Pitman arm replacing - things I learned...
#1
01-30-2012, 08:37 AM
Pitman arm replacing - things I learned...
Hi all,
Coles notes: don't have to remove box, lines and flex joint to box are a b*tch to remove, don't undo sh*t to straighten the wheel after replacing the part.
I know pictures would have been great, but too many problems to even remember taking them.
---
I searched this forum and other places beforehand to get as much info as possible, since I had never done this job before.
There was (as always, the internet is like this) some conflicting info so I started this thread to add my thoughts and get your input.
This is on a 1994 S10 Blazer 4WD truck with P/S, A/C, cruise - so some of these are kind of in the way.
- the lines can be very hard to remove from the steering box. I wasn't able to, and part of the problem was I think the fittings may be imperial, instead of metric. This may make sense, since even on metric vehicles, sometimes fluid fittings are imperial. So there's a warning which I hope will help
- the steering flex linkage where it goes into the steering box is splined, with a 11mm head bolt, and the shaft of that bolt goes into a round recess cut around the input shaft of the steering box. So the bolt tightens the joint, but also has to be removed completely. THE FLEX JOINT WILL ONLY GO INTO THE BOX INPUT SHAFT ONE WAY - YOU CAN'T ROTATE IT TO MATCH THE SPLINES ANY OTHER WAY. DO NOT UNDO THIS CONNECTION JUST TO ADJUST THE STEERING WHEEL ANGLE.
- I couldn't remove the lines. I had read that you didn't have to remove the box completely, so I tried this approach. The lines go to hoses, so there's a bit of movement they'll allow. I also left the steering flex joint attached, since there's a slip joint on the steering shaft. I just unbolted the box and was able to pull the box towards the front until I could put an impact gun to the pitman arm joint (I had obviously removed and separated the piman arm joint to the relay arm (center link?). This worked well, but the box was pulled out far enough for the slip joint on the steering shaft to undo, and the spring jumped out. The shaft is not round, obviously, it has two flats on opposite sides, and the female on the box side is the same. You can see this when looking underhood. What you can't see, when the two sides are assembled, is there's a notch on one of the sides of the shaft on the male shaft, and a curved flat 3" x 1/2" metal spring applies a bit of tension there. Not a big deal though. If you do separate the inner shaft from the outer, you'll see what I mean. Make sure you put the spring back, with the center portion that sticks out, towards the female shaft. This joint only goes in two ways, 180 degrees apart.
- as most people agreed when I searched, you need a pitman arm remover for sure. A fork may not be strong, and will just do damage. Rent/borrow/buy/return the tool. The big nut is indeed a 33mm (I had trouble finding this size socket, so a 34mm worked, but slightly loose but didn't mess up the nut at all). In my case the arm didn't fly off, it just moved slowly off as I tightened the pitman arm remover tool.
- after replacing the part and going for a drive, my steering wheel was off 90 degrees. I read someplace where a guy had the steering wheel off 45 degrees, so I wasn't really surprised. Where I effed up, was trying to straighten the wheel. As I said, the inner and outer shaft will only go two ways, so I knew that wasn't the problem (I would have the steering wheel either straight or 180 degrees off. FORGOT TO MENTION. THE PITMAN ARM HAS GAPS IN THE SPLINES AT FOUR PLACES, 90 DEGREES OFF, SO IT ONLY GOES IN 4 WAYS. JUST REPLACE THE NEW ONE FACING ROUGHLY THE SAME WAY. So I knew it wasn't the pitman arm splines off. I hadn't removed the flex shaft from the input shaft of the steering box, but decided to undo it and try to match up the splines so the steering wheel would be straight. BIG MISTAKE. I had avoided undoing this joint when replacing the pitman arm (and also because of the lines problem). Once you remove the bolt, it's still hard to remove. AND IT ONLY GOES IN ONE WAY! So no point undoing, unless you're removing the box completely out. And if you're removing the box, might as well leave it on, and just let the inner and outer steering shaft slide out from each other, and undo the flex joint on the bench. To install the flex joint splined portion to the box is even harder!
- Before messing with the steering flex joint to the box, I decided to remove the steering wheel, to match the splines up and get the steering wheel straight. ANOTHER BIG MISTAKE. I had forgotten that the splines on the steering wheel only go one way also. This, after removing the steering wheel, the cover with the two torx bolts, the lock plate (need a lock plate remover), and the turn signal part that matches with the lock plate.
So, to recap, I'd say (1a.) undo pin and castle nut on center link side of pitman arm and (1b.) unbolt the box from the frame (three bolts accessed from other side of the frame) (1c.) this makes it easier to undo connection at the center link, (1d.) pull it out enough to access the 33mm nut (the slip joint on the steering shaft will undo, don't loose the spring), (2.) use an impact gun (air or electric) to remove nut. (3.) thread nut on a few threads, (4.) use pitman arm puller to remove pitman arm (5.) put new pitman arm on, facing roughly same way - will only go on in 90 degree increments tighten 33mm nut (6a.) slide in inner and outer shaft joint, making sure to hold the spring in place as the outer shaft goes in (6b.) attach pitman joint at center link (7.) attach box to frame. (8.) if steering wheel is not centered, can't correct by removing steering wheel, inner/outer steering shaft, flex joint to box, pitman arm to box or steering wheel splines - must use tie rod adjusting sleeves - HIGHLY RECOMMEND GOING FOR AN ALIGNMENT.
I'd say this was easier than, let's say, doing lower balljoints, if you've done some work on these cars, just so you have an idea, but only after what I learned the hard way.
Disclaimer. Use info at own risk, some people will disagree with this, not professional advice, etc.
edit: the cruise control actuator and bracket didn't help with room, oil cooler lines/bracket a bit in the way of seeing flex joint, power steering lines also didn't help and one more thing to remove if you wanna get the box completely out....read one guy could do this in half an hour! lol, maybe if you don't have all that sh*t to deal with, oh well.
Coles notes: don't have to remove box, lines and flex joint to box are a b*tch to remove, don't undo sh*t to straighten the wheel after replacing the part.
I know pictures would have been great, but too many problems to even remember taking them.
---
I searched this forum and other places beforehand to get as much info as possible, since I had never done this job before.
There was (as always, the internet is like this) some conflicting info so I started this thread to add my thoughts and get your input.
This is on a 1994 S10 Blazer 4WD truck with P/S, A/C, cruise - so some of these are kind of in the way.
- the lines can be very hard to remove from the steering box. I wasn't able to, and part of the problem was I think the fittings may be imperial, instead of metric. This may make sense, since even on metric vehicles, sometimes fluid fittings are imperial. So there's a warning which I hope will help
- the steering flex linkage where it goes into the steering box is splined, with a 11mm head bolt, and the shaft of that bolt goes into a round recess cut around the input shaft of the steering box. So the bolt tightens the joint, but also has to be removed completely. THE FLEX JOINT WILL ONLY GO INTO THE BOX INPUT SHAFT ONE WAY - YOU CAN'T ROTATE IT TO MATCH THE SPLINES ANY OTHER WAY. DO NOT UNDO THIS CONNECTION JUST TO ADJUST THE STEERING WHEEL ANGLE.
- I couldn't remove the lines. I had read that you didn't have to remove the box completely, so I tried this approach. The lines go to hoses, so there's a bit of movement they'll allow. I also left the steering flex joint attached, since there's a slip joint on the steering shaft. I just unbolted the box and was able to pull the box towards the front until I could put an impact gun to the pitman arm joint (I had obviously removed and separated the piman arm joint to the relay arm (center link?). This worked well, but the box was pulled out far enough for the slip joint on the steering shaft to undo, and the spring jumped out. The shaft is not round, obviously, it has two flats on opposite sides, and the female on the box side is the same. You can see this when looking underhood. What you can't see, when the two sides are assembled, is there's a notch on one of the sides of the shaft on the male shaft, and a curved flat 3" x 1/2" metal spring applies a bit of tension there. Not a big deal though. If you do separate the inner shaft from the outer, you'll see what I mean. Make sure you put the spring back, with the center portion that sticks out, towards the female shaft. This joint only goes in two ways, 180 degrees apart.
- as most people agreed when I searched, you need a pitman arm remover for sure. A fork may not be strong, and will just do damage. Rent/borrow/buy/return the tool. The big nut is indeed a 33mm (I had trouble finding this size socket, so a 34mm worked, but slightly loose but didn't mess up the nut at all). In my case the arm didn't fly off, it just moved slowly off as I tightened the pitman arm remover tool.
- after replacing the part and going for a drive, my steering wheel was off 90 degrees. I read someplace where a guy had the steering wheel off 45 degrees, so I wasn't really surprised. Where I effed up, was trying to straighten the wheel. As I said, the inner and outer shaft will only go two ways, so I knew that wasn't the problem (I would have the steering wheel either straight or 180 degrees off. FORGOT TO MENTION. THE PITMAN ARM HAS GAPS IN THE SPLINES AT FOUR PLACES, 90 DEGREES OFF, SO IT ONLY GOES IN 4 WAYS. JUST REPLACE THE NEW ONE FACING ROUGHLY THE SAME WAY. So I knew it wasn't the pitman arm splines off. I hadn't removed the flex shaft from the input shaft of the steering box, but decided to undo it and try to match up the splines so the steering wheel would be straight. BIG MISTAKE. I had avoided undoing this joint when replacing the pitman arm (and also because of the lines problem). Once you remove the bolt, it's still hard to remove. AND IT ONLY GOES IN ONE WAY! So no point undoing, unless you're removing the box completely out. And if you're removing the box, might as well leave it on, and just let the inner and outer steering shaft slide out from each other, and undo the flex joint on the bench. To install the flex joint splined portion to the box is even harder!
- Before messing with the steering flex joint to the box, I decided to remove the steering wheel, to match the splines up and get the steering wheel straight. ANOTHER BIG MISTAKE. I had forgotten that the splines on the steering wheel only go one way also. This, after removing the steering wheel, the cover with the two torx bolts, the lock plate (need a lock plate remover), and the turn signal part that matches with the lock plate.
So, to recap, I'd say (1a.) undo pin and castle nut on center link side of pitman arm and (1b.) unbolt the box from the frame (three bolts accessed from other side of the frame) (1c.) this makes it easier to undo connection at the center link, (1d.) pull it out enough to access the 33mm nut (the slip joint on the steering shaft will undo, don't loose the spring), (2.) use an impact gun (air or electric) to remove nut. (3.) thread nut on a few threads, (4.) use pitman arm puller to remove pitman arm (5.) put new pitman arm on, facing roughly same way - will only go on in 90 degree increments tighten 33mm nut (6a.) slide in inner and outer shaft joint, making sure to hold the spring in place as the outer shaft goes in (6b.) attach pitman joint at center link (7.) attach box to frame. (8.) if steering wheel is not centered, can't correct by removing steering wheel, inner/outer steering shaft, flex joint to box, pitman arm to box or steering wheel splines - must use tie rod adjusting sleeves - HIGHLY RECOMMEND GOING FOR AN ALIGNMENT.
I'd say this was easier than, let's say, doing lower balljoints, if you've done some work on these cars, just so you have an idea, but only after what I learned the hard way.
Disclaimer. Use info at own risk, some people will disagree with this, not professional advice, etc.
edit: the cruise control actuator and bracket didn't help with room, oil cooler lines/bracket a bit in the way of seeing flex joint, power steering lines also didn't help and one more thing to remove if you wanna get the box completely out....read one guy could do this in half an hour! lol, maybe if you don't have all that sh*t to deal with, oh well.
Last edited by pfsantos; 01-30-2012 at 08:41 AM.
#3
01-30-2012, 02:29 PM
Yes, well worth $45 in labour...
I'd have paid double that just to have someone tell me the spline on the wheel only goes one way, the pitman 4 ways at 90 degrees, the input on the box goes on one way into the splines, and the shaft inner/outer slip joint only two ways.
Having said that, can anyone else confirm, in case I saw this wrong? There's enough bad info on the internet as is.
I'd have paid double that just to have someone tell me the spline on the wheel only goes one way, the pitman 4 ways at 90 degrees, the input on the box goes on one way into the splines, and the shaft inner/outer slip joint only two ways.
Having said that, can anyone else confirm, in case I saw this wrong? There's enough bad info on the internet as is.
#4
01-31-2012, 06:04 PM
yeah ive learned that most lines break when you try to take them off. i always just disconnect the box from the frame, turn it sideways so i can get a impact on it, impact off the nut, and impact off the arm with a puller. pretty easy on a car lift
#5
01-31-2012, 07:20 PM
Abig84 - can you (or someone) confirm the only way to align the steering wheel after replacing the pitman arm is to adjust it on the tie rod sleeves (i.e. get an alignment)? As I mentioned above? Thanks!
#6
02-01-2012, 09:42 AM
Yeah if you want the wheel straight after a pitman job, the right way is the only way - by alignment.
To get those lines out there's no other way besides a flare nut wrench or crows foot - got to have contact 3/4 the way around. Sometimes a little heat helps too. An open end wrench will just strip the nut round. Having a pitman puller makes all the difference too.
Took me about an hour to do mine. I unbolted the box & the column, pulled it forward to get room for the puller, and yanked it off.
To get those lines out there's no other way besides a flare nut wrench or crows foot - got to have contact 3/4 the way around. Sometimes a little heat helps too. An open end wrench will just strip the nut round. Having a pitman puller makes all the difference too.
Took me about an hour to do mine. I unbolted the box & the column, pulled it forward to get room for the puller, and yanked it off.
#7
02-01-2012, 12:00 PM
Yeah, I just wanted the steering whl. fairly straight before I go for an alignment after I get a couple of tires.
I had the pitman arm tool...wouldn't even attempt a job like this without one. The flare nut wrench makes a lot of sense. So the line nuts are SAE - and what sizes? All I know is my metric wrench was loose.
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece...set-99992.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/media/c...mage_12330.jpg
I had the pitman arm tool...wouldn't even attempt a job like this without one. The flare nut wrench makes a lot of sense. So the line nuts are SAE - and what sizes? All I know is my metric wrench was loose.
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece...set-99992.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/media/c...mage_12330.jpg
Last edited by pfsantos; 02-01-2012 at 12:30 PM.
#8
02-02-2012, 09:30 AM
Can't remember if they were SAE or Metric - was a few months back I did this job. I have both sets, so it didn't matter. Pretty sure it was metric on the '89.
#9
02-02-2012, 10:02 AM
No problem. Searched up Princess Auto (similar to Harbour Freight on your side of the border). I'll just get a metric and SAE set of Flare nut wrenches - they're cheap and nice enough for occasional use. Don't need many excuses for buying new tools, lol!
#10
02-02-2012, 01:10 PM
Oh, and cuz no one's confirmed it yet. Can the flex joint (rag joint) go on the box one way only? As in, rotate a bit to line up with other splines? The pic. suggests no, because of the flat, which I saw. But I couldn't get a good look on the flex joint side. That's the only part I'm not sure about. See below:
Basically, it seems like the steering wheel only goes in one way and you can't line up the splines any other way except for the pitman arm. The pitman arm only goes in 4 ways, but that's obvious. I guess not all pitman arms are indexed exactly and I ended up with the steering wheel off about a 1/4 of a turn. Didn't mess with anything else. So if I can't change to other splines between the rag joint and the box, is a quarter turn (of the steering wheel) a lot for them to change the alignment? Thanks all!
Basically, it seems like the steering wheel only goes in one way and you can't line up the splines any other way except for the pitman arm. The pitman arm only goes in 4 ways, but that's obvious. I guess not all pitman arms are indexed exactly and I ended up with the steering wheel off about a 1/4 of a turn. Didn't mess with anything else. So if I can't change to other splines between the rag joint and the box, is a quarter turn (of the steering wheel) a lot for them to change the alignment? Thanks all!