I want to bend my pitman arm a bit to correct some clearance issues I have, I dont want to be on the trail/road and have a broken pitman arm, I had a lifted toy and busted the drivers side bannana knuckle thing on the street and it was not a fun experience, so do think with a little fire wrench I will be to much at risk?I only need to bend it around 1/2 an inch? Any merit to puttin it in lime after heating it, I had a metal guy tell me that this would keep it from coolin quick and allow it to maintain some integrity? :confused:

What vehicle?

Originally posted by DRM
What vehicle?

curious fawker aint ya! seriously does it matter per my question, think not, but if you must know its an s10 blazer with a springover SFA and I am using a drop procomp pitman arm for a YJ.

its will only work well if you WANT to die.

Dallas

I asked because I have a YJ dropped pitman I would be willing to sell :p

But more to the point - what the hell does 1/2 more drop matter? :confused:

Is this with crossover steering, and if so how close to parallel is the drag link?

Originally posted by StinkBug
its will only work well if you WANT to die.

Dallas

honest enough, thats why I hadnt done it

Originally posted by DRM
I asked because I have a YJ dropped pitman I would be willing to sell :p

But more to the point - what the hell does 1/2 more drop matter? :confused:

Is this with crossover steering, and if so how close to parallel is the drag link?

I am not tryin to bend it down , kinda backwards towards the box, just to get by until I can get a heim joint setup built, when I stuff the passenger side all the way the draglink and the tierod rub each other on the pass side because the drop pitman arm is holding the draglink back a little bit to far. I am getting a lot of wheel travel out of my springs and my steering isnt goin to make it on the trail

Originally posted by pdaddy


I am not tryin to bend it down , kinda backwards towards the box, just to get by until I can get a heim joint setup built, when I stuff the passenger side all the way the draglink and the tierod rub each other on the pass side because the drop pitman arm is holding the draglink back a little bit to far. I am getting a lot of wheel travel out of my springs and my steering isnt goin to make it on the trail

So you are trying to make the pitman "shorter"? I just don;t see that working...

no, I am being a cheap bastard for a couple of paychecks, yes in effect it would be bent rewards and thus shortining it a bit, but the angle my steerin box sits at it would be all right for now, I am not goin to do it, cause I too worry about it breaking. So I will just be "easy" on it (the passenger side) until I replace the crap I am financially bound to!! :flipoff2: Just thought Id get opinions on metal bending in general though, lil edubacation effort

i would do it, but heat it up VERY VERY VERY gradually, bend it slowly, and then wrap it in some fiberglass blankets and let it cool VERY VERY VERY slowy.

good luck, but only expect as good of results as the quality of work you put into it.

Originally posted by 9-Volt
i would do it, but heat it up VERY VERY VERY gradually, bend it slowly, and then wrap it in some fiberglass blankets and let it cool VERY VERY VERY slowy.

good luck, but only expect as good of results as the quality of work you put into it.

so are you sayin that if I let it cool very slowly that the metal will retain its strength? I wondered as to the merit of my buddy tellin me to cool it in lime, he said the similar thing, it allows it to cool slower and that helps the metal keep its integrity. I still dont think I will do it, but I am still interested in this type of bending and heating process

Cooling it quickly will harden it like the tip of a screwdriver blade. It'll be hard, but brittle.

Somebody was just telling me today that his friend heated and bent his steering arms up to make "poor-man's" hi-steer. He let them cool all day, very slowly. He said he's run them for a while without any problems. I wouldn't recommend it, but if you are going to do it, definitely let it cool slowly. You could bury it in some sand to let it cool nice and slow. Remember that if it breaks you will be without any way to steer.

It'll be hard, but brittle. Yeah very brittle! As if cast is not brittle enough, you'd destroy it.

You can heat it, bend it slowly, then let it cool and you'll be fine. Just don't bend it so far that the metal starts to tear.

Jeff