How can I fix this?

[85silverado]

My steering has always had alot of play since I got the truck in Jan. I moved the wheel shaft around while under the truck and I see that the pitman arm had side to side and up and down movement. I tried to tighten it but it is already tight. Does this mean it's time for a new one?

[123 pugsy]

Remove the 2 nuts.You will need a pitman arm puller(I think you could rent one).It hooks over the pitman arm and uses a threaded rod to push up while drawing off the shaft.its really quite simple when you use the puller.If you don't get a puller get ready to get frustrated.

[VileZambonie]

The castle nut looks like it isn't tightened down.

[85silverado]

Yeah I loosened it. But when it is tight the slack is still there in the arm.

[VileZambonie]

Then replace the pitman arm. it's easy to do just sepearte it from the center link first. Never hit the threaded end of the ballstud with a hammer to drive it out or you'll just mushroom the end. Grab a 3 lb sledge and strike the center link where the pitman goes through and it should pop apart. If it doesn't you may need to use a pickle fork. To remove the pitman arm from the sector shaft on the gear box you'll need to remove the nut and use a pitman arm puller. Make sure you pay attention to how it came off. A witness mark with some whiteout will do the trick.

[123 pugsy]

Some pitman arms have a wider spline at 1 point allowing it to go on only one way.If this is the case you don't have to worry about marking it.

You'll need a nice big socket and at least a 1/2 drive rachet.

[85silverado]

I have a pitman arm puller but can't do it till Friday since I gotta work. I'll check back in when I finish the job. Thanks for the advice.

[85silverado]

Well I replaced the arm no problem but my steering wheel is 90 degrees out. I know for sure that I put the arm on right because of the master spline, no way to screw that up. I am thinking that since the old arm was really worn out badly that at one time someone aligned it with the bad arm causing my new arm to put the steering 90 degrees off. It could have also been bent??? Anyone know? I am thinking of aligning it and this will fix it?  

[Mr Diesel]

I think you could just use a steering wheel puller to pull the steering wheel and reset it horizontal.  

- Mr Diesel
'76 C30 Crew 6.2

[85silverado]

I wish I could but the steering wheel only goes on one way.

[123 pugsy]

Just get an alignment and you're done.Everytime you change front end parts ,its best to get an alignment to save your tires.

[VileZambonie]

This is why I said to make a witness mark on the old one for reference. Yes there is a mater spline but there are 4 master splines on the sector shaft on the gear box so you could put it on 1 of 4 ways. If you just pop the steering wheel off the canceling cam for your turn signals will no longer work correctly. Pop it back off and reinstall it the way you took it off.

[85silverado]

I did make the mark and had the steering wheel locked, but when I put the arm on it wouldn't go on the splines. So I looked closer at the splines with a flashlight and saw that they didn't exactly match flush so I had to turn the wheel 90 degrees to get it to slide on. Trust me there is no other way for it to go on I tried and all other points are way off, so this is the closest I can get. I'm just gonna align it and see how that works out. thanks for the advice.

[85silverado]

I aligned it myself and did a heck of a job, no pulling perfectly straight man, and the steering wheel is straight now too. The old pitman arms teeth and bushings were worn very bad throwing the alignment out of wack.

[VileZambonie]

Are you sure you got the right pitman arm? It shoulda been the same. Anyway, although you may have the alignment close, Toe is the fastest tire wearing angle. You should have an alignment done.