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View Full Version : Pitman arm hitting the alternator in LS swap


glassman
06-10-2013, 09:03 PM
Hey, have any of you in doing an LS swap have the pitman arm hit the lower mount alternator? Gen 2 1970 Camaro, 04' GTO LS1

[URL=http://s1170.photobucket.com/user/mikearmienti/media/image-17.jpg.html]http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r530/mikearmienti/image-17.jpg

Thinking of finding a dropped pitman, and i might be able to go up an inch with the engine, the tranny is a T56 without the tunnel cut...might have too, ewe...

Any thoughts, thanx, Mike

Vince@Meanstreets
06-10-2013, 10:47 PM
Modify the alternator mount or get a different drive set up. Either way it can get expensive.

glassman
06-11-2013, 02:58 PM
Thanks for the reply Vince. Gonna try a drop pitman arm first and maybe raise the engine an inch or so (Transadapt engine mounts).....but ya,, might have to do that.....

MaxHarvard
06-12-2013, 11:36 AM
I recommend to people to get the Corvette style accessory kit. It moves the alternator up high.

gray776
06-12-2013, 01:01 PM
Kwik performances brackets work very well for this purpose. Thats what I used on my C10 project. Might be a cheaper alternative since I believe you can still use your WP, Alternator, PS, etc.

glassman
06-12-2013, 09:54 PM
I want to use the Kwik bracket system but my LS guru who is doing my swap "doesnt want anything up high" so i ordered a Firebird pitman arm that has a drop to it, that and raising the engine an inch might just do the trick...to be continued...

Vince@Meanstreets
06-12-2013, 10:41 PM
you should drop that idler to match

rfurley
06-13-2013, 06:31 AM
I just did this same thing. 1970 camaro with 2006 GTO LS2. I used the drop pitman from the Trans Am and also the DS883 center link. As far as the idler arm, I am not sure there is a drop idler arm. The part numbers for the Trans am and Camaros are the same and it is the straight arm. There is some good info on this over at NastyZ28.com. Here are a couple of pics of mine. You can see there is now plenty of clearance and the center link is almost parallel.

Vince@Meanstreets
06-13-2013, 09:34 AM
You can redrill the frame to lower the idler arm.

glassman
06-15-2013, 11:07 AM
I just did this same thing. 1970 camaro with 2006 GTO LS2. I used the drop pitman from the Trans Am and also the DS883 center link. As far as the idler arm, I am not sure there is a drop idler arm. The part numbers for the Trans am and Camaros are the same and it is the straight arm. There is some good info on this over at NastyZ28.com. Here are a couple of pics of mine. You can see there is now plenty of clearance and the center link is almost parallel.

Yeah, i posted this over on Nasty and got some good info there as well. Feedback i got over there said the idler are is good to go stock.

So we did what you did, but didnt change the idler arm or c/link. Its not too far outa alignment, plus with the new ls setup, i have to take a 1/4 coil out to relower it so she's gonna need an alignment anyways.....