how short can you go on GM d44 drag link

B2-Bomber

Guest
Location
SL, UT
I have a 1978 gmc 1/2 ton, with the D44 up front. part of the project is to move the axle forward 3.5". for now I don't have the time/funds to do the cross-over steering

the drag-link is already fairly short 15-7/8" so it will drop to around 12-1/2"

the future will hold a crossover steering, but will this work for now?
 
I have a 1978 gmc 1/2 ton, with the D44 up front. part of the project is to move the axle forward 3.5". for now I don't have the time/funds to do the cross-over steering

the drag-link is already fairly short 15-7/8" so it will drop to around 12-1/2"

the future will hold a crossover steering, but will this work for now?

It will work just not well... Cross over can be had for like 100 bucks if your resourceful
 
even an extra $100 to get this project going is more than I have. i'm sure with a 12.5" drag link it will bump-steer like a bitch. but it will at least work for a couple months
 
even an extra $100 to get this project going is more than I have. i'm sure with a 12.5" drag link it will bump-steer like a bitch. but it will at least work for a couple months

for sure, it will get you down the road ok just make sure you have 2 hands on the steering wheel at all times.... :p
 
Use the tie rod ends you already have on the current drag link find a used passenger side high steer arm or make one yourself depending on what tools you have available to you, not sure if you can use the factory pitman arm and reorient on the box or if a new pitman arm is required (eitherway used is cheap) and a 3 foot piece of DOM for the new drag link drilled and tapped for the factory tie rod ends

That should put you right around 100ish bucks
 
the pitman arm points straight to the left in neutral position. I imagine I would need one that points backward

Yeah but alot of pitman arms can be rotated 90 degrees and spline back onto the sector shaft.... or if the big spline that orients it on the sector shaft wont let you spin it 90 degrees. break out the file and spline that pig yourself and make it fit
 
if a person were going to "make" a passenger side hi-steer arm, what would they need to do? it looks pretty simple to attach in the same point as the current tie-rod somehow?
 
I pushed my front axle in my 77 chev buy using rear springs flipped around and a zero rate block, I loved the extra room from the cab floor, but I believe you have to use a 2wd steering box to get the cross over steering to work,
 
With my dad's '71 blazer we couldn't rotate the pitman arm. Had to use a steering box out of (I wanna say '87?, '83?) to get a pitman arm that pointed bsckwards.
 
This is my dad's that I converted over.

ot3i.jpg


used a ballistic fab high steer arm, a Reid passenger side knuckle, and 1ton TRE's. Had UFAB TIG weld the tube adapters into the DOM.
 
Back
Top