Can anyone "re-ball" a 1934 pitman arm????

[steve hackel]

Does anyone know of a place that will install a new steering ball on my 1934
pitman arm? I have had ZERO success finding someone that can do the job and do it correctly. This is the last piece of the steering (besides the box) that I need to finish so I can then drive the car again. Thanks in advance!

[Terry,OH]

There is a ebay seller that sells the pitman with new ball installed and will give you a core charge refund on your old.

[Terry,OH]

All Ford Parts: 800-532-1932 They rebuild them 175.00 minus your core 100.00 I have no idea how they are attaching the new ball, as a guess brazing. See ebay
172499516735

[my4dv8]

Are later pitman arms the same spline and length?
If so they won't care if they go from cross steer to side steer, and fit a bolt in ball.

[Jason in TX]

Here is that ebay listing

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1933-34-Ford...-/172499516735

I don't know how this is staying on...

[cas3]

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a friend of mine welds them up and grinds them by hand using the hole in a washer to check roundness......he has more time and patience than me !

[whizzernick]

i have several good ones
nick 510-889-1933

[steve hackel]

Thanks for all of the information; I will start with the guy on E-bal and go from there. Thanks Nick, I'll call you tomorrow - it's too late tonight.
Thanks to everyone, Steve

Oops - does anyone know if the later style pitman arms from the 40s etc would fit the splines on the 34 steering box cross shaft? I could easily get one of the replacement screw in studs and adapt it, or even go to a tie rod end style drag link and make everything new.
Any help on this question?????

[skidmarks]

Splines the same. You might have to reshape it a little depending on the one you use

[woodiewagon46]

Steve there are a couple of ways that this job is done. The first is to remove the entire old ball and drill a hole in the arm. Then they insert a ball that has a stud attached and then weld it up. The second way is the preferred way. The pitman arm is set up in a milling machine and the ball is removed but a "stud" is left intact on the pitman arm. A stainless steel ball is then pressed onto the stud and the end TIG welded and rounded off.

[Tim Ayers]

Not sure if you saw this. For sale in the swap section. $20 for the arm and drag link.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=214511

[Chris]

Originally Posted by skidmarks

Splines the same. You might have to reshape it a little depending on the one you use

I used a 37-40 arm on my 34. They have 4 large grooves on the sector, and the pitman arm has 4 larger splines. I could not get mine to clock right, so I used a very small triangular shaped file, and
"V'd" the large groves and now it will fit the sector at any degree. Only took a little time to file.

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by Chris

I used a very small triangular shaped file, and "V'd" the large groves and now it will fit the sector at any degree.

A common mod I have used several times as well.

[Jason in TX]

Originally Posted by Chris

I used a 37-40 arm on my 34. They have 4 large grooves on the sector, and the pitman arm has 4 larger splines. I could not get mine to clock right, so I used a very small triangular shaped file, and
"V'd" the large groves and now it will fit the sector at any degree. Only took a little time to file.

Yep. Same here.

[PeteVS]

If you file out the "fat" splines (per post #12), you want to have the pitman arm straight down when the steering wheel is right at the middle between full left and full right. Then, you want your drag link to be sized to put the wheels straight ahead at this point. If you use the "tie rod end" type of drag link, you should be able to get the steering wheel nicely centered when you're driving straight.

[V8COOPMAN]

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