I need Pitman Arm Replacement Success Stories ITT...

[ChrisAU]

So, when we did my '92 we unbolted two of three of the bolts that hold the steering box to the frame and then rotated the steering box to an angle where we could get a puller on it, wasn't too hard but it is a bit onerous.

I'm hoping on my 98 that since the undercarriage is clean as hell and it is relatively low mileage that I can just take the nut down to the bottom of the threads and wack away with a pickle fork a couple times...what do yall think?

Also, I ordered a new idler arm and bracket, so I should just take the old one out in once piece right? Any tips there?

I plan to take out the tie rod assemblies in one piece, get the new assemblies as close to them in size as possible, reinstall them, do idler arm, and then tackle the pitman arm.

 

[strikk]

I changed out both the idler assembly and put a new pitman arm on the steering box without any real show stopping issues on my rusting away 98 k1500.

I unbolted the cross member from the idler and pitman arm and just pushed it aside not touching any TRE's (not your case here)
I removed all three bolts from the steering box and rotated it out like you mentioned but I ended up having to use a half inch impact gun to get the bolt off the pitman arm (what a *****)
I wailed on it with a middle of the road snap-on air chisel for maybe 2 or 3 minutes while I had pressure on it with a puller then went at the puller with the quarter inch impact for ~5 seconds and it popped off

For the idler assemble I took the entire thing off the frame rail and bolted the new one in place (zero issues)

I oiled up the fittings while I was under there and its been good since. I need to do my TRE's now though and I'm pretty sure my box is crap now, probably from the half inch
This was no more than 45 minutes of actual wrenching, the hardest part was moving the box aside to get access to it

I used moog parts and everything was right where it was before I took it all apart

 

[dirtridinz71]

I had a ***** of a time getting the idler arm seperated from the center link on my 98 when I changed the OE one out. First time I have ever had that problem, ended up using torches and a pitman arm puller to get them seperated. Other then that it the bracket easily unbolted from the frame and the install was a breeze.

This reminds me I never did get around to changing out the pitman arm. I didnt have the right size wrench if I remember right. On my 92 I've never had to unbolt the steering box. The pitman arm always came off with a couple good wacks from a hammer.

 

[nascarguy320]

I just did mine on my 97 4x4 tahoe and I pulled the gear box out of the truck and replaced the old steering fluid with all new too, it was now that bad for me doing this for the first time on this truck,plus at almost 200,000 miles on the oe parts all new front end now...

 

[Rewind]

I read your title and thought.................."Is there such a thing"?