Me of Course

Hello I just went to a place to get a checkup on my car to see what was wrong with it, since I just bought it. It is an 85 iroc z. Anyways I was told what was wrong with it in a big list. One of the things that I needed to replace was the pitman arm. I went to shucks and they told me the pitman arm on my car DOES NOT need to be replaced ever. ITs a non wearable part on camaros.

So what I need to know is how can I tell if my pitman arm is bad, or will it ever be bad?

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

It does not need to be replaced, it is a non wear part.

Find another shop.

akmusclecar

The only way for it to be "bad" is if has suffered damage from a wreck. All it is is a chunk of steel. Nothing to wear on a chunk of steel. Time for a new shop.

DJP87Z28

Dose not need replacing under normal conditions. Only reason I can think of is if the car was in accident and the front end was pushed in to damage Pitman Arm....Slim too non for this to happen.

AlkyIROC

I'm glad the parts person at Shucks is knowledgeable enough to know that. It's possible the repair shop meant the idler arm but using the wrong terminology for a component isn't a good way to do business. I'm just waiting for someone to say that their third gen steering arm or drag link is worn out.

The only way your pitman arm would be bad is if it was damaged in an accident or if the center link was loose and wore out the hole in the pitman arm which is highly unlikely.

Best guess to what the repair shop was referring to would be the center link or the idler arm. As mentioned above, take it to a different shop for a second opinion. I've seen many people being told that parts are worn out and after I inspect it, I find nothing wrong. I had a pickup truck that was suppose to need around $2000 worth of front end work according to an alignment shop. Both me and the boss each went over every component with a fine tooth comb and neither of us could find a single thing wrong. The boss had to check it out also because I told him I couldn't find anything wrong and he agreed with me. Customer was happy to hear that.

Me of Course

Okay so my pitman arm is fine then. The shop told me my idler arm also needed to be changed when I got the check up. But okay thanks guys that's all I needed to know.

RBob

iTrader: (1)

The joint to the pitman arm is in the center link. With the shop saying that the car needs a pitman arm really means that it needs a center link. So replacing the center link is the way to go.

Note that a joint to the idler is also in the center link. So dependent upon where the play is in the idler it may not require replacement. That is, the idler does contain a joint that can wear. So there is a 50/50 shot that the idler does/doesn't need to be replaced.

RBob.

DJP87Z28

Here is the kit from Spohn Performance...One stop shopping & also order the lower ball joints. I have used this kit and they are quality parts that fit 3rd gen cars.

Me of Course

How much would that cost dude? Can I get it from this forum or something else?

DJP87Z28

Well dude, you can check the prices yourself by going to the Spohn site.

AlkyIROC

www.spohn.net

Me of Course

Sweet thanks =]

DJP87Z28

lmao::

luckydoghr1

Well, i think my pitman are needs replacing, either that or the gear box. Correct me if I'm wrong but the pitman arm comes off the splined gear box shaft and attaches to the center steering link, right? There is a lot of play where the arm attaches to the splined shaft. In other words the pitman arm will move back and forth on the splined shaft. This was cause a few years back. My Camaro is a drag car and I used to run a TH350 trans in it. The tall 1st gear ratio would launch the front end 4' into the air and then crashing back down. After a while, in video, I noticed that when the front tires landed they would rapidly turn side to side a few times before smoothing out. I've seen lots of cars that wheel stand to this. I cured the wheelie issue by putting a powerglide in the car, but would like to correct the pitman arm - gear box issue........thanks

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

As mentioned above, unless the pitman is damaged, it's considered a non-wear item. As a thought, have you checked the steering box area for cracking?

JamesC

evilemokid94

iTrader: (6)

im having the same issue with my car, was inspecting it at my shop class and my drive side front tire has some side to side play, noticed that my pitman arm wiggles alittle while moving the tire. advice?

AlkyIROC

Where is it moving? If it's loose on the steering box, you may have other issues. If it's loose where the center link attaches, it's not a pitman arm issue unless a very worn or loose center link has damaged the hole in the pitman arm.

Very, very rarely will there ever be an issue with the pitman arm itself.

Edwardgp

Alky is right don't know if they are trying to hose you or just don't know what there talking about.

nheller76

Check to see if they told you your blinker fluid needed to be changed. If so then tell them to jump off a bridge and find a new shop!

AlkyIROC

His steering wasn't inspected by a shop. He said his "shop class". Learning how to do a proper inspection and diagnostics of which parts are bad is the first thing you need to learn. Not all steering components are designed the same.

Some models of cars have a ball socket as part of the pitman arm. These can wear out and need to be changed but a third gen pitman are is a solid piece of steel with a hole at either end and the chance if it "wearing out" is slim to nil. With some play in the left wheel and movement seen at the pitman arm doesn't give much description. There are 2 tie rod ends and a center link between the steering arm of the wheel and the pitman arm. The center link attaches to an idler arm on the right frame rail. Movement in one spot may be seen at another.

evilemokid94

iTrader: (6)

^ you hit the nail on the head. I didn't seem to have any play in the passenger side tire and just in my driver side, I was under the car while my teacher was moving the wheel an it seemed to be moving the arm that attaches to the steering box. I just replaced my inner and outter tie for ends so it shouldn't be them. I didnt however replace my centerlink, I will try and replace that to see if that cures it, if not is that a sign my steering box needs rebuilt?

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

The ball joint where the center link connects to the Pitman arm, is part of the center link, in these cars.

That's not the most common arrangement; most cars have that joint as part of the Pitman arm. Which is why when someone who might actually be reasonably mechanically knowledgeable but maybe not detail-familiar with these cars, says it needs a Pitman arm, I tend to cut em a mm or 2 of slack... at least they noticed that there was play there, although if they weren't regulars on this BBS, failed to know that the joint was in the other part.

The center link is the most wear-out-prone part of the steering system in these cars. Pretty much a routine maintenance item. I got around to having mine on a fairly short rotation, I'd say it was about once every 80k miles or so. Quite often really, every couple of years. I'd just change out the idler arm at the same time (it being easier that way anyway and too cheeeeeep to even worry about at all), and the tie rod ends about every other time. Got into quite a settled routine that way for a couple hundred k miles.

The steering gear is a whole other matter. That tends to need a rebuild about every 125 - 150k miles; basically at the same time as changing out the tie rod ends. Mostly though, it just leaks, is what makes it need a rebuild. It's easy enough to adjust on a semi regular basis, REALLY ADJUST I'm talking about, NOT ONLY by cranking on the big screw on top, to keep it free of play in the interval.