Tie Rod Flip

[albertb]

94 Ranger 4x4

Getting a skyjacker 6 inch installed, been reading that the pitman arm that comes with the kit doesn't have enough drop. I would like to avoid the $250 pitman arm from skyjacker and gain some more clearance. I've seen people flip their tie rods with inserts and GM 1 ton TRES but they aren't a direct fit into the ford tie rods. I found an weld in insert that says it works with "common ford tie rod ends" so I was wondering if this could work with the stock TRES or if i could swap in f150/250 TRES to make it work.
Heres the part:

(80-97) Knuckle Taper Sleeve For Ford Tie Rod Ends

Sky Manufacturing Knuckle Taper Sleeve For Ford Tie Rod EndsThese Cnc machined weld in tapered sleeves can be used to fix wallowed out tie rod end holes in Ford Steering knuckles, or to convert a knuckle, steering arm or pitman arm to fit common Ford tie rod ends. Years of 1985-97 using a...

cpaddict.com

Thanks

 

[SenorNoob]

Ranger tie rod ends are already on top. Flipping them would make the problem worse.

If you don't wanna do the pitman arm, only other options are to engineer a way to lower the steering box, a SuperRunner steering kit, or swingsets.

 

[19Walt93]

Buy the pitman arm and keep your steering safe. $250 wouldn't fix much wreck damage.

 

[ericbphoto]

The pitman arm is the way to go.

 

[albertb]

Ranger tie rod ends are already on top. Flipping them would make the problem worse.

If you don't wanna do the pitman arm, only other options are to engineer a way to lower the steering box, a SuperRunner steering kit, or swingsets.

I apologize, must have been thinking of a different vehicle. Just gonna get the pitman arm for now, at least its cheaper on amazon. Thanks

 

[Shran]

I apologize, must have been thinking of a different vehicle. Just gonna get the pitman arm for now, at least its cheaper on amazon. Thanks

TRW 19078 Steering Pitman Arm 87-97 Ranger 4WD REGULAR CAB W/ POWER STEERING | eBay

Manufactured by TRW, part number 19078. This is for POWER STEERING ONLY. Replaces OEM Ford #: E77A-3590-EA. 4/W/D Regular cab, P/S, with STX pkg. and High Rider pkg. Ford sales # E7TZ-3590-A. Ford Ranger 4/W/D Regular cab, P/S, with STX pkg.

www.ebay.com

Those are the same amount of drop that you get on a Skyjacker pitman arm (or any of the other brands that sell 6" lift kits.)

I bought one of those and compared it to MY Skyjacker pitman arm, a Rough Country pitman arm, and a factory Ford STX high rider pitman arm and they are all the same. No reason to spend $250 on the Skyjacker one.

 

[ericbphoto]

FYI. Skyjacker puts the 4" pitman arm (FA400?) in both their 4" and 6" lift kits. If doing a 6" lift, I recommend going with a pitman designed for 6" lift, regardless of brand.

 

[tw205]

FA600 – Pitman Arm - Skyjacker Suspensions

Pitman Arm; 5.5 in. Drop; Extreme Drop 99 Ford F-250, F-350 Super Duty 4WD (Before March '99); For 8 in. Lift 83-97 Ford Ranger, Bronco II, Explorer 4WD / 2WD with Power Steering; For 6-8 in. Lift 80-97 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, Bronco 4WD / 2WD with Power Steering; For 6-8 in. Lift

skyjacker.com

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, I recommend the FA600 with a 6" lift, I have no regerts buying it... my '90 drives great...

 

[4x4junkie]

94 Ranger 4x4

Getting a skyjacker 6 inch installed, been reading that the pitman arm that comes with the kit doesn't have enough drop. I would like to avoid the $250 pitman arm from skyjacker and gain some more clearance. I've seen people flip their tie rods with inserts and GM 1 ton TRES but they aren't a direct fit into the ford tie rods. I found an weld in insert that says it works with "common ford tie rod ends" so I was wondering if this could work with the stock TRES or if i could swap in f150/250 TRES to make it work.
Heres the part:

(80-97) Knuckle Taper Sleeve For Ford Tie Rod Ends

Sky Manufacturing Knuckle Taper Sleeve For Ford Tie Rod EndsThese Cnc machined weld in tapered sleeves can be used to fix wallowed out tie rod end holes in Ford Steering knuckles, or to convert a knuckle, steering arm or pitman arm to fit common Ford tie rod ends. Years of 1985-97 using a...

cpaddict.com

Thanks

Even if it were possible to raise the TREs higher on the knuckles, it wouldn't solve the issue of the steering linkage being too high up at the pitman arm end. The linkage needs to come down to the level where the axle beam pivots are so that everything can move together as one.

The FA600 drop arm is the only way to accomplish this short of fabricating something for it.
AFAIK, the drop amount of the FA600 arm is unique only to Skyjacker's arm. Every other drop arm I've seen is similar to the FA400 arm (the one they include in their kit).


Not sure if you already saw it, I wrote this page some time ago that gives a more in-depth look at this steering issue:
A Discussion about TTB Steering and Alignment



Hope that helps.

 

[SenorNoob]

Off topic. But what are peoples thoughts about the FA600 with 4-5" of lift? Seems like a 4" drop would work well with a 4" lift?

 

[ericbphoto]

Off topic. But what are peoples thoughts about the FA600 with 4-5" of lift? Seems like a 4" drop would work well with a 4" lift?

It should work. But wouldn't be optimal. I would err on the short side and use the FA 400. If using Skyjacker coil springs, they're a bit soft and going to sag so you don't really have the full amount of lift after a while.

 

[4x4junkie]

I would fully recommend the FA600 arm with a 4" lift.

The pitman arm drop ideally should exactly match the drop amount at the axle pivot brackets. How the suspension rests on the coil springs is less important (just that it be within the limits outlined about ⅔ the way down the page I linked above).

 

[scotts90ranger]

Even if it were possible to raise the TREs higher on the knuckles, it wouldn't solve the issue of the steering linkage being too high up at the pitman arm end. The linkage needs to come down to the level where the axle beam pivots are so that everything can move together as one.

The FA600 drop arm is the only way to accomplish this short of fabricating something for it.
AFAIK, the drop amount of the FA600 arm is unique only to Skyjacker's arm. Every other drop arm I've seen is similar to the FA400 arm (the one they include in their kit).


Not sure if you already saw it, I wrote this page some time ago that gives a more in-depth look at this steering issue:
A Discussion about TTB Steering and Alignment



Hope that helps.

Those pictures show one thing I had theorized... that the FA600 had a shorter effective length pushing the steering link toward the axle... For years I've been having interference between the two sides of the steering link, when I had the front suspension torn apart to make longer radius arms I took the time to straighten the dog leg in the passenger side link a touch to fix that.

 

[4x4junkie]

Those pictures show one thing I had theorized... that the FA600 had a shorter effective length pushing the steering link toward the axle... For years I've been having interference between the two sides of the steering link, when I had the front suspension torn apart to make longer radius arms I took the time to straighten the dog leg in the passenger side link a touch to fix that.

There have been some sporadic reports of the pitman arm TRE hitting the driverside tierod. If I had to guess, its maybe around 2-4% of installations. The position of the radius arms where they are mounted to the frame (how far forward or back the axle is positioned in the fenderwell) will influence this.
Manipulating the bends on the steering link is an acceptable way to correct it, just don't go at all any more than you have to.

Also just FYI, the FA600 arm still has a bit longer effective length than the stock arm, but it does bring the linkage backward slightly. This happens because of the position (angle) of the sector shaft axis (the more the arm drops straight down, the further away from the sector shaft axis that it becomes). I suspect its made this way so as to not have the arm's effective length be too long.