Pitman Arm

[cns721]

There is some clicking/play in the drag link end that connects to the pitman arm. I replaced the entire drag link today but the clicking is still happening. I'm gonna replace the pitman arm in hopes of getting rid of the clicking. I noticed there aren't many aftermarket pitman arm options for the JL. The ones that are available are mostly drop pitman arms, which I don't think I would need. I'm running 35s with the Mopar lift. Should I just go ahead and replace it with another OEM pitman arm?

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[mwilk012]

The pitman arm is just a piece of metal, why would you need to replace it? Is it damaged in some way? The hole egged out on it? There’s no aftermarket options because they just don’t ever need replacement.

 

[cns721]

I'm working on replacing parts to eliminate the death wobble. There is some play where the drag link connects to the pitman arm. The drag link was replaced but the play is still there so it can't be the drag link end. My guess is the pitman arm may have wallowed out.

 

[mwilk012]

Then oem is the way to go.

 

[chevymitchell]

I'm working on replacing parts to eliminate the death wobble. There is some play where the drag link connects to the pitman arm. The drag link was replaced but the play is still there so it can't be the drag link end. My guess is the pitman arm may have wallowed out.

The pitman arm will not wallow out without destroying the sector shaft coming out of the gearbox. There is something else going on.

 

[mwilk012]

The pitman arm will not wallow out without destroying the sector shaft coming out of the gearbox. There is something else going on.

The ball joint end?

 

[chevymitchell]

The ball joint end?

No, I was thinking the sector shaft side.

The tapered side, being cast steel, it would take 10's of thousand's of miles to wallow out to the point it's not usable. The driver would notice something very wrong before then.

I've only ever replaced pitman arms for being bent. I can't remember an instance where I've replaced one because it's wallowed out. I have seen them when the pitman arm nut wasn't TQ'd properly and it destroyed the teeth and sector shaft as the arm was falling off, but that's a pretty extreme case.

The clicking has to be on the knuckle side or the steering box itself.

If that pitman arm is wallowed out, then the driver would've been oblivious to loose steering for many thousands of miles. (or one really good hit off road with a loose draglink.)

 

[chevymitchell]

Funny this is coming up. I just had a JK in here 2 weeks ago for loose steering. The guy bought a pitman arm. I asked him to check the nut TQ first. He took it off with his hand. TQ'd it and all was well. Shop who did his lift, with a drop arm, didn't TQ the nut.

 

[mwilk012]

No, I was thinking the sector shaft side.

The tapered side, being cast steel, it would take 10's of thousand's of miles to wallow out to the point it's not usable. The driver would notice something very wrong before then.

I've only ever replaced pitman arms for being bent. I can't remember an instance where I've replaced one because it's wallowed out. I have seen them when the pitman arm nut wasn't TQ'd properly and it destroyed the teeth and sector shaft as the arm was falling off, but that's a pretty extreme case.

The clicking has to be on the knuckle side or the steering box itself.

If that pitman arm is wallowed out, then the driver would've been oblivious to loose steering for many thousands of miles. (or one really good hit off road with a loose draglink.)

I have never replaced a Jeep pitman arm.

If OP could provide some pictures or video it might make more sense.

 

[chevymitchell]

I have never replaced a Jeep pitman arm.

If OP could provide some pictures or video it might make more sense.

It's one of those parts you could literally hang 5 jeeps from off a bridge. Haha.

Being on the power side of the hydraulics, it just doesn't make sense they would ever go bad.

 

[OBJLU]

Funny this is coming up. I just had a JK in here 2 weeks ago for loose steering. The guy bought a pitman arm. I asked him to check the nut TQ first. He took it off with his hand. TQ'd it and all was well. Shop who did his lift, with a drop arm, didn't TQ the nut.

I was gonna say “tighten the nut “ when they swapped out my steering box to steel they didn’t torque it and it was hand tight and yeah I got lots of play and clicking until I fixed the issue myself.

 

[cns721]

I'll post a video later when I get back home.

The dealership replaced the steering box to the steel version last year. I did put my hand on the steering box, no clicking from there when turning the steering wheel. The clicking is definitely happening at the end rod/pitman arm connection. The clicking was discovered back in September when inspecting parts for the death wobble and I installed a sector shaft brace. The nut at the time was definitely tight and it still is. The nut that held the end rod to the pitman arm was tight as well.

When I replaced the entire drag link yesterday, I tried to wiggle the pitman arm. There was absolutely no play nor clicking at all. Now that I mention this, I probably should have tested by turning the steering wheel to see if there was still clicking without the drag link connected to it.

Basically to sum it up, it's not the steering box and it's not the drag link arm so the only thing left is the pitman arm...

 

[OBJLU]

Did you check by torquing it?

 

[cns721]

Did you check by torquing it?

The nut at the steering box - yes it's torqued.

The nut at the end rod/pitman arm, I can't get the torque wrench in due to the lack of space. IIRC, it was only 55lb-ft so I hand tightened it, probably more than 55lb-ft

 

[58Willys]

You said replaced your draglink. All brand new? There’s essentially a ball joint at the pitman arm end, is it good? How about the adjuster sleeve - tight?

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