pitman arm reversal

[mike357]

has anyone ever seen a pitman arm get turned around 180 degrees? my son has a 85 swb and i had to rescue him because his truck wouldn't go. the front wheels were pointing in opposite directions. i looked underneath and tie rods and center link were all intact, but the passenger side pitman arm was pointing to the front of the truck. i asked if he had gotten it airborn or hit anything. of course my sweet, innocent 16 y.o said " no,dad i didnt do anything like that". he wouldn't lie to me, but if i dont ask the right questions i dont get the full story. eventually he did say he was going in reverse and heard a small "tink" and then the truck wouldn't move anymore. i looked around the area he was in and didn't see anything sticking up that he could have "snagged" it on. i don't think a small "tink" would flip a pitman, but i am not sure. does anyone have any idea how this happens? i am still leaning towards the going in reverse and snagging something. hopefully you guys will have other ideas.  

[123 pugsy]

I've had the steering components screw up when I was reversing out from the video store parking lot.I thought the tire was riding along and up the curb I was parked beside (that was the feeling it gave me) so I straightened out the wheels to go straight back,gave her some gas and ..Bam ,crunch...wouldn't move.Got out and the wheels were pointing different directions.This was an 88 Chevy ,but all steering components are about the same.I had noticed some play before this which a mechanic couldn't find.I think a hard 180* turn into my driveway might have helped wear something down.

[VileZambonie]

So both tires were turned in opposite directions? I don't think you mean the pitman arm. Is this 2wd? Do a drypark check (have someone steer back and forth while you watch the linkage) and see if maybe a tie rod popped out of an adjusting sleeve.

[mike357]

they weren't necessarily going in opposite directions, but when one was straight ahead then the other was pointing either way in or out. i did see the pitman arm pointing the wrong direction. sorry for the confusion.

[123 pugsy]

I think you mean the Idler Arm on the pass. side.

[mike357]

ok, the hootis i am talking about, is in a picture in the thread "can i fix this" in this forum. it is the part right above the guys hand in the picture. let me know exactly what that part is, so i dont mis-name it in the future.
the only reason i called it a pitman arm was because when the wrecker driver got there he looked under the truck and said" hey, your pitman arm is going the wrong way."

Edited by: mike357 at: 4/14/06 10:51 am

[123 pugsy]

Sorry about that,but you mentioned passenger side.The pitman arm is on the drivers side attached to the steering box.
That is the pitman arm in that photo.

[mike357]

then it must be the idler arm because because it is on the passenger side. i was just calling it that because the wrecker driver called it that.