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You are here: Home Tech Articles & Tutorials Steering / Suspension / Brakes Steering/Suspension Component Variations
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Steering/Suspension Component Variations

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

IMPORTANT NOTE: Ford did some redesign of the front end components beginning on late-'71 trucks, including the Pitman arm. If you're installing a disc brake setup on an early-'71 truck or earlier and attempt to use your original steering linkage, you'll might discover that the drag link will not fit the Pitman arm, meaning you'll have to use the steering box (or at least the Pitman arm) from the donor truck. Read the scans at right from the factory Technical Service Bulletins for more info, and scroll down for some side-by-side comparison shots of the variances mentioned in the TSBs.

Removing the Pitman arm
If you have access to a heavy-duty puller, removing the Pitman arm from the steering box is easy. Just put a little pressure on the puller and tap the arm with a hammer, repeating the cycle as needed until the arm pops off. In the absence of a puller, you'll need a hydraulic press.

Inspecting the Pitman arm
Before removing the Pitman arm, grab it and give it a few good tugs and twists, to ensure the splines are not worn and that the Pitman arm is installed tightly. At right is a close-up of one that was loose...if you look closely you can see the worn-out splines on the near side. It was very worn (loose on the shaft) and is no good.

Illustrated here is the difference between the two different styles of Pitman arms used on the Ford/Saginaw power steering box, as mentioned in the Technical Service Bulletins above. The two Pitman arm styles are identical in length and spline count, with the overall shape being the only difference.

TOP (BOTH VIEWS): Late style, casting #D2TA-3590-BA
Used on F100 thru F250 with serial numbers M00000 (late '71) and higher

BOTTOM (BOTH VIEWS): Early style, casting #C9TA-3590-E
Used on F100 thru F250 with serial numbers prior to M00000

Here is a view of the bottom side of the early Pitman arm used on Saginaw boxes up through late-'71. You can see 'F100-F250 PWR STR' cast into the piece.

NOTE: The Pitman arm used on '67-'69 F100's with Bendix power steering is marked C7TA-3590-L, and will not work with the Ford/Saginaw box.
Steering Linkage Differences

FYI:

For the purpose of this tutorial, the following terms are used:
EARLY: trucks with serial numbers prior to M00000
LATE: trucks with serial numbers M00000 (late '71) and higher
STEERING LINKAGE ASSEMBLY:
The early and late styles are each shaped very differently, though they are interchangeable as an assembly, provided all matching pieces are used...including the Pitman arm on the steering box.

DRAG LINKS:
The early and late drag links are identical in overall length, though the early style is much straighter. In the pictures at left you can see the slightly different angle of the left-side of the drag links. You can also see that the position of the tapered hole for the tie rod end was moved farther outboard for the later style drag link, though the tie rod end is the same length.


Top: late style
Bottom: early style

TIE ROD ENDS:
The later tie rods ends are much straighter than the early style.

Here's a view of the differences between the stock '67-'72 vs. '73-'79 tie rod ends, where they connect to the spindle's steering arm. This is due to the later spindle's steering arm being thicker. Therefore, early steering linkage cannot be used with later disc-brake spindles without some grinding on the spindle's steering arm to allow the tie rod end to protrude through enough to install the castle nut and cotter pin.

The '73-up spindle's steering arm is thicker than the '67-'72 versions. Here's a view of the later spindle, this one from a '79 F150.

 

 

I-beam Casting Numbers

Casting

Orientation Donor Vehicle

Example

C5 TA-8-B 12 Right '66 F100 w/drums -
C5 TA-9-B Left
C5 TA-8-B  12B Right '66 F100 w/drums -
C5 TA-9-B  12 Left
C5TA-8-B * (FORD) 16B Right '67 F250 w/drums

C5TA-9-B * (FORD) 12D Left
C8TA-8-B (FOMOCO) * 60A Right '68 F100 w/drums

C7TA-9-A (FOMOCO) * 30 Left
D2TA-8 * DA (FOMOCO) * 1 Right (unknown) w/drums
D2TA-9 * DA Left
8A * FORD D2TA-8-DA Right '72 F100 w/drums
14A * FORD D2TA-9-DA Left
D2TA-8 * DA 49A Right '74 F100 w/discs
D2TA-9 * DA 46A Left
D5TA-8-GA * 50 Right '75 F250 w/discs
D5TA-9-GA * 54 Left
D8TA-8-CA 46 Right '79 F150 w/discs
D8TA-9-CA 42 Left

 

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

 
You are here: Home Tech Articles & Tutorials Steering / Suspension / Brakes Steering/Suspension Component Variations


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