J20 steering box, pitman arm trouble

guffey24

guffey24

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Location
Hendersonville, NC
Okay I installed my J-20 steering box, with a rugged ridge HD steering box mount

which is cheap and very nice

anyway I tried to install my pitman arm, got everything lined up where it needs to be and started the 2 5/16th's nut on the bottom output of the steering box, well the pitman starts moving up the shaft like it is supposed to

but stops 1/4" from where it needs to be and will not go any further up on the shaft

am I correct in thinking that the pitman arm should be flush at the top, and I should see no threads at the top, that 1/4" is what I am talking about

I cut a spacer and tried to use it to push the arm up further as I tightened down the nut

I stripped the nut

I checked the splines on the new steering box and on the pitman arm, they are the same, and are in perfect condition

I even tried using a BFH to move the pitman arm up further, no luck there either

It is not a J-20 pitman arm, as far as I know, but the splines line up perfect

What do I look for now?

Is it possible the pitman arm could be a touch smaller in the spline?
 
I have seen them not go all the way up. As long as they are tight on the splines, you will be fine. Just double check the nut after a few miles of driving.

You didn't break my socket did you?:flipoff2:
 
the day you shred a 1" drive socket is the day I start calling you sir.

Do you have another nut, or are you going to have to get one?
 
He pulled a CJ box off of the Jeep. I didn't know if the old one would fit.
 
Mine doesn't sit flush at the top. There is a gap. It's all tapered so when it stops it's on far enough.
 
yeah, you're going to have some gap between the box housing and the pitman arm. you might even see the beginning of where the splines are cut. they rely partially on a press fit from a slightly tapered shaft as has been mentioned.

as long as the nut is good and tight and there's no play in the arm, don't worry about it.
 
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