Need pitman arm help

[shifty]

Ok, low down:

Bought rebuilt PS Pump (Cardone). Bought all new steering stuff. Everything fit great except the Moog Pitman arm ... was too tight. Took it back, got a store brand from Auto Zone (Duralast?) Brought it back - too tight again.

I stipped the paint off the PS pump gear. The pitman arm still will not go all the way down. Looks like the gear is tapered and won't let a pitman arm go on.


I tried brute force, but I'm putting a ton of torque on the nut and it's going nowhere. I put it on so tight with the moog unit that I wound up gouging new threads into it and they almost didn't take it back.

See for yourself - have any suggestions?

[cdowns]

how far are the splines into the arm??

[shifty]

splines are bout 80% through.

if you look closely you can see the head of the bolt sticking out of the nut about ... two threads (1/8" ?)

[larry may]

If this splined shaft is Tapered will go only so far on. Then Are you running out of threads for the nut? Or mabe there is a lead spline ?

[shifty]

I just figured it had to go all the way on so splines were not showing this much. That's how the old (original) one was.

[cableguy0]

you caused yourself a headache that didnt exist. that is just fine. never really ever seen any fully seated it cant. the shaft on the ps box is tapered and wont allow to seat fully. run em on with an impact gun and call it good. yours like identical to mine which still has the factory pittman arm on it. have replaced a ton of ps boxes never really had any that fully went up the splines

[cst70rocket]

Hmmm I've seen splines on about all of them I guess. That shaft is adjustable on some steering boxes and the adjustment takes the shaft up and down to mesh with the worm gear better. Maybe since that box is "new" that it's adjusted all the way out? I'll take a look and see what I can come up with, but I'd say since it's got threads showing outside the nut, and it's definitely a tapered spline, that's all she's gonna go.
Kirk

[shifty]

Ok, cool, maybe I'll take it back and get the Moog back. Doesn't really matter to me either way.

So, next question - Assuming this will raise and lower the pitman arm, how do you adjust the worm gear?

Also, will it cause damage to the PS gearbox if I've moved the pitman arm back and forth a few times without having the fluid lines hooked up?

[cableguy0]

you DO NOT adjust a new box it doesnt need adjustment. only a worn box can be adjusted. moving it a few times wont hurt it at all. just not easy to make it turn.the pitman arm wont matter its not a wear part. keep the one you got its already on there. no sense in pulling it back off dealing with parts store jerks etc.

[shifty]

right on. thanks for the advice all.

man, that first picture is really nice. you can see the dust hanging off of the rim by the splines