Drop pitman arm with lifted TJ. Who uses em?

[Farmer Jed]

Seems that some bolt on lifts come with a drop pitman arm and some dont. The guys including the drop pitman in their kits say you need them. The guys that don't include em say you don't.

So, is there really any reason to have a drop pitman with say a 4" lift? Anyone tried both stock and drop pitmans who can comment?

 

[H-K]

Seems that some bolt on lifts come with a drop pitman arm and some dont. The guys including the drop pitman in their kits say you need them. The guys that don't include em say you don't.

So, is there really any reason to have a drop pitman with say a 4" lift? Anyone tried both stock and drop pitmans who can comment?

I found that pitman arm and I'll bring it in tomorrow.

 

[chans]

I don't know if this will help but I tried a drop pitman arm on a YJ with a 4" skyjacker lift and it caused a lot of rubbing of steering components and when the stock one was put back on it fixed the problem.

 

[kyojin]

Just like you said some kits come with them and some don't. I have a Rubicon Express 3.5 Super Flex kit that gave me over 4" of lift. My kit did not come with a drop pitman arm. From all i've heard and read you do not need one on a lift less than around 6".


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Seems that some bolt on lifts come with a drop pitman arm and some dont. The guys including the drop pitman in their kits say you need them. The guys that don't include em say you don't.

So, is there really any reason to have a drop pitman with say a 4" lift? Anyone tried both stock and drop pitmans who can comment?

 

[chevtech]

Just like you said some kits come with them and some don't. I have a Rubicon Express 3.5 Super Flex kit that gave me over 4" of lift. My kit did not come with a drop pitman arm. From all i've heard and read you do not need one on a lift less than around 6".


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What he said. Plus, if you put one on without putting on a drop track bar bracket you will get bumpsteer.

 

[H-K]

What he said. Plus, if you put one on without putting on a drop track bar bracket you will get bumpsteer.

Can this contribute to or cause death wobble or just bumpsteer?

 

[Caleb]

you have to look at the geometry of your steering linkages...you want the drag link and tie rod to be pretty much parallel, usually the closer you get the less bump steer you will have, this is why crossover steering (not necessarily high steer) is a good thing...makes it so you dont have to use a drop pitman arm but can get your linkage real close (if not right at) parallel...another thing that helps big time on YJs, CJs, and maybe TJs and XJs and ZJs is to re-taper your knuckles to get the tie rod on top of your knuckle instead of underneath like it is from the factory.

If you are comparing two kits that are say both 4" and one includes it and the other doesn't, usually the reason they are left out is to save costs...the more complete a kit is, generally the better the kit is.

 

[Caleb]

Can this contribute to or cause death wobble or just bumpsteer?

sure it can but death wobble can be caused by a TON of other things too. Search and you will get many different things to check...

 

[H-K]

sure it can but death wobble can be caused by a TON of other things too. Search and you will get many different things to check...

Yeah, I realize there are many things that contribute to wobble, just wondering if pitman arm should be added to the list.
thanks