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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.

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

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.

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.

Casting

Example

UNDER CONSTRUCTION