hey guys, tried to get my truck alligned recently after adding my 31"s, and the shop said they wouldn't do it because my ball joints were wasted, and they also said that I needed an idler arm and a pitman arm as they were shot. I do have a lot of slop in the steering. I am going to do the ball joints myself, but wanted to know how hard you think it is to do the idler arm and pitman arm. Any thoughts?

Nick

 

The idler arm isn't all that bad, but then again I have an air hammer with a pickle-fork attachment! The pitman arm will require a pitman arm puller to remove. While you are at it, check the tierod ends. If there is ANY doubt, change them as well. An alignment is $60-80 whether you replace them or not. It never fails that whenever I have replaced a steering component, something else in the steering went bad within a month requiring another alignment...

 

thats true swartlkk anytime you go to replace a steering component check all of them just replacing one might mean haveing to do all of them cause there soon to follow in needing to be replaced if there is a significant amount of slop in the steering check your steering box on the frame that might need tending to as well.

 

The way I look at it is this... It's $60+ for an alignment. Why have to pay that more than once.