fast ratio steering and tti header advice

[HP_Cuda]

Mitch

Mine was a BB. I would think the TTi 1 3/4 header would fit with the fast ratio arms no problem. I believe that is listed as it fits.

It all comes down to the idler arm clearance.

B

[MOPAR MITCH]

With my Hookers, the idler arm (C-body, AKA fast ratio) needed just a little clearance on two pipes... about  1/8-1/4" small dings... no problem with the Fast Ratio long pitman arm.

[gzig5]

With my Hookers, the idler arm (C-body, AKA fast ratio) needed just a little clearance on two pipes... about  1/8-1/4" small dings... no problem with the Fast Ratio long pitman arm.

So are both parts, idler and pitman, just standard C-body parts that become fast ratio when used on an E?  I've been eyeing up the TTI headers, but the year end bonus didn't come in as high as expected.

The Hookers are a bit less expensive than TTI.  Maybe I'll just wait until you can give a back to back comparison review. 

[MOPAR MITCH]

gzig5 -- The Fast Ratio PITMAN ARM is unique for the power steering boxes... originally they were all the large diameter spline for the factory T/A ps box; you can get them today in either the small or large spline size per your shaft.   I'm unaware of that PITMAN arm matching up to any other factory pitman arm from any other application (passenger car, truck, etc).

The IDLER ARM (dubbed "fast ratio") is nothing more than a ~1970 C-body idler arm (example: 1970 Fury)... always has been, always will be.  Any distributor (Firm Feel, Hotchkis, PST, etc) that calls it "fast ratio idler" is simply selling/marketing the ~1970 C-body idler arm...again... always has been, always will be.  The original factory arms were all produced by TRW.(including their tie-rod ends and upper and lower ball joints).

Firm Feel has a ball bearing kit for the idler arms that reduces friction... but it will only fit into MOOG produced idler arms.... its a good thing in my opinion (I have it).
 
No one ever "created" or developed a fast ratio idler arm... it was what MaMopar was supposed to have included onto the cars (E-bodies) when equipped with the T/A Fast Ratio power steering gear box... a factory oversight that was never officially addressed .. and the result was that ALL setups without the properly matching longer idler arm have different turning radius left vs right... not a big deal unless you care about proper and equal geometry when turning full left vs full right.

[usraptor]

I have 1 7/8" TTI headers on my '70 440 with a 4-speed and 16:1 manual steering box with the stock length idler arm and it hit the headers (just barely).  I shimmed the transmission mount and  ground off a very small portion of the idler arm where it rubbed the header.

Update on my post.  The shimming still not prevent the idler arm from rubbing against the headers.  So I ended up using an large impact socket and held it against the affected area on the header and hit the socket with a hammer to put a small rounded dent in the header pipe.  I'm in the process of installing a new oil pan gasket so I can't tell you yet how it worked, but it looks like I'll have enough clearance now.