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steering box/pitman arm Q's

kmanxj5050

NAXJA Forum User
Ok might take awhile to explain this and i am sure most still wont understand Well i had a popping awhile ago in the front end and just thought TRE. But after about a week i decided i would double check. Well the bolt holding the pitman arm was loose, allowing it to "flex/twist" when i turned the wheel. So i tightened the bolt up and problem solved.

Well yesterday the same noise came back, so today i went to the shop figuring it came loose again so i figured id loctite it this time. Well i loosened the bolt put on some loctite and tightened it down with the 1 5/16" wrench (which as you know you can get some torque on a wrench that big). I put all 235 lbs. of my fat arse onto that thing until i couldnt tighten it anymore (lockwasher completely flat). And it still was flexing and popping.

Now i was wondering if i could just build a spacer/washer on the lathe to put on their. Or if you guys think the the shaft on the box got smaller or the hole in the arm got bigger from it moving around.

I was thinking that a spacer would make more threads for the nut to tighten the arm tight to the box. If that makes sense.

Just looking for some ideas. My camera has been being a pos but i wanna try to get a video of it so you guys can see what is happening.

thanks
 
Are you sure its not the sector shaft thats popping and moving? That sounds like a bad box, and will need to be replaced.

If its the pitman arm on the sector shaft, then you need to replace that, as something happened and the splined area must have become enlarged. The pitman arm should not have any play on the shaft.
 
I've had that happen on customers rigs before, the pitman arm is most likely shot in the splines. I've tried shimming the nut like you want to do to get it further on the box, but it didn't last a day or so. Changed the arm and all was well.
 
I always warm up the pitman arm before I install it, also make sure all the paint or powder coating is removed from the splines and it seems to keep them tight forever.
 
yeah i got under their yesterday while the gf turned the wheel and can watch the arm move on the shaft.

Tommorow i am gonna take it off and measure/inspect both for wear.
 
so another thing i never knew i have a Rusty's 1.25" drop pitman arm. I was just being bored and searching out of curiousity. Everybody says a drop pitman arm is a bad idea. So should i put my stocker back on? I am at 6.5" of lift. It just seems like the angles would be way worse.
 
I've had that happen on customers rigs before, the pitman arm is most likely shot in the splines. I've tried shimming the nut like you want to do to get it further on the box, but it didn't last a day or so. Changed the arm and all was well.

this is just getting worse!!!

so i am going to go get a ZJ pitman arm (1" drop) from my local yard thursday.

Do you guys think the sector shaft is still fine? (seems like it would be a heat treated or really tough steel)

Is there anywhere i can find what the diameter of the sector shaft is suppose to be? i just dont wanna buy a new box if i have to.
 
Go grab a new pitman arm, through it in and see what happens.
If the arm is still moving you should replace the box, but if not then you found out what your problem was.
But I suspect that an 8yr old box could easily go out before the pitman.
 
the splined shaft on the steering box is some tough steel. the pitman arm would fail before the shaft does.
 
SWEEEEEEET i just got a new ZJ arm last night so hopefully tonight i can pop it on and be good to go.

And i also had an aftermarket drop pitman arm (and i am sure the quality on those is so-so)

thanks stewie
 
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