NEED HELP !! A BODY STEERING CENTER LINK HITTING OIL PAN WRONG ONE???????

[dartkevin]

Hi have a 440 in my 1972 dart swinger and just put in a 440 engine in with a moroso oil pan.I have clearence when i turn the steering to the left but not to the right. have 1/2 inch of clearence on the bottom of the oil pan on this till i start to turn wheel to the right and this center link has a bend in it that goes up there to conect to idler arm and it starts to hit the oil pan.

This was a 6 cyl car when started this project but looks like it has the 8 cyl center link with the dip in it for oil pan clearence.

DOES ANY ONE HAVE A PICTURE OF A 1968-1972 V8 CENTER LINK I CAN LOOK AT TO SEE IF I HAVE THE CORRECT ONE NOT A 6 CYL ONE!!!!

It seems if the idler arm was a little longer a 1/2 inch or so this center link will work left and to the right .Any help will be great thanks dartkevin.        a383runner@juno.com               248-476-7008
                                                           

NEED HELP !! A BODY STEERING CENTER LINK HITTING OIL PAN WRONG ONE?
                                                     

[bOb shingler]

if your talking at full or almost full turn what i did was weld a 3/4" nut to be a positive stop  and then it wouldn't hit.

[Jim_Lusk]

There is only one center link. The last /6 link was 1965. Your best bet is to massage the pan.

[krabysniper]

There is only one center link. The last /6 link was 1965. Your best bet is to massage the pan.

I do believe you are mistaken sir, as I have both, a center link from a 71 Dart and the center link from a 73 (currently in my 73 Dart) I was originaly going to install the center link from the 71 into the 73 as it had all new parts attached to it, that is until I realized the 71 would not fit. I will try to get a pic up of the 71 center link that I have and if I can get to the shop in the next few days to do some work on my Dart I will try to snap one of that also. Both cars are/were original /6 cars. I put a 360 in the 73.

[Jim_Lusk]

No, I am NOT mistaken. The center link changed in 73 to one that did not need as much drop because of the way the pitman and idler arms attached. The actual drop below the pan is about the same.

[krabysniper]

Well your statement was that there was ONLY ONE center link made. Now you say and I qoute "The center link changed in 73 to one that did not need as much drop because of the way the pitman and idler arms attached."
Which is it?
All I am saying is I know that your original statement is false as I have 2 center links that are from A bodie Dart Swingers /6 cars, both ARE different, telling me that the second statement is the TRUTH, that there WAS more than one style made.
I rest my case, not that it helps dartkevin who just wants his center link to clear his oil pan.
Unfortunatly I am unable to supply him with the pic he is looking for as after re-reading his post again I see he dosn't want a pic of a 71 Dart Swinger center link (which would let him know if what he has is identical to what I have, and  WOULD let him know that he had a /6 center link instead of his coveted V8 center link, if there is such a creature, which is what I think you probably originaly meant to say, that there was not a different center link for V8 cars, but failed too.)
No worries mate, no need for you to get your panties in a bunch over it 

[mopardad]

What stamping # do you have on the bottom of the pan?
It should be a 699 on the bottom, this particular stamping had a notch for to steering arm.It was found on most big block passenger cars.It is perfect for A-bodies.

Mike

[dartkevin]

 Thanks for all the information on this ill check out this oil pan.We are looking at lowering the idller arm mounting tab on this car so it will clear the oil pan it looks like this will work and still give us good steering !!!                ANY one ever do this for clearence ?      Hope it will work.   dartkevin
                                                             

[mopardad]

With this 699 pan, you dont have to lower anything. It comes with the notchfrom the factory.

[Jim_Lusk]

Re-read what I said. I said there was no /6 center link after 1965 and that is a FACT. I did NOT say that there not differences between years (66, 67-72 and 73-76). The pictures of the center links are in the tech pages.