I'm using an OT steering gear on my on topic 56 Dodge 1/2t. One of those little PS units from an early 80s Toy 4WD. Sitting it on the frame rail indicates that I'll be able to get the center of the shaft at the same location, vertically as the original. That should prevent any bump steer problems as it moves fore and aft rotating about the same center as factory. It will be power and recirculating ball so steering should be better in two ways, easier and less free play. But, there's always one of those, right? The Toy arm has a couple of bends that keep it from fitting in my application. If those bends where straightened the arm would wind up being almost exactly the same length as the Dodge, thus moving everything back very neat to the original geometry. Finally the question. I have a HF 20T press which I'm sure can't bend it cold. I don't think I'd want to do that anyway. What are the community thoughts on heat in this case? I'm sure it is cast steel, not iron, and probably not forged steel but it could be I guess. I'm thinking just do it. Can't be any worse that the welded units I've seen on that box on F100s and others. What say you?
You need to find out if it is forged or cast. If forged it can be safely heated and bent Post some pictures
The factory made HiLux pitman arm is forged steel, and very weldable and easy to heat and bend.[I assume you are using the straight axle 4 x 4 power steering box that is "side steer"] If you want to use your existing Dodge pitman arm adapted to the Toyota steering box, you can use the following method [below] We cut down an Aisin power steering pitman arm and put it in a lathe and machined it into a "collar" with a chamfer at each end. Then with the pitman arm that we were using ,we bored it out [with a countersink at each end] The collar and pitman were interference fit, requiring heat and a press to fit them together. Then the 2 countersunk/chamfered ends were TIG welded together and cleaned up. This was done on a racecar that saw 170+mph on a regular basis. If you are the worrying type ,you can always magnaflux and heat treat it.
Given the love for Toyota pick ups in the after market 4wd world there has to be some off road outfit selling custom pitmans for what ever the wheeler guys want.Check a Toyota forum,and see what those guys are using.
I used that very setup on my Willys, heated the arm in my wood stove and bent it straight in my vice, worked out ok.
If you are uncomfortable bending it you can cut the ends off, turn them into "bungs" on a lathe, and weld them into an arm you cut out of steel plate.
I put a Toyota PS gear in my '53 Chevy pickup. I heated and bent both the pittman arm and the spindle arm. No problems. Just let the thing cool slowly, don't quench it. Here is why the spindle arm had to be raised. Toyota pitman arm is way shorter. Stock shape. New shape after heat and bend. Straightened Toyota pitman arm. I cut off the ball, drilled and reamed it for tapered end of conventional rod end. I bought a tapered reamer I think from Speedway, have used it several times over the years on such crazy projects. Couple shots of the Toyota gear bracket I made. Similar size and shape as the stock '53.
Heat it, bend and cool in a box of kitty litter. Just plain old clay kittle litter. It keeps the rate of cooling down and you come out with a part with its strength intact. Our resident metalurgist @38Chevy454 can give you the technical breakdown
Thanks everyone for the comments. Looks like I'll be straightening the pitman, removing the ball and reaming for the Dodge drag link end. With careful placement I think I can use the stock Dodge link. They are one piece with a peculiar bend and would not be easy to remake. My finished product should look similar the the Chevy above, except the box is in front of the axle with the link to the rear. In 54 Dodge was putting V8s in some trucks so they relocated the box forward to make room. Thought
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