MTFCA Forum

SurveyKing wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 7:06 pm

I have a pitman arm ball that measures .965 by .992 is that too out of round to be used successfully? if so, what are the recommendations, go with a repro? Thanks

Thats enough wear to fix or replace. If not you will have a loose situation straight &/or binding in a turn. The repops seem ok. They are cheap enough. I have installed a few & have not heard of any failures. I personally prefer to weld them back up & ground the ball round. The ball should be 1.000". One can compensate for some drag link wear making the ball a bit oversize.

Bill Barth used to sell reconditioned pitman arms with new balls on the end. Don't know if he still does. He used to sell them at Chickasha.

You dont say what year your car is. The reproductions are of the last design steering gear ball arm. Darryl

It is a 1925 RPU. Parts listings show part number 3547 for that year.

I built mine up with bronze and ground to a close fit with a hand grinder and finished with emery cloth using a good cap for fit. Worked great and didn't take very long either. JMHO Dave

Easiest fix for a 25 model is a new repop. Early slim ones are well worth fixing.

Allan from down under.

Anyone have a contact for Bill Barth whom Larry Smith indicated used to rebuild the pitman arm ball? Thsnks

All I could find of the gentleman .

I save early slim ones in the following way.

Set some calipers to 1/2" and grind two flats on opposite sides of the worn ball, using the calipers as your guide.

Do the same on adjacent side to make a 1/2" square.

Then knock the four corners off and hand file the rest into 1/2" round.

I use a 1/2" die to tap a fine thread onto the created stub.

Chuck a new straight shank replacement tie rod ball from the vendors in a lathe, counterbore the ball and tap a 1/2" fine thread into the hole.

Use the straight stub and some lock-on pliers to thread the new ball onto the pitman arm, with loctite if desired.

Cut off the stub and make a good weld to lock the ball to the arm. File to finish.

The neck on the arm is still smaller than the stub created for the new threaded on ball, so there is no weakening of the arm. The weld does not create enough heat to worry the metalurgy/strength either. And, if you ever have to replace the ball again, it is not hard to do.

Hope this helps,
Allan from down under.

I personally wouldn't cut the old ball off and weld a new one on. If that were to fail then you have no steering and are most likely dead. I'd rather spend the time welding and filing the ball.

SurveyKing wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 19, 2022 10:42 pm

Anyone have a contact for Bill Barth whom Larry Smith indicated used to rebuild the pitman arm ball? Thsnks

Sent you an email with contact info.

TRDxB2 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 12:20 am

All I could find of the gentleman .
bbarth.png

That's Bill's picture, but I'm pretty certain he's not the piano tuning Bill...

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 12:34 pm

TRDxB2 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 12:20 am

All I could find of the gentleman .
bbarth.png

That's Bill's picture, but I'm pretty certain he's not the piano tuning Bill...

There is also a Bill Barth Jr in the same Town, Berthoud CO, so they must know one another (pop 10,000+) contacting one could get to the other.

TRDxB2 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 3:52 pm

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 12:34 pm

TRDxB2 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 12:20 am

All I could find of the gentleman .
bbarth.png

That's Bill's picture, but I'm pretty certain he's not the piano tuning Bill...

There is also a Bill Barth Jr in the same Town, Berthoud CO, so they must know one another (pop 10,000+) contacting one could get to the other.

Yes, I'm sure they all get together on weekends.

I personally prefer to weld them back up & ground the ball round. The ball should be 1.000".

Sounds fearsome lot of filing and grinding - but I have done it too, just takes patience and time. (not bad for an accountant either )