Pitman arms

Does anyone know a website that sells drop pitman arms for XJ's? I am currently running a 3" rancho lift w/steering stabalizer, and I now want to start replacing the rest of the stock suspension components. Not to mention the Death Wobble has come back!
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Quadratec has it, but they don't know what it really costs. Asked 3 different sales dorks, got 3 different prices for the same item.

E-mail [email protected]. Tell him you want one of the same Skyjacker drop pitman arms he just shipped to Eagle in Connecticut. I think the part number was JA500, but double check that with him. He had the best price I found. Dirk at DPG Offroad was a close second.

Try ebay, I remember seeing a couple. The best price too.

My question would be why do you think you need one?I just went up to 6" and still all angles are perfect!

Well, I have already checked my alignment, it's not that. The reason I want the pitman arm is because I have some serious play in my steering wheel at 45-55mph, and again at speed above 70mph. Also, while this problem appeared to right itself after I put new tires on, the Death Wobble I had in my XJ returned.
Bryan

Correct me if I'm wrong... ZJ pitmans are 1" lower than XJ. See your nearest boneyard for the part.

You should not need a drop pitman arm for 3" of lift. I imagine that your "death wobble" is caused by something else. Are all your steering components in good shape? Do you have an adjustable trac bar? Have you checked wheels for out of round? Just a few suggestions. I am at 6" of lift with no dropped pitman arm and have never had death wobble.

Although I agree that you probably don't need one, the best place to get one is eBay. There's a guy from Rough Country that sells them for $40 I think.

You shouldn't run a drop pitman with 3" of lift.

XJ's pitman's are already offset some, and work well as is until you get to the 5-6" range (even then, most people don't change them).
Changing the pitman at any amount of lift changes the drag links angle to that of the trac-bar, which can lead to bump steer. The "Cows Tongue" Skyjacker pitman arm drops the pitman ALOT, and definately should be used with some type of Trac-bar mount relocation (SkyJacker mounts the bar in the steering stabilizer location).
I wouldn't even consider using the Skyjacker pitman till the 7-8" range.
I've got a ZJ pitman on my 6" MJ (3/4" to 1" drop on an XJ/MJ), and an RE HD track bar (upper bracket drops trac-bar pivot maybe 3/8").
You can get a ZJ pitman arm at the dealer for ~$40, but I really doubt it'll help with your DW.

So, an adjustable trackbar would be a better investment than a drop pitman arm? I am just confused because I have heard everything from my caster being off (Which is isn't), to needing a drop pitman arm and a new trac bar for my Death Wobble problems. When I originally lifted my XJ two years ago, I had a severe death wobble that went away as soon I put 15x8" rims (4" backspacing like stock rims) and 31x10.5" tires on. I also have a rancho 5000 steering stabalizer to help with the upswing, but it wasn't until just recently that the death wobble returned. I've delt with it so much that I can easily stop the wobble once it gets going, but I now have some spare cash and would like to get the problem taken care of once and for all.
Bryan

I've had the SJ extended pitman on for about 4 years now.
Installed shortly after I went up to 6".
I have to say though, I saw little if any diference in steering.

check out your trac bar at the frame mount, if you still have the stock track bar. also, check the tie rod ends or maybe your steering stabilizer. any play in those will cause problems in your steering.

Thank you for all your help! I went out and purchased the Rubicon Adjustable trackbar. Hopefully this will help with my DW problems and bump steer. Anything else I should think about while installing the trackbar?
Bryan

If you still want a DPA www.rockyroadoutfitters.com has a 1" drop arm for $62. Definetly check your trac bar mount at the frame.

BostonBudz said:

Thank you for all your help! I went out and purchased the Rubicon Adjustable trackbar. Hopefully this will help with my DW problems and bump steer. Anything else I should think about while installing the trackbar?
Bryan

Click to expand...

Bryan --

I hate to be the one to break this to you, but an adjustable track bar will not do anything to relieving death wobble. All it will do is center up the axle under the chassis, but I know guys who have been driving around with 3" and 4" lifts for years with a stock track bar and no hint of death wobble.

A drop pitman arm also won't relieve death wobble. All that does it correct for bump steer that may have resulted from relocating other steering components.

Death wobble is fundamentally just wheel wobble/shimmy that gets transferred from one wheel to the other. The single most critical thing to prevent death wobble is wheel balance. If the wheels are balanced so they don't start shimmying, there's no wobble to transmit to the other wheel. After that, toe adjustment and caster help control death wobble, but the fact is if the wheels are balanced correctly, death wobble can't start.

It doesn't matter that you think you've had your wheels balanced. The minimum wage kids they put on the nachines at most tire places these days don't really know what they're doing, and their attitude is "Ahh, that's close enough." "Close enough" might be okay for a low profile mini tire on a rice rocket, but it isn't okay on a big, heavy off-road tire. You need to find a shop that specializes in balancing off-road and truck tires.

Hmm, wish I had came across this thread before I purchased my rocky road dropped pitman. I have almost everything now to install my 3.5 R.E superflex kit. I do have a real quick question on the trackbar installation, how exactly do I line it up properly? I have read some post that say all I need to do is move the frontend up and down and side to side to get it centered, is this true? Maybe I should have saved the money i spent on the pitman arm for a sye if I need one, allready purchased the 1" t-case drop.

You should not need a drop pitman arm nor should you need a sye or a t-case drop at 3.5" of lift with an old 89 XJ (which i assume you have according to your screen name).

Eagle, second that on the tire balancing.

If the death wobble occurs after hitting a pot hole which causes the tire to wobble and it doesn't stop by itself you should check your control arm bushings, steering, track bar and steering stabilizer for play. Even look at the wheel bearings and ball joints. There should be NO play in any of these things.

I hope so, the less things the better. I have been purchasing things just in case because this is the wifes DD for now.

the track bar is a good investment just make sure it is snug. I just got rid of my death wabble because i had the wrong bolt in the rod end in my re tack bar when i hit a bump it would go nuts. could here the track bar clanking in the front end letting the front axle move side to side and gettin the tires going so thats a good place to start. Also check your ball joints in the steering arm and tie rod.

when i was putting my 3 inch lift in i coulnt get the pitman arm connected. It wouldnt reach with only 3 inches of life???? No one else has this problem. i had to have like 4 people help me and rope to torque it down far enough to reach... did anyone else have this problem? i cant see how u can go to 5 inches and not need a drop pitman arm after my experience