I have a few questions for the folks who've been doing this for a while: 1) On the end of my pitman arm, theres a ball and a ball-joint-esque fitting on it. What are the names for these parts? 2) My pitman arm is a Chevy part. Does it have the same size ball as a Ford unit? 3) Can I get a replacement ball joint thingy that will thread onto rod or into tube? 4) How do I remove said ball joint thing? 5) Do 49-54 Chevy tie rod ends have the same 7° taper as an early Ford one? Thanks! Ed
Five questions and not a single answer! I bet the problem is that Bruce Lancaster hasn't read this post yet...
Sorry nobody answered you, maybe they don't know the answer. Neither do I for sure, but I can give a little info. Had a 39 Chevy once and needed some new parts in the rod end (just like you got, but don't know the technical name). I seem to remember the 32 Ford parts I looked at were different size, so I stole parts off of a 37 Chevy. I seem to remember the tie rod had adjustable ends on it, doesn't it? So you could find more ends off a tie rod and put them on a shorter rod to make your adjustable drag link. For removal of these things, you just remove the cotter pin in the end, screw the LARGE set-screw-like thing out of the end, and this will loosen the joint enough to come off the ball. Sometimes they have a tin cover on the outside that needs to come off too. Don't know about the Chevy vs. Ford taper. Now, after all this, it would probably be easier and cheaper to buy new rod and rod ends to make modern style links. Even if you have to have the holes re-tapered, it will probably be cheaper in the end. I can only recommend getting some Chevy parts catalogs and checking availablity and prices. I used to use Chevys of the 40's and I&I, but can't remember if they gave good service or not. alchemy
1. On a deuce, B-3311 Stud (drag link ball) goes on the steering arm and the drag link. Hmmm...the ones for the tie rod are also B-3311, but are named "Stud (spindle connecting rod bolt)" there... odd to have two nomenclatures. They are in a tapered hole. You likely don't have the KRW tool needed, but I would bet that a modern puller of the sort used to pull power steering pump pulleys would do it. Any small puller could be rigged, including some types of screw tie rod pullers. A knocker might work...if you can find one of those long Home Depot connecting nuts with right threads. If you try this, put another fastener in there tight against ball stud end so hammer blow is taken by ebd of stud, NOT the threads. On dimensions, I can measure anything you need. Just send me a list. I know nothing of these "Chevrolet" parts. There are two common fixes for bad ball studs, as many are not removable and are forged onto the arms: Turnit down to the diameter of its root, press on drilled ball bearing, weld at outside of ball. Done commercially by Model A places. Add a lump of arc weld made with the Hard surfacing rod used by farmers and contractors to fix digging blades and expensive machine parts, grind down to round.
On the thread-on parts, I guess you mean the tie rod ends--they are available in repro, but those parts have a very bad reputation for fit and are likely some sort of crude casting you don't want to trust in your steering any way. Get a '28-34 tie rod complete and put in the rebuild parts from Model A suppliers.
Bruce, One of my thoughts has been to grind the ball off the pitman arm, as mine is a one-piece casting, and drill/ream a hole for a tapered Ford tie rod end. After reading your reply I think that's the way I will go. Thanks, Ed
1932 draglinks have the replaceable ball stud, '33-4 are one piece forgings. All Ford arms interchange 1932-49-??, and I believe GM used the same basic splines as Ford from the thirties at least up into the sixties on manual boxes.. A swap to a later arm might be best, as many of the one piece ball type don't have much extra metal around there.
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