'97 xlt 275k pitman arm failure.

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

I fixed my loose steering today. it only took me the entire day :/ mostly because anything I tried to remove was frozen by rust. the pitman arm was frozen to the shaft on the steering box..I had to have two people help drive a 12 inch drive breaker bar on the puller to even get it to tighten any further. finally I get the idea to just cut slits in the arm and heat it with a torch and beat the thing like a red-headed step child. the arm's ball joint had worn excessively allowing the arm to move a bit before changing the angle of the tires. Here is a video of that. here is a picture of how deep we managed to get one of the slits. we didn't go any deeper because it fell off while we were sawing.

The steering is much tighter and more responsive but I have to remove the arm again to line up the wheel...we weren't coordinated and thus didn't line it up before attaching things.

 

[JUST4FUN]

I think the pitman arm only goes on one way, I think its keyed one of the groves is larger than the rest. to make the wheel straight its in the tie rod ends with the alingment

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

hmm, I'll have to look it over tomorrow. But looking at the one I have on my desk. there re four notches that are wider than the rest. I don't see how it could be off unless the new arm has the pattern off-set from oem spec..the tie rod ends weren't removed either, other than the bolt at the end of the ball to let the arm it connects to swing away from the arm.

 

[FordandPolaris]

hmm, I'll have to look it over tomorrow. But looking at the one I have on my desk. there re four notches that are wider than the rest. I don't see how it could be off unless the new arm has the pattern off-set from oem spec..the tie rod ends weren't removed either, other than the bolt at the end of the ball to let the arm it connects to swing away from the arm.

Could you post a picture by chance? I am curious cause I have never looked at the steering but it is on the list of things to address.

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

sure, I'll get it tomorrow when I go under to re align the steering wheel to the wheels. it's simple in theory but rust really makes it hell.

 

[FordandPolaris]

sure, I'll get it tomorrow when I go under to re align the steering wheel to the wheels. it's simple in theory but rust really makes it hell.

I know what you mean. I have had to get out the sawzall and cut-off wheel on more than one occasion. Not sure how much they salt the roads in WI but here we haven't even had snow yet and the salt is down. That is what makes bolts such a pain.

 

[IMINYOURCHAIR]

Well, living in Alabama, I am lucky that we don't use salt. This truck has been here since she was delivered from the factory so it was just time that allowed it to become frozen to the shaft.

 

[sgtowing]

Seeings how you have the experience, if I need mine done, I will give you a call. Haha :bjggrin:

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