spline with 4 flats. The box has a 7 over a 6 near the end cap. Part number on box it came in is 27-6537. I Dont have the mounting plate yet but just eyeballing where I want it to be in relation to the firewall/steering column and where it may place the pitman arm it looks like I can get a straight arm to work. I will get the mount tomorrow and bolt it to the box then clamp it to the frame rail to make sure before I order the pitman arm. Then hopefully the power steering pitman arm for the 72-75 CJ is the same spline count as my sector shaft. Will the 74 wagoner pitman arm work or is it the wrong length? I don't know what the stock length on a CJ5 is as this thing had that old Saginaw box on it from a '58 or so GM (Thanks to 45es for info on the old box.)

 

That is a series 800 Saginaw...........That is probably one of the best gear boxes around. The use of whatever arm will only be known once you get the box partially mocked up........normally the straight arms are a little long and require the box to be moved so far forward to the point that the front edge of the box may hit the front bumper on some applications..........This is of course due to the fact that you still have to deal with giving the Drag Link and Tie Rod end enough clearance forward so that it does not collide with the Tie Rod under compression of the suspension as the shackles rotate and the axle and Tie Rod both rotate forward. The closet point will be steering straight ahead. That axle movement from static to compression is about .500-.625".......so during your setup process it's good to load the suspension with sand bags or other weight to a point of ride height and then check your clearance and build in whatever you need.

 

I installed a 4 bolt p/s box from a 73 Wagoneer on my Jeep.
I used a new p/s pitman arm for 75 and prior Jeep CJ.
It is the straight arm; anything shorter may not give you full turning.
BUT...that depends on how/where you box is mounted...as others have said.
I also had to notch the bottom lip of my front bumper as I used the previously fabricated mount from 35 years ago.

 

power box vs manual box

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/348Win/powersteering001-1.jpg

manual arm on left vs power arm on right

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e121/348Win/pitmanarm-1.jpg

 

My pitman arm is a Jeep pitman arm.

I used PieLut steering box recommendation and modified his installation to my '70 CJ5. He is on page 13 of this topic on this site, http://www.earlycj5.net/forums/show...)-please-add-yours!!/page13&highlight=saginaw If you look at Tarry99 install you will see the pitman arm I used (I believe).

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

 

Thanks for all of the information! I don't think I will be able to get to this before Christmas but afterwards I have a couple of days off work and hope to position the steering box. The previous owner had butchered the crossmember by cutting the top of it out to make room for the V8/fan and radiator and welded a piece of angle to support the grill. I had fixed the crossmember but can't get the box up there because of the piece of angle. I never like that piece so I am going to cut it out and make a proper grill mount. Depending on how the saginaw box fits the with Advance Adapter mount and crossmember and if it won't fit under the crossmember I am thinking of either modifying the current crossmember like Tarry99 did or cutting it completely out then replacing it with a custom crossmember like avmechanic's 2A. I think once I can get it up and placed it will be much easier to determine which arm to use. I will get some pics up here as soon as I take them.

 

I cut my cross member out and replaced with a new one that allowed the use of a '78 grill and future V8 if I ever go that way. Just felt if I was doing all that work I would upgrade with a better radiator grill mount & the death of my V6.

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico