Pitman Arm Installation

[AKpow]

how hard should it be to put the Pitman Arm back on the steering gear box?

 

I can't get the new one to the same spot as the old one. any suggestions?

 

Does it need to be pressed?

I can't get it to move any farther just by tightening the nut.

[dorman68]

Usually I have had luck getting the pitman arm on partially and tightened up the nut the rest of the way to fully seat the pitman arm.

[dorman68]

Here are installation instructions from alldata

 

 

 

1. Install the pitman arm on the pitman shaft.
   
2. Align the marks made at the removal on the pitman arm and the pitman arm shaft.
   
3. Install a new pitman arm nut.
   

 

• • Tighten the pitman arm nut to 250 Nm (184 ft. lbs.) .
    

 

 

 

[txab]

How far off are you? Did you clean the splines and spray them with a lube? As dorman68 noted torque to proper specs.

[jrrod2004]

Here are installation instructions from alldata

 

 

 

1. Install the pitman arm on the pitman shaft.

    

2. Align the marks made at the removal on the pitman arm and the pitman arm shaft.

    

3. Install a new pitman arm nut.

    

 

• • Tighten the pitman arm nut to 250 Nm (184 ft. lbs.) .

     

 

 

 

 

fawk. my torque wrench tops out at 150 ft. lbs.

[AKpow]

How far off are you? Did you clean the splines and spray them with a lube? As dorman68 noted torque to proper specs.

 

I am probably about 1/8" off. it is almost 3/16 fromt he rubber bushing in the stearing box. i don't have a tourque wrench that goes that high, but i have put all can into and it won't budge any farther. thought about putting the gear box in the freezer and the pitman arm in the oven. i cleaned the splines with a wire brush and lubed it up with some anti-seize. i have the splines lined up.

 

I didn't mark where the old one was before i took it off, bone-head move.

[dorman68]

Here are installation instructions from alldata

 

 

 

1. Install the pitman arm on the pitman shaft.

    

2. Align the marks made at the removal on the pitman arm and the pitman arm shaft.

    

3. Install a new pitman arm nut.

    

 

• • Tighten the pitman arm nut to 250 Nm (184 ft. lbs.) .

     

 

 

 

 

fawk. my torque wrench tops out at 150 ft. lbs.

 

I am not sure what auto parts stores are in your area. Advance has a tool loaner program maybe the other chains do also. It's worth a shot and give your local store a call. The only other alternative would be to take the steering box and pitman arm to a machine shop.

[Spurshot]

If you are putting even half the torque required on the nut and it still isn't seating down, somethin ain't right. It should slide on with tightening of the nut. I'd pull the thing off and take the Pitman arm back to the place I bought it and exchange it. If it's an aftermarket part, I'd get a GM part instead. I just put a MOOG arm on my 2500

[L29er]

How far off are you? Did you clean the splines and spray them with a lube? As dorman68 noted torque to proper specs.

 

I am probably about 1/8" off. it is almost 3/16 fromt he rubber bushing in the stearing box. i don't have a tourque wrench that goes that high, but i have put all can into and it won't budge any farther. thought about putting the gear box in the freezer and the pitman arm in the oven. i cleaned the splines with a wire brush and lubed it up with some anti-seize. i have the splines lined up.

 

I didn't mark where the old one was before i took it off, bone-head move.

 

 

Yeah i think your good other than if the arm is on the same direction as before, I`ve changed thousands of those and they never go on to the were the factory one was, the rubber seal is movable, you can pull it down to the arm with a screwdriver. If your applying force with an 24" bar as hard as you can its probly the 184ft/lbs or better

 

HEY BETTER YET, take a pic and show us...

[chrisbmo2000]

I changed my pitman arm last night(along with ALL the other front end parts) and mine did not seat all the way to where the factory one was either....come to find out I ran out of thread so I would say if it wont go any more like mine Id say your fine as long as everything lines up and doesnt bind leave it you dont want to mess up the treads on the gear box. I put mine on and then took the nut back off to check why it wouldnt go any farther and to see how far I had to go and thats how I found out I was out of threads