Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Early V8 (1932-53)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-27-2021, 01:37 PM   #1
34fordy
Senior Member
 
34fordy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Fort dodge, Iowa
Posts: 814
Default Pitman arm question

Will other pitman arms with the replaceable ball, interchange with the 33/34 pitman arm? The 1932 or F-1 ?
34fordy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2021, 01:40 PM   #2
Mart
Senior Member
 
Mart's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Solihull, England.
Posts: 8,732
Default Re: Pitman arm question

I'd hazard a guess that a 32 one would, but not f1. F1 is a different shape and does not have a bolt in ball.

Mart.
Mart is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 01-27-2021, 01:48 PM   #3
V8COOPMAN
Senior Member
 
V8COOPMAN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Shore of LAKE HOUSTON
Posts: 11,106
Default Re: Pitman arm question

Quote:
Originally Posted by 34fordy View Post
Will other pitman arms with the replaceable ball, interchange with the 33/34 pitman arm? The 1932 or F-1 ?
Without having any SPECIFIC information to offer, I'd suggest that you also pay attention to the "clocking" ......the position of the ball (fore and aft) when the steering wheel/steering box is at center of travel. Seems like pick-up truck columns mounted at a different angle than passenger cars back then, just accounting for one difference. DD
__________________
Click Links Below __


'35-'36 W/8BA & MECHANICAL FAN


T5 W/TORQUE TUBE
V8COOPMAN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2021, 01:59 PM   #4
34fordy
Senior Member
 
34fordy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Fort dodge, Iowa
Posts: 814
Default Re: Pitman arm question

Quote:
Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN View Post
Without having any SPECIFIC information to offer, I'd suggest that you also pay attention to the "clocking" ......the position of the ball (fore and aft) when the steering wheel/steering box is at center of travel. Seems like pick-up truck columns mounted at a different angle than passenger cars back then, just accounting for one difference. DD
Speaking of clocking, ---When the sector is in the middle and at the "sweet spot" should the pitman arm be true vertical?
34fordy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2021, 02:01 PM   #5
DavidG
Senior Member
 
DavidG's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: southeastern Michigan
Posts: 10,070
Default Re: Pitman arm question

Initially the '33 sector arm had a bolt-in stud, at least on Canadian-built '33s (although the part number forged onto the arm is not uniquely Canadian) which would be ideal for your purposes,but unfortunately survivors are right up there with hen's teeth.
DavidG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2021, 02:37 PM   #6
V8COOPMAN
Senior Member
 
V8COOPMAN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Shore of LAKE HOUSTON
Posts: 11,106
Default Re: Pitman arm question

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Quote:
Originally Posted by 34fordy View Post
Speaking of clocking, ---When the sector is in the middle and at the "sweet spot" should the pitman arm be true vertical?
Just a 'WAG' ....(Wild-Assed Guess).... on my part, but I'd guess YES...IF the spindle (and steering arm) are original. Here is some very interesting info (below) compliments of "glennpm" from a previous post of his. Hope this helps. DD
__________________________________________________ _____

FROM GLENN:

"Here is a picture of both of the 32 Pitman arms with the "B" or truck one on the top. There is a one tooth difference between the two.

The rotation of the B would push a fixed length drag link further to the front of the car and deceases the desired 90° between the steering arm and the drag link.

If you you have a B as mentioned above, you can either remove the indexing teeth at each 90° or file those indexes to make 8 new teeth. Either way would allow you to place the pitman wherever you need to maintain the 90°. All else being correct, one tooth CCW.


This morning I had a thought. How much angular movement does 1 tooth give you?
There are 36 teeth (the 90° apart "keys" count for 2 teeth each) so 360/36 gives you 10 degrees at the Pitman arm. For a stock 1932 with 13 to 1 worm/sector shaft ratio, 1 tooth would be 13 X 10° = 130° steering wheel rotation!"


__________________
Click Links Below __


'35-'36 W/8BA & MECHANICAL FAN


T5 W/TORQUE TUBE
V8COOPMAN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2021, 03:14 PM   #7
Terry,OH
Senior Member
 
Terry,OH's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 4,725
Default Re: Pitman arm question

I believe one of the Model A parts suppliers is rebuilding the 33-4 pitman with a new ball
Terry,OH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2021, 03:50 PM   #8
glennpm
Senior Member
 
glennpm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Wiscasset, Maine
Posts: 1,965
Default Re: Pitman arm question

Thanks V8COOPMAN,


I was going to add my info and saw that you already did!


Glenn
glennpm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2021, 04:45 PM   #9
34fordy
Senior Member
 
34fordy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Fort dodge, Iowa
Posts: 814
Default Re: Pitman arm question

Thanks for all the good information. Very interesting looking at the two arms and the V8COOPMAN thought on the "steeper" angle of the steering column on the pickup. That would bring the pickup arm back to vertical it appears. And now I remember that the column drop on the car and pickup, although very similar in appearance have a different tube angle. Thanks to all !!
34fordy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2021, 06:12 PM   #10
DavidG
Senior Member
 
DavidG's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: southeastern Michigan
Posts: 10,070
Default Re: Pitman arm question

That's why there are elongated holes in the '33-'34 frame for the sector housing attachment to accommodate two different column angles.
DavidG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-28-2021, 03:32 PM   #11
Tim Ayers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 6,144
Default Re: Pitman arm question

If the F1 fits your application, why not just use a bolt in ball stud? Really no different than a tie rod; just older technology.

A torch can bend it to any shape you need and a triangle file can cut new teeth into the blockers.
Tim Ayers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-29-2021, 01:13 PM   #12
JSeery
Member Emeritus
 
JSeery's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Wichita KS
Posts: 16,132
Default Re: Pitman arm question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Ayers View Post
A torch can bend it to any shape you need and a triangle file can cut new teeth into the blockers.
Yes, fairly easy to cut the new groves.
JSeery is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2021, 05:06 AM   #13
V8COOPMAN
Senior Member
 
V8COOPMAN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Shore of LAKE HOUSTON
Posts: 11,106
Default Re: Pitman arm question

Quote:
Originally Posted by 34fordy View Post
Will other pitman arms with the replaceable ball, interchange with the 33/34 pitman arm? The 1932 or F-1 ?
YO....I just ran across a note that says:

"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."

Also, any '35-'36, '37-'40, '41, or '42-'48 Pitman arm will fit the splines on your '34 box. You could bolt-in or have a replaceable ball stud welded into the small, tapered hole. You might have to file-down the four indexing splines with a triangular file to clock correctly. Just another idea. DD
__________________
Click Links Below __


'35-'36 W/8BA & MECHANICAL FAN


T5 W/TORQUE TUBE
V8COOPMAN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2021, 11:30 AM   #14
Andy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Kerrville, Tx
Posts: 2,768
Default Re: Pitman arm question

I modified an F100 box for my 32. I did not like that the big pitman arm interfered with the stock location bolts. I machined the sector for a Model A pitman arm. It was too long and had the ball end. I shortened it and welded on a boss for a regular tie rod end. The arm welded great and worked fine for years. I have some cut off steering arms other people cut. Free if you need a boss.
The angle of the pitman arm is not so critical if you are using an adjustable drag link.
Especially if using a dropped axle.
Andy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2021, 12:02 PM   #15
Krylon32
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 4,430
Default Re: Pitman arm question

When we built my 32 pickup I used a Neal Jennings 37 Hudson box and first tried the 32 arm which fit but didn't clear the wishbone so I switched to the 34 arm which worked perfect. I did have to file out the larger locating splines to get the arm to clock correctly.
Krylon32 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2021, 12:05 PM   #16
Tim Ayers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 6,144
Default Re: Pitman arm question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Krylon32 View Post
When we built my 32 pickup I used a Neal Jennings 37 Hudson box and first tried the 32 arm which fit but didn't clear the wishbone so I switched to the 34 arm which worked perfect. I did have to file out the larger locating splines to get the arm to clock correctly.
How did you like the '37 Hudson box. How did you like it compared to a early Ford box?
Tim Ayers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2021, 12:34 PM   #17
38bill
Senior Member
 
38bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,163
Default Re: Pitman arm question

Here is a little info I found on the conversion.

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/1206...n-32-34-fords/
38bill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2021, 01:09 PM   #18
Andy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Kerrville, Tx
Posts: 2,768
Default Re: Pitman arm question

I think the best side steer box is the 47 59 Chevy pick up boxes.They are recirculating ball design and steer as well as can be done. They are much much better than the Hudson/F100 boxes.
Andy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2021, 01:31 PM   #19
jimvette59
Senior Member
 
jimvette59's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Perry OH
Posts: 1,327
Default Re: Pitman arm question

I used a cast corvair reversed box inside the frame on my 34 and a ford pitman arm fit. I had to file the flats to clock it. and it worked great. But that was 35 years ago.
jimvette59 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2021, 04:09 PM   #20
34fordy
Senior Member
 
34fordy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Fort dodge, Iowa
Posts: 814
Default Re: Pitman arm question

oops

Last edited by 34fordy; 02-04-2021 at 04:18 PM. Reason: wrong forum
34fordy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:56 AM.