Send this to NOOB if you want mods, but I know the knowledge is here. Not a Ford guy myself, just posting this for a buddy.

Anyways, the truck is an 87 Ranger. It needs a longer pitman arm. He plans to keep the stock steering for as long as possible before he goes SAS. I was thinking maybe a 78 Bronco or F-150 pitman would be provide enough drop. Are the sector shafts the same on late 70s- 80s pickup steering boxes (making the pitman arms compatible)?

just pickup an aftermarket for like 60 bucks or w/e..u dont want to try and pull one of those off an old 70-80s ford truck pitman arm..u'll be there for a day or more, and it'll be worth the extra 20 bucks..and it will for sure give u the right pitman arm drop..just my .02

The aftermarket (drop) arms are longer length than the stock arms by a good 3/4". Amount of total drop is 3"

F-150 arms ('80-'96) are the same arm. pre-'80 arms are indexed different IIRC and won't fit.

Alright, I'll tell him just to go for the aftermarket arm. I've never had to get one with my steering setups but I thought they were a little more than 60. But then again I am a Jeep guy. :flipoff2:

All the Ford boxes are the same through F 250. You can just go to the salvage yard and measure one up from a similar year and it will fit. I get them for $5 at my local pick a part place. Get a pitman arm puller - and a BFH (that means hammer to you guys from somewhere else). Put as much pressure on the arm with the puller as you can - then hit the SIDE of the pitman arm (the side of the splined area). It will pop right off. The splines are tapered - once it breaks loose it comes off easy.

Send this to NOOB if you want mods, but I know the knowledge is here. Not a Ford guy myself, just posting this for a buddy.

Anyways, the truck is an 87 Ranger. It needs a longer pitman arm. He plans to keep the stock steering for as long as possible before he goes SAS. I was thinking maybe a 78 Bronco or F-150 pitman would be provide enough drop. Are the sector shafts the same on late 70s- 80s pickup steering boxes (making the pitman arms compatible)?

Is he looknig for one that is long or has a drop? I know a IH Scout has the longest that I have seen. I thing it is 8.5" on center. The lowest drop I have seen was made by TrailMaster...+2"?

BII and rangers already have 2" more "drop" in the stock form than equivalent years F150 and big Broncos (~1987) so using a stock of of one of them would actually do the opposite of what you want.