What is connected to the Pitman arm?
Pitman Arm: The Pitman arm connects the steering box, attached to the bottom of the steering shaft, and the center/drag link. The Pitman arm converts the radial motion of the steering column or shaft into the linear motion that turns the automobile’s wheels.
How do you attach a tie rod to a pitman arm?
8) Attach a clean tie-rod ball stud to the pitman arm tapered seat, using the correct type nut (typically castellated or flanged self-locking) that comes with the tie-rod end. Flanged, self-locking nuts are often one-time use only.
How to replace your pitman arm or steering arm?
Lower the truck down on the jack stand and remove the wheel. You have to remove the big nut that holds the Pitman arm to the steering box. In this case, it was a 1-5/16 nut that was torqued to 180 ft lbs. I used a 3/4″ drive socket and a big mother breaker bar. I was all ready for a battle, and it turned out that the nut was hardly tight at all.
What do Pitman arms and idler arms do?
Idler Arms and Pitman Arms are part of your steering system that links your steering box to the center link, and then on to the hub assemblies. The Pitman Arm, also known as the “steering arm,” is the main player while the idler arm supports the other side and allows the proper movement to take place when you turn the wheel.
How do you replace a cotter pin on a pitman?
Prepare a new cotter pin by cutting down the length of one side to match the one you removed. Take a rag and wipe the junk away from the steering shaft and the centerlink hole. Take a good glob of grease and pack it up all around where the steering shaft sticks out of the steering box. This will help seal the steering box from the elements.
What do you need to know about pitman arm replacement?
Pitman arm replacement can be physically demanding, but with the proper pullers and separators the job is quick and smooth. First, the wheels should be steered straight ahead, and the steering wheel should be centered. Then, the pitman arm can be separated from the centrelink with a ball joint separator, after the retaining nut is removed.
How do you remove pitman arm from steering shaft?
Take your Pitman arm puller and remove the arm from the steering shaft. It will release from the shaft and drop down some, but the arm is still being held up by the centerlink. Next, remove the cotter pin and the large nut that holds the Pitman to the center link. Use a pickle fork or a puller to separate the Pitman from the centerlink.
Prepare a new cotter pin by cutting down the length of one side to match the one you removed. Take a rag and wipe the junk away from the steering shaft and the centerlink hole. Take a good glob of grease and pack it up all around where the steering shaft sticks out of the steering box. This will help seal the steering box from the elements.
How do you remove a Pitman from an idler arm?
Use a pickle fork or a puller to separate the Pitman from the centerlink. You should be able to remove the Pitman by pulling down on the centerlink and slipping it out. If you’re doing both the idler arm and the Pitman today, this is where you will appreciate the fact that you have not installed the idler arm yet.