Pitman Arm After Pitman Arm After Pitman Arm.

[gbroad23]

To start I have my torsion bars done up (within warranty specs) and I cant get 1000kms out of a pitman arm. Thinking that is is possibly the shaft that comes out of the steering box. Also the steering box seems loose inside to. Any help would be aprecciated.

[asilverblazer]

To start I have my torsion bars done up (within warranty specs) and I cant get 1000kms out of a pitman arm. Thinking that is is possibly the shaft that comes out of the steering box. Also the steering box seems loose inside to. Any help would be aprecciated.

 

Why do you say the pitman arm is bad, are they all bent up? Fit loose? It seems it is something odd to 'break'.

 

It seems that something else is the problem and the messed up pitman arm is the scapegoat. Some more details on the truck, mileage, tires may help.

[gbroad23]

Sorry i guess i shouldn't be so vauge. 230,000km tires are 285/75 r16 and ya it's getting loose on the steering shaft, almost like it needs an extra washer on it. Even the chev dealed said it needed to be replace and it only had about 100 km yes thats not a type o 100 km I told them to send there mechanic back to school b/c it was just changed and it is obviously somthing else causing this then they asked me for $$$ haha hope this puts a little more light on the situation.

[asilverblazer]

Are they moving up and down on the shaft, or wobbling around it? If it is the first, maybe they are not being torqued to the proper amount, or lack of thread locker, or something of that nature. If it is the second, it could be poor replacement part or, the steering shaft is smaller than spec. Also, are they tigh on the shaft to begin with? From what I recall those things are very tigh on the shaft. Seems like the thought crossed my mind "Why did they even bother with this nut on the bottom..."

 

Perhaps it has been replaced so many times it has fluggered up the shaft so that it is smaller than it should be.

[gbroad23]

Are they moving up and down on the shaft, or wobbling around it? If it is the first, maybe they are not being torqued to the proper amount, or lack of thread locker, or something of that nature. If it is the second, it could be poor replacement part or, the steering shaft is smaller than spec. Also, are they tigh on the shaft to begin with? From what I recall those things are very tigh on the shaft. Seems like the thought crossed my mind "Why did they even bother with this nut on the bottom..."

 

Perhaps it has been replaced so many times it has fluggered up the shaft so that it is smaller than it should be.

 

 

Ya it's the first one. I am torquing it to Chilton specs 184ft/pounds, And ya when i first put them on it is tight on the shaft but seems like the nut is bottoming out on the shaft. The nut does not seem to loosen off at all once it is worn. I did expect poor replacement part on the first one but after 4 of them i'm kinda thinking the shaft is either to small either by being manufactured that way or from wear. Any idea where a guy could get specs on the size that it's supposed to be. Acctually after rereading your post it is both right now, but mostly the up and down movement. I just dont want to replace it again untill i rule out the shaft. Maybe I will phone my stealer and see if i can get the specs or use my s/n to cross referance the replacement part with a chev one. Who knows maybe there is 2 diffrent types. Any more input would be greatly apreciated.

[asilverblazer]

Maybe you could swap in a salvage steering box and pitman arm. If it isn't a GM pitman arm being put on I who's to say how long it should last.

[Westlotorn]

To start I have my torsion bars done up (within warranty specs) and I cant get 1000kms out of a pitman arm. Thinking that is is possibly the shaft that comes out of the steering box. Also the steering box seems loose inside to. Any help would be aprecciated.

 

It is usually the idler arms that fail when you have big tires. Moog makes a larger than stock HD one that helps quite a bit. Use quality parts, Moog or Dana/Spicer. China is shipping in many parts that don't come close to OEM specs.

 

If the pitman is really failing time after time check the idler. They carry the same load so they should have the same wear. Maybe one is shot loading the other?

 

Good luck.

[Westlotorn]

To start I have my torsion bars done up (within warranty specs) and I cant get 1000kms out of a pitman arm. Thinking that is is possibly the shaft that comes out of the steering box. Also the steering box seems loose inside to. Any help would be aprecciated.

 

It is usually the idler arms that fail when you have big tires. Moog makes a larger than stock HD one that helps quite a bit. Use quality parts, Moog or Dana/Spicer. China is shipping in many parts that don't come close to OEM specs.

 

If the pitman is really failing time after time check the idler. They carry the same load so they should have the same wear. Maybe one is shot loading the other?

 

Good luck.

[Westlotorn]

To start I have my torsion bars done up (within warranty specs) and I cant get 1000kms out of a pitman arm. Thinking that is is possibly the shaft that comes out of the steering box. Also the steering box seems loose inside to. Any help would be aprecciated.

 

It is usually the idler arms that fail when you have big tires. Moog makes a larger than stock HD one that helps quite a bit. Use quality parts, Moog or Dana/Spicer. China is shipping in many parts that don't come close to OEM specs.

 

If the pitman is really failing time after time check the idler. They carry the same load so they should have the same wear. Maybe one is shot loading the other?

 

Good luck.

[Westlotorn]

To start I have my torsion bars done up (within warranty specs) and I cant get 1000kms out of a pitman arm. Thinking that is is possibly the shaft that comes out of the steering box. Also the steering box seems loose inside to. Any help would be aprecciated.

 

It is usually the idler arms that fail when you have big tires. Moog makes a larger than stock HD one that helps quite a bit. Use quality parts, Moog or Dana/Spicer. China is shipping in many parts that don't come close to OEM specs.

 

If the pitman is really failing time after time check the idler. They carry the same load so they should have the same wear. Maybe one is shot loading the other?

 

Good luck.

[gbroad23]

To start I have my torsion bars done up (within warranty specs) and I cant get 1000kms out of a pitman arm. Thinking that is is possibly the shaft that comes out of the steering box. Also the steering box seems loose inside to. Any help would be aprecciated.

 

It is usually the idler arms that fail when you have big tires. Moog makes a larger than stock HD one that helps quite a bit. Use quality parts, Moog or Dana/Spicer. China is shipping in many parts that don't come close to OEM specs.

 

If the pitman is really failing time after time check the idler. They carry the same load so they should have the same wear. Maybe one is shot loading the other?

 

Good luck.

 

 

Thnx for the help. I think i will buy the Gm parts and take these back on warranty. I have changed the idler arm but not as often as i change the pitman arm. Maybe thats all it is is poor quality aftermarket parts. If that dont work I will try changing the stearing box (after looking for the specs on the shaft size) And i will look into the moog parts to. Thnx again, this sight rocks, although it pisses me off at the same time. But that is not b/c of the sight. It's b/c every time I read another post I start thinking about how much that is going to cost me. LMFAO

[Wingnut]

My '89 and my '92 would both eat idler arms and pittman arms for lunch. Not quite in 600 miles or anything, but I got pretty good at replacing them.

 

I sprung the extra $$$ for the Moog parts on my '92, and never had to touch them again.

[gbroad23]

My '89 and my '92 would both eat idler arms and pittman arms for lunch. Not quite in 600 miles or anything, but I got pretty good at replacing them.

 

I sprung the extra $$$ for the Moog parts on my '92, and never had to touch them again.

 

 

Where u using GM parts or some aftermarket ones? And how was the $$ diffrence going to the Moog parts? Did you have your T-bars done up? Thnx I'm going to look for a moog dealer in my area and check it out I guess.

[Wingnut]

My '89 and my '92 would both eat idler arms and pittman arms for lunch. Not quite in 600 miles or anything, but I got pretty good at replacing them.

 

I sprung the extra $$$ for the Moog parts on my '92, and never had to touch them again.

 

 

Where u using GM parts or some aftermarket ones? And how was the $$ diffrence going to the Moog parts? Did you have your T-bars done up? Thnx I'm going to look for a moog dealer in my area and check it out I guess.

 

 

I'd been buying the Checkers/AutoZone/whatever parts because it's all I could afford at the time. I seem to recall the Moog parts being close to $300 for the two of them together. But I'm pretty sure that prices have dropped a LOT since then.

[gbroad23]

My '89 and my '92 would both eat idler arms and pittman arms for lunch. Not quite in 600 miles or anything, but I got pretty good at replacing them.

 

I sprung the extra $$$ for the Moog parts on my '92, and never had to touch them again.

 

 

Where u using GM parts or some aftermarket ones? And how was the $$ diffrence going to the Moog parts? Did you have your T-bars done up? Thnx I'm going to look for a moog dealer in my area and check it out I guess.

 

 

I'd been buying the Checkers/AutoZone/whatever parts because it's all I could afford at the time. I seem to recall the Moog parts being close to $300 for the two of them together. But I'm pretty sure that prices have dropped a LOT since then.

 

 

Ya the price has dropped or i found a good deal at "auto parts giant" $164.00 for both. 16.00 shipping to canada. Thats less than the ones i have on there and i can take tham back for warranty. So I'll be making money off of upgrading to better part. Have i mention that i love this forum? Thnx again and I hope these Moog parts hold up for me b/c if they dont I will need the steering gear box and my dealer quoted $721.25 ca and $150.00 core OUCH. Thanks wingnut.