Pitman TRE and Custom Steering Questions

MontanaXJ · Dec 18, 2005

I will be needing a steering setup for my '76 Ford F150 D44 that is being installed this winter. After taking a quick measurement of the stock TRE at the pitman arm, it appears to be 7/8" 18 thread rod. Napa online says 22mm. What is this correct spec for this TRE? If it is 7/8", PSC sells a tube adapter and jam nut in this size. Should I stay with the stock TRE at the pitman arm in my new steering setup? The rest of the steering will probably be heim joints.

Thanks for your help.

Greg

Goatman · Dec 18, 2005

I do think the later year models used a larger size than the earlier year models....if it's the same as TJ stuff. I don't know for sure, but I've seen larger stuff on TJ's. On the older year models the TRE at the pitman arm is 20mm 1.5, so it makes sense that your '99 could be 22mm. It's also left hand thread. The 7/8's won't work.

You need to either get a 22 mm tap, or switch it over to a rod end. On my '88, I decided to stick with the TRE with everything else rod ends, so I bought a 20mm 1.5 LH tap and the drill bit to go with it. Didn't really justify the expense, but I figured others would end up doing the same and it would loaned out, which it has.

Rock Yacht · Dec 18, 2005

76 ford = 7/8-18

metric stuff came around in the 1990s

I'd stay TREs at all joints, but this isn't the place for yet another hiem vs. tre debate.

Goatman · Dec 18, 2005

I was thinking he's asking about the TRE on the XJ pitman arm.

??

MontanaXJ · Dec 19, 2005

Goatman said:
I do think the later year models used a larger size than the earlier year models....if it's the same as TJ stuff. I don't know for sure, but I've seen larger stuff on TJ's. On the older year models the TRE at the pitman arm is 20mm 1.5, so it makes sense that your '99 could be 22mm. It's also left hand thread. The 7/8's won't work.

You need to either get a 22 mm tap, or switch it over to a rod end. On my '88, I decided to stick with the TRE with everything else rod ends, so I bought a 20mm 1.5 LH tap and the drill bit to go with it. Didn't really justify the expense, but I figured others would end up doing the same and it would loaned out, which it has.

Thanks Goatman. I was hoping it wan't 22mm because I haven't seen jam nuts/tube adatpers in that size. Do you know where I could get those, or should I go with a 7/8" TRE from a chevy at the pitman arm and re-taper?

Yes I was talking about the stock XJ pitman arm.

Greg

Goatman · Dec 19, 2005

When I did mine with the 20mm 1.5 LH thread, since I had the drill and tap, I made my own jam nut using a heavy nut and drilling and tapping it.

The drill and tap aren't cheap, so you could compare it to re-doing the taper. I've broken two pitman arms, so it was nice to be able to throw on another stock pitman arm, but you could also make a spare to have around just in case. Most people don't break pitman arms..........

Pitman TRE and Custom Steering Questions

MontanaXJ

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Goatman

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Rock Yacht

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Goatman

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MontanaXJ

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Goatman

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