How to replace your pitman arm

[k gee]

Im telling you , doing this yourself is not very rewarding. it took me 4 hours to get 2 nuts off my truck.

using the haynes manual also licks poo hole cause they do not tell you the steering box trick

now that i have read this i can go finish up

So how'd it go?


Also what's the MOOG PN? I show this on RockAuto.com

MOOG Part # K6335
Frt Strg $42

Also

Idler Arm
MOOG Part # K6447
Frt Strg; Problem Solver; w/o frame bracket $63

Do we need an idler arm with frame bracket or not? Prices seem ok.



OP, how did it cost you $20? You get the part cheap?

 

[MotRhead]

im still not done , got called into work and then started raining ( no garage ) , plus some other excusess

i have the steering box off but trying to get any torque on the puller is killer cause i don't want to damage the steering hoses , hopefully i will have 2 full batterys in my impact gun so i can blast that ***** off

 

[k gee]

Yeah...I've been feeling pretty lazy. Thinking about just paying to get the work done.

BrakeMasters wanted about $500 to replace the parts though...and I would not go there, so if it will be about $500...I gotta do it myself. Parts are like $100.

 

[MotRhead]

i finally finished mine today, my motomaster impact gun didn't have the juice to pull the pitman arm off the steering gear , i had to beg borrow and steal a buddy of mines Snap on battery opperated impact , and holy hell thing damn near broke my wrist it worked so well

to bad i didn't have this the first day!!

also you don't need the pickle forks if you have an impact like this and a big enough socket for the pitman arm nut , with the steering box un bolted you can manouver it enough to get a socket on the nut , better option then trying to kill yourself with a crecent wrench and the 3/8th" space you ahve to pull the nut off

next wrenching....rear axle seals and brakes yipppy

 

[99Yuk]

I just did my front end today. 4 Balljoints, 4 Tierod ends, Pitman Arm and Idler Arm. My entire front end is now Moog.

http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12523



It took me three hours just to do this pitman arm job. RavingMadMan's writeup was perfect. I followed it to a tee. It worked like a charm. I took pictures in case anyone else wants to try this.

So here is the original writeup with pics.


Steps:

1. Jack up the front end, far enough that the suspension is fully unsprung, and the tires can rotate freely. Put it on jack stands.
2. Remove the plastic splash guard from the front of the truck, exposing the idler arm on the left, the bottom of the enginein the center, and the steering gear on the right. I tried just letting the guard swivel, and spent toooo much time fighting it. Just remove it.
3. Turn the wheel (or just push the tires) all the way to the left, which will bring the small end of the pitman arm right to you. Look for the crown nut.
   
   Pull the cotter pin, and remove the crown nut.
   
4. Use the 1" pickle fork/hammer to separate the pitman arm from the steering linkage. It won't come all the way out yet.
5. TURN THE WHEELS TO STRAIGHT FORWARD
6. Using the uber crescent wrench, from the front of the truck, strain your back trying, and then eventually succeeding to get the pitman arm nut off of the bottom of the steering gear box. Beer helps numb the pain. There's a little plastic clip that will be right in your way to piss you off, and it is really difficult to get off. It connects to the front brake lines. Don't waste your time trying to get this thing off.
   I got really pissed at this stupic peice of plastic, so I ended up removing it.
   
7. When you get the pitman arm nut off, use the big pickle fork/hammer to get it loose (it won't come all the way off at this point, no worries).
8. Remove the three big bolts holding the steering gear box to the frame. The bolts are available from inside the wheel well, go all the way through the frame, and screw into the steering gear box. Do not disconnect any of the power steering lines, or anything else. It isn't necessary.
9. Push the steering gearbox up, and inward, using the big pickle fork to help separate the pitman arm from the steering gear box. You might have to rotate the steering gear box clockwise as well to get the pitman arm completely off.
10. Pull the wheels all the way left again, and use the small pickle fork to separate the pitman arm all the way from the linkage. Stand up, look skyward, and hold the removed pitman arm over your head so the steering linkage gods can see your dead sacrifice.
    Apprentice, apeasing the steering linkage gods!
11. Install the grease fitting on the new pitman arm if you need to, and fill it with grease. You might have a little foam ring, too, it goes on the small end. Slip the small end into the linkage, and put the crown nut on a couple of threads. Slip the big end onto the steering gear box, again, you may need to rotate the steering gear box to get it all together.
12. Bolt the steering gear box back into place. These bolts torque down to 100 ft/lbs, so put your back into it. Again.
13. Push the wheels to straight, and slip the pitman arm on. The splines will only match up one way, so fiddle with it until you get it right.
14. Put the lockwasher and pitman arm nut on, and just about kill yourself getting them good and tight. This torque spec says 186 ft/lbs. Just pull on it until your crescent wrench bends. You'll know you have it right when your knuckles go "clunk" and back goes "bang" with a sharp, burning pain shooting up your neck.
15. Pull the wheels all the way left, tighten up the crown nut, put a new cotter pin in it.
16. Since you're down there with a grease gun anyway, lube the upper and lower ball joints and the idler arm.
17. Drink more beer, call it a night.
    Me drinking Moosehead.

Don't forget to do the wheel alignment. After changing the entire suspension, I had to do two wheel aligments to get it right. One immediately before it left the hoist, and another after a good 1/2 hour run on the highway/gravel roads. It was out again (just a little) after things settled in.

I am so sore, my arms are all scratched up.

Big THANKS TO RavingMadMan!

Too bad you don't have a writeup about changing the idler arm. I didn't know that when you tighten the main nut, the shaft would turn with it. That was a b&tch to get back on! Certainly could have used a trick there! I ended up using an 8 foot pry bar to put upward pressure on the idler arm, while the apprentise wrenched the nut. The upward pressure held the shaft in place.

Next up, try to find those rotors and pads that you guys are talking about (Hawks?), install my new SS brake lines and flush/replace the brake fluid with ATE Super Blue. http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15370

 

[armandjones82]

I'm just new in this forum, and I must say the DIY instructions on how to replace a pitman arm in my car was showed very well. With the visuals and step by step set, I was able to really appreciate your post. Keep it up!

 

[faze]

I used the original post to do this job and can add two things...the irritating clip comes off with one bolt...worth removing.

To undo the pitman arm nut I took one of my tires off, used it as a backrest and pushed on the cresent wrench, kind of like a narrow grip bench press, and was able to generate enough force pretty easily.

 

[lknox21]

Instead of killing my back and knuckles while not using an air wrench, cant we use a cheater pipe at the end of the uber crescent wrench?

I like to work smarter not harder if possible....

P.S. Nice lift 99YUK

 

[laxman21]

Wow! those are some high prices. Had the pitman and idler with bracket change for lee than $200 for the labor. I bought the parts.

 

[Jim_Rockford]

Just did mine, only 1 more step and its easier just to pul the whole box out of the front and put the box on a bench and I cut a slop in the old pitman are and a couple of easy smacks and it fell right off, plus you get to flush the power steering system.