drop pitman arm?

[dutycalls87]

hey you guys I just put on a rc 4.5 x series lift and want to know if I should be running drop pitman arm with 4.5 lift? I only ask because the kit does't come with one and a couple guys have told me I should be running one what do you think?

 

[rweaver138]

are you having any steering issues? i vote no on the dpa

 

[tbburg]

Try this. Knock your drag link loose from the knuckle. Jack up the axle on the drivers side until the passenger side tire starts to come off the ground. Check the position of the drag link in relation to the steering arm on the knuckle. If the drag link is still hanging below it's mounting point, you have enough play in the upper rod end to handle it. If the drag link, hanging free, is above the mounting point, you need a drop arm or something, because when you flex out on the trail it'll try to separate the drag link at the pitman arm, and either bend or break the drag link, bend the pitman arm, or pull the steering box away from the frame.

EDIT: If you do go to a dropped arm, get some kind of steering box brace on there, and consider reinforcing the frame. The dropped arm increases the stress on the box mount considerably.

 

[4.3LXJ]

It is not necessary with only 4.5' lift. Those put more strain on the frame and steering box anyway and cause a small amount of bump steer if you don't lower the track bar accordingly.

 

[dutycalls87]

ok thanks for the imput! one more question thow when I do my sye can I still run my tc drop or will I have to get rid of that? thanks!

 

[LBC970]

ok thanks for the imput! one more question thow when I do my sye can I still run my tc drop or will I have to get rid of that? thanks!

You can still run your TC drop. I already have the SYE and I am fully planning on dropping the TC an inch to help get angles closer to "stock".

 

[lazyxj]

You can still run your TC drop. I already have the SYE and I am fully planning on dropping the TC an inch to help get angles closer to "stock".

A TC drop may get the rear drive shaft closer to stock angles but it will make the front shaft angles worse. It's a trade off.
Most do not use a TC drop after installing an SYE and a new CV driveshaft since the new parts were installed to fix the angle problem.
Why would you want to needlessly decrease you ground clearance?
A TC drop is usually installed by those who do not want to spend the bucks for or are saving for a SYE.

 

[LBC970]

A TC drop may get the rear drive shaft closer to stock angles but it will make the front shaft angles worse. It's a trade off.
Most do not use a TC drop after installing an SYE and a new CV driveshaft since the new parts were installed to fix the angle problem.
Why would you want to needlessly decrease you ground clearance?
A TC drop is usually installed by those who do not want to spend the bucks for or are saving for a SYE.

I would agree on a mostly trail rig. Mine however is a daily driver, and I look at it as being better to have the rear drive shaft angles more ideal than the front ones. After installing 5.5 inches of lift, I feel that losing 1 inch on the TC is not that huge of a loss. With a good skid plate under there, I don't feel like I am negatively affecting my ability to wheel where I do. And who knows, I might get it dropped and find I don't like it, then pull it.

I'm also a little confused about how dropping the TC an inch on a lifted vehicle would ruin the front shaft angles. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't installing a lift doing more to affect front shaft angles (much like rear shaft angles) than lowering the TC to get them closer to stock? Does the front shaft move in the opposite direction than the rear shaft when you install a lift?

EDIT: Your winch and bumper are awesome by the way. I'm looking into doing something similar with a home built bumper, but mine so far looks nowhere as clean as that...

 

[4.3LXJ]

One of the reasons for doing the SYE is to take care of some of those angle problems. When you tip up the pinion with the SYE it takes some of the angle out. I am running a 6" rear lift with no TC drop and have no problems at all. If you are going to the trouble and expense of the SYE, ditch the drop, you don't need it and then you won't have any trouble with your shift linkage either.

 

[clean4drxj]

I'm at 5 inches(RE4.5 spings with 3/4 spacers) and when i order my RC longarms i was sent a DPA and I used it so

 

[RCP Phx]

I'm also a little confused about how dropping the TC an inch on a lifted vehicle would ruin the front shaft angles. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't installing a lift doing more to affect front shaft angles (much like rear shaft angles) than lowering the TC to get them closer to stock? Does the front shaft move in the opposite direction than the rear shaft when you install a lift?

Think of is this way,the rear output shaft points down(stock,at about 4*) towards the rear pinion(kinda like this T-case\-\pinion).At the same time the front output shaft is pointing 4* up away from the front pinion(kinda like this,pinion/-\t-case). A t-case drop (maybe 5-6* down) means the front output shaft is pointing up 5-6* aiming even further away from the front pinion.

 

[LBC970]

Think of is this way,the rear output shaft points down(stock,at about 4*) towards the rear pinion(kinda like this T-case\-\pinion).At the same time the front output shaft is pointing 4* up away from the front pinion(kinda like this,pinion/-\t-case). A t-case drop (maybe 5-6* down) means the front output shaft is pointing up 5-6* aiming even further away from the front pinion.

I will have to go out and take a look at mine. It just isn't making sense in my head...