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antipop
07-19-2022, 06:49 AM
Hi,

I m on a complete rebuild of a 1970 firebird,

I bought 2 years ago a PROFORGED STEERING REBUILD KIT part# 116-10020 and I just installed it but I have a problem now

The left inner tie rod end almost touch the pitman arm (I have a 1/32" clearance) and I have a 1/2" clearance on the right side between the inner tie rod and the idler arm,

On Summit website it s noted 70-81 firebird, (on the pro-forged website they listed it for 75-81 firebird)

But the new parts are the same as the 1970 ones

Center link have the same shape (firebird type),
idler arm the same length
the pitman arm is the original 1970 one (6"center to center, lowered firebird type)
and I checked the reference on pro-forged website and everything match

In the same time I drop the car 2" with hotchkis springs and control arms
and now the pitman arm touch the inner tie rod ...

What is wrong with this setup ?

(Blue parts are the old ones to show that everything fit correctly before)

201041201039201040

antipop
07-20-2022, 03:36 PM
Hotchkis gives me an answer to my email (quickly) but it doesn t help very much, they told me it must fit and shows me how it goes on a 2nd gen camaro
They never heard of a problem on a firebird (but lot of firebird have camaro pitman arm and center link)

The center link and pitman arm are different between 1970 firebird and 1970 camaro (because of the pontiac fuel pump)

The firebird pitman arm is lowered (approximately 1") and so the center link is different to accomodate and sits lower on the driver side

So I will try to fit a camaro center link and pitman arm (I have a chevy engine with the fuel pump on the passenger side so it will fit ... I hope)

The end of the pitman arm (where he meets the center link) will be higher and will give me some clearance

Nobody never lowered a firebird by 2" with an original (dropped style) pitman arm and original firebird center link ?