T/A Challenger steering unit and pitman arm • The Dodge Challenger Message Board

by **Joel Bennett** » 08 Jul 2001 7:27

Is there anyone who can share any information on the T/A Challenger steering unit and pitman arm?

What I do know is that T/A Challengers came with a longer pitman arm and a special steering unit. What makes the T/A Challenger steering unit so special is not really so special. All that makes the T/A Challenger steering unit different from all the other standard steering units in the other Challenger models, is that it has different internal stops to compensate for the longer pitman arm. If the T/A Challenger did not have the compensating internal stops, the tires would turn into the fenders. And from what little I have read about it, some T/A Challengers DID not come with the longer pitman arm that it was suppose to receive. With the combination of a shorter standard pitman arm and a steering unit with different internal stops made to compensate for a longer pitman arm, you end up with the passenger side wheel turning into the fender.

The complete T/A Challenger steering system, longer pitman arm and a steering unit to compensate for the longer pitman arm, allows you to turn lock-to-lock in only 2 turns of the steering wheel! With the standard Challenger steering system you have to make 3.5 turns lock-to-lock of the steering wheel to make a complete turn.

by **dave-r** » 08 Jul 2001 10:26

What amazes me is the fact they did not use a longer idler arm as well. The steering geometry is all messed up because of this.

I think the longer pitman arm was only used on the manual steered cars? I think the power units had a standard arm or have I got that wrong? Power steering has fewer turns lock-to-lock than the manual anyway so it was not needed on these cars I think. I have the facts written down someplace....

by **Joel** » 09 Jul 2001 9:28

I would like to see those facts, once you find them that is.

by **Joel/mido** » 09 Jul 2001 9:52

If you want to read the page where I got the little info I do know, it is at a page called Mopar Pitman and Idler #'s. The URL for the page is {Http://members.aol.com/pwall5/cars/steeringlink.html

There is also a link to firm feel for a fast ratio pitman arm as well.

I hope you can learn more about the subject. I would be interested in hearing what else you might find about it.

Thnx

by **dave-r** » 09 Jul 2001 10:30

I have a lot of experience with the firm feel long pitman arm.

Dick (the guy at Firm Feel) sold me a long pitman and idler arm. What he did not tell me was that the pitman arm does not have the keyways in the right place so it does not sit in the centre of the turns from lock-to-lock. So I had one turn more in one direction than the other! Also I had a lot of bump steer and to get the front wheels to point forward with the correct toe setting I had to shorten one tie rod by a half inch. But the steering wheel was still a half turn from sitting straight.

I changed it all back to stock but with a 20:1 manual box. Dick tells me he now sells pitman arms with the keyways in the correct place. He can keep them as far as I am conserned.

Don't even get me started on the amount of play in the steering boxes!!!

by **Joel/mido** » 10 Jul 2001 7:35

Hehehehehe, don't worry I won't.

I would be interested in trying out the longer pitman arm with the keyways in the correct place and of course along with the right idler arm. But won't my tires turn into my fenders with out having the internal stops in my steering box need to compensate for the longer arm?

by **dave-r** » 10 Jul 2001 7:42

No. They will hit the frame rails.

by **Joel/mido** » 10 Jul 2001 7:43

Hey, wasup with the time the messages are being posted at. The other night I sent my message at 2:30 a.m. and when I saw the time that I had supposedly sent it it was 10:52 a.m..

Dave can you explain?

by **Joel/mido** » 10 Jul 2001 7:46

They will hit the frame rails, huh. I don't suppose you wouldn't happen to know how to fix that problem would you?

by **Joel/mido** » 10 Jul 2001 8:15

Now that I think of it, I sent the message at 4:00 in the morning.

Say Dave, just what part of "The" country are you in anyway?

by **dave-r** » 10 Jul 2001 10:27

I am located in the North East of England in a City called Newcastle Upon Tyne. The server this message board softwear is loaded on is somewhere in the south of England. The times shown on this message board are my local times.

by **dave-r** » 10 Jul 2001 10:30

Oh! I forgot to say don't worry about hitting the frame rails. It is just at full lock and it just wears the paint off the rail. I found no sign of wear or damage to the tyres. It is something to think about though.

by **Joel** » 10 Jul 2001 11:21

Whoa, I live on the west coast of the U.S. in the small, growing city of Lynden, Washington. It is near the city of Bellingham. That is about an hour plus drive north of Seattle, Washington. That would explain the major difference in posted message times.