Hey all, just dumping this out here for anyone who's doing this..

I had a IFS pitman are that fit my steering box (very similer to the toy boxes) and i didn't want to pay for an arm as the stock was was beefy and had the right angles...


http://www.yager.net/zukin/new/dscf0522.jpg

basically i got the tie rod end piece out. I pressed mine had i NOT had a few beers i would have just torched it as pressing it launched it out the back of the press... (oppps)

i then trimmed it down flat and ground out some of the remainig radius at teh bottom.

http://www.yager.net/zukin/new/dscf0523.jpg

i then took a shock/tie rod, tapered bung i purchased from speedway (circle track stuff) for ~$4.00 and ground it down to size on my bench grinder (not very high tech..) using a bolt i stuck through to sping it as i turned it down,

I added some angle to it to fit the hole in the arm and with several test fits it looked like...

http://www.yager.net/zukin/new/dscf0524.jpg

i had my torch handy and even though the arm is cast steel i felt like adding some heat before i welded it, with the extra heat it just about melted it all together...

http://www.yager.net/zukin/new/dscf0526.jpg

i still have to clean it up and stop to a friends house to barrow his reamer to make it fit my chevy ends...

I did it this way because it retains most of the stock arm and there is not a lot of spining or up/down force to pop it out, i felt the "captured" insert method would be easiest...

to this point I have about 1.5 hours or work at light/moderate beer drinking speed....

hope this helps someone...

-yag

Aren't those cast pitman arms high carbon steel (i.e. don't get them too hot)? Would this have worked http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=76538 ?

Thats how the Toy IFS arms are done.

:eek::eek:Holy Chri*t on a popsicle stick!!! Aghh!!! It offends my delicate sensibilities as both a machinist and welder to see this! Please don't procreate:flipoff2:.
The best way would be to find a stock arm that could work with the reaming. Secondly, make the whole thing over. Thirdly, press fit that center in there and *tack* it in (If you can't braze, which would lessen the heat transfer). Heating that up must have completely ruined the heat treat, making it soft (bad) or brittle(REALLY BAD). "It's just my opinion, I could be wrong":D

Or you could just weld it in there, I hope you're joking.

Good Job this was oncs a stock IFS pitman untill I began to play
with it in the heat
http://4play4wheelers.com/P_S5.jpg

hmmm ok. im listening....

here's my take though... The only part of the arm that seemed to be heat treated was the lining of the "ball area" where the original tie-rod type joint was seated, the rest cut like butter with my hack saw. (ie cut using hand saw in a vise)

im not sure what the other inserts are, im sure it would have saved me the 30 min standing in front of my grinder turning down my insert... and i still need to ream the taper deeper..

After researching the various methods of pitman arm modifications (yes other are/have done this) i didn't like the simple butt weld 2 different arms or the overlap joint i thoght retaining most of the orig. seemd best... And i did a pre-heat/weld/post heat on it.... Granted I should have cleaned to slag off as to not scear everyone of my welding ability. Im sure a tack would have worked fine.

I'm not a know it all (well ok somtimes) im just try'n stuff out so if someones got ideas/opinions keep em coming..


(Thanks Fatkid!) Guess i shouldn't tell ya i use those dangerous heim joints, make my own brake lines, and weld on gas tanks too.... :flipoff2: just kidding.... about the last part....
-yag

Hey don't take us too seriously. Your arm sounds like it is mild steel so it should be ok. The joint is only transmitting shear anyway. I was only mentioning the heat because I cut an arm once and it was ROCK hard. A sawsall would not do anything but scratch it. I had to cut it with a grinding wheel. I thought all that heat may soften high carbon steel.

I'll show you my home made, welded cross-over steering knuckle sometime. Then you won't feel bad :) It may even scare you....

Build it, Break it, Build it Better its all a learning curve still looks good to me. :D