80 Series Steering Arm Length change

[Red Rover]

This one has me a little stumped. I have recently bought another 80, a White 97 GXL 1HZ turbo. I changed the lockers over from the other blue 80 which the wife wants to drive. It also had the lower gears which are now in mine (White 80).

Anyway in the process I changed the steering arm as it was slightly bent on the new one, but still drove ok despite this. I had a couple of spare steering rods so logically i changed it.

However the steering rod on the new car was longer than my other car. Both run 3 inch lifts. I made the replacement one to match the original length of the other car (Blue 80). However when I drove the new car after replacing the arm the steering seemed heavier and felt like it was tram tracking & hard to steer. Tonight I adjusted it longer to where the bent one was that i took off and now it drives perfect again WTF!

I can't see how changing the steering rod length can have an impact on how the car drives. Can anyone enlighten me in case I have missed something? Maybe something different in the steering boxes?

Any help appreciated.

[mud4b]

just a few thoughts because honestly it has me stumped also.

is the pitman arm bent
is the box still on the chassis or has it cracked enough that when you put load on it it is moving the box al together
do you have massive play in the tie rod ends?

cheers mark

[dow50r]

compare both pitman arms, the late 80 and 100 are different to he earlier 80...only slightly, but different.
As for lengths of the rods, cant say....but the pitman arm to steering arm joint should be straight infront of the secotr shaft in line with the chassis at straight ahead.
Andrew