loose steering ?

[1studiac]

The steering on my 80 wag is loose, so I looked while having someone turn the wheel and I found some play in the ball joint that goes between the pitman arm and the drag link so I'll be replacing that. But heres my questions, there is a gap between the pitman arm and the steering box, is that normal? Also there seems to be a little play between the shaft and the pitman arm, almost like the pitman arm is loose. What can you tell me about that? Thanks.

[Knucklehead]

You should need a puller to seperate the arm from the shaft. Tighten up the nut to spec torque and there will be a small gap remaining. The pitman arm should never be loose, ever!

If the arm is loose check the splines for damage. I'd put new tie-rod ends on as well (cheap insurance) as they are probably worn out too.

Jon

[Bobbo]

The gap is okay, if I understand what your talking about, as long as the pitman arms splines are all the way on the shaft, its okay. I think the shaft is longer than the splines on the arm. A pic would help to see for sure. But there should not be any play at all.

[WHAT?]

as Jon said, the most important thing is to make sure the torque is at factory spec. replace the tei rods and then see if it is still loose.

[1studiac]

Ok, what is the torque spec for the nut that holds the pitman arm on? I tightened it up a little and it seemed to help. I noticed that the back (towards rear of truck) part of the washer above the nut is making good contact with the pitman arm but the front isnt. I would get a pic but I dont know how to post it ( even thou I read a bunch of posts on it).

[Knucklehead]

"{I noticed that the back (towards rear of truck) part of the washer above the nut is making good contact with the pitman arm but the front isnt."

You're not even snug yet, if the lock washer is not seated/flattened completly.

Get a cheater pipe and a 3/4 drive breaker bar...185 Ft*lbs. If was loose enough to woble around by hand, I would take it off and make shure the splines are still there. Also get a newnut and lock washer (grade 8) and replace the one that is on there. Red lok tite might not be bad as well but you got to heat it to get it apart.

If the pitman arm falls off while you're diving, it would be worse than if the steering wheel fell off in your hands.

I wouldn't drive it till it was fixed.

[carrotman]

The 76 TSM states "Pitman arm to pitman shaft: 160-210 foot-pounds." My old torque wrench only goes up to 150.

[1studiac]

Ok took it off and all splines looked good, so I put it back on as far as I could then took a big socket and put it on so it would clear the "bolt" coming out of the steering box. I gave it a few mild whacks to get it up on there and seated good, now the bottom of the pitman arm is above where the threads are on the shaft, I think that is why the washer was'nt seating up against the bottom of it before. Is there supposed to be like a big flat washer on there before the lock washer? Or is this just the way it is? Thanks for the help this is my DD and I want to be safe and I need to get it fixed asap.

[Knucklehead]

Stock, I believe, there is only the lock washer. The lock washer will lock the nut to the arm directly. Use a new lock washer too or get one soon.

The pitman arm should seat before the nut bottoms out on the threads. You really should not need anything more than the lock washer. The splines are tapered at the top so that is where the arm seats (its's an interference fit).

Good luck

Jon

[1studiac]

Great, that's not what I wanted to hear. The lock washer is bottoming out where the threads end as it does not fit over the shaft, only the threaded end. I am doing a lift soon and will be getting a new drop pitman arm, so now I don't know what to do. Do you think the problem is the pitman arm or the shaft? I would think the arm.

[Knucklehead]

Thats weird. How close is it to clearing the splines? If it is close I would drive it on over. But, you don't want to expand the washer very much. Is the arm flared out at the top (in the splines) at all? if so your arm is wore out from being loose. Also, there should not be any play in the arm at this point. especially laterally.
Is the arm the correct one for your jeep?

I would coble together fixes for about every thing but this.

Between 5 vehichles I usually have one that runs...

[1studiac]

no it isnt close enough to drive over. I would get some flat washers big enough to fit over the shaft but I am wondering how far I am going to push the arm up on there before it stops. 185 ft lbs it quite a bit. Also there isnt any play anymore.

[ December 28, 2003, 10:44 PM: Message edited by: 1studiac ]

[Knucklehead]

The problem with flat washers is that they prevent the lock washer form locking to anything. The flat washers will spin. Red Lok tite is an option, but the 400+ degrees required to get it to release is going to play havoc with your seals in your steering box.

Did you look at the splines on the top side of the arm? Are they flared out at all? Take the arm off and look at the pitman shaft. The spline should stop before the seal in the bottom of the box. This is where the arm seats and where the fit becomes an interference fit. If the splines on the top side of the arm are flared at all, it will allow the arm to go up higher on the shaft (into the region where the splines stop and taper out). This would explain your problem.

Jon

[1studiac]

I went and looked, the splines stop just before the shaft goes up in the box. the arm is not quite to the top of the splines, but is high enough that the bottom is up on the shaft and not on the threaded part. I am going to need a puller to get it back off which I dont have here so I cant look at the splines in the arm to see if it has been reamed out from being loose. I bet this is the case. I wonder if I can find a pitman arm for it tomorrow, I looked on napa online and they dont list one. Do parts stores usually carry these? I hate to buy a new one then take it off in a few weeks.

[Knucklehead]

Yeh, it would suck if you got to buy two. Check the salvage yards. From what you describe, it sounds like the arm or the shaft is worn out. Hopefully the arm.

Good luck