Pitman Arm Broke - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**rharris** · 01-24-2019, 06:28 PM

I had just driven 30 miles at 65mph from work and stopped at the local notary to transfer a title. As I was backing in I heard a little clunk in the front end of my 01 1500HD. The steering seemed strange so I got out to see if a ball joint or tie rod broke. Turns out I didn't have any steering and the pitman arm broke at the shaft. The garage said they have never seen one brake that wasn't in a collision. It made my stomach turn a little as I thought about what would happen if it broke on the highway minutes earlier. Hit the brakes and pray I guess. Anybody ever have this happen?

homemade87 · 01-25-2019, 08:18 AM

Wow , Never seen or heard of it . Some times you have to consider yourself lucky and glad your ok .

I would have to look things over good to see if something is bent and flexing things . Do you know for sure the truck has not been in a accident . Could have been damage prior . Is it 4wd . Maybe some one went stump jumping .

We need pictures of that .

**rharris** · 01-25-2019, 08:22 AM

No way to know for sure. I bought it in 2015 with 175K, it has 197k now. I have yearly inspections, and they’ve never said anything about underneath aside from a ball joint. I’ll post a picture later this weekend.

Damien · 02-02-2019, 11:20 PM

My '00 2500 LD had a broken pitman arm when I bought it. The stud was sheered off in the drag link. I bought the truck and snow plow with 270K on it from a landscaping company. I really do not know what the cause was and just assumed wear and neglect. I swapped it in about an hour in the parking lot and drove it home.

61_FL_Apache · 02-07-2019, 08:02 PM

I have seen them worn and sloppy, but never broke one.

**rharris** · 02-12-2019, 07:15 PM

Here are the pictures

**hatzie** · 02-13-2019, 02:00 AM

That ain't wear. A worn part would drop the link off the worn out ball not shear it off.
Is that an original GM part or substandard Chinese floor sweepings?

**rharris** · 02-13-2019, 08:58 PM

i'm not sure if its original GM or not

01-24-2019, 06:28 PM	#1
rharris Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Pottsgrove PA Posts: 560	Pitman Arm Broke I had just driven 30 miles at 65mph from work and stopped at the local notary to transfer a title. As I was backing in I heard a little clunk in the front end of my 01 1500HD. The steering seemed strange so I got out to see if a ball joint or tie rod broke. Turns out I didn't have any steering and the pitman arm broke at the shaft. The garage said they have never seen one brake that wasn't in a collision. It made my stomach turn a little as I thought about what would happen if it broke on the highway minutes earlier. Hit the brakes and pray I guess. Anybody ever have this happen? __________________ 72 Cheyenne Super C10 SWB 2001 Silverado 1500HD Crew 2011 Silverado 2500HD Crew Duramax (Hers)

01-25-2019, 08:18 AM	#2
homemade87 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Guntersville Alabama Posts: 1,073	Re: Pitman Arm Broke Wow , Never seen or heard of it . Some times you have to consider yourself lucky and glad your ok . I would have to look things over good to see if something is bent and flexing things . Do you know for sure the truck has not been in a accident . Could have been damage prior . Is it 4wd . Maybe some one went stump jumping . We need pictures of that .

01-25-2019, 08:22 AM	#3
rharris Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Pottsgrove PA Posts: 560	Re: Pitman Arm Broke No way to know for sure. I bought it in 2015 with 175K, it has 197k now. I have yearly inspections, and they’ve never said anything about underneath aside from a ball joint. I’ll post a picture later this weekend. __________________ 72 Cheyenne Super C10 SWB 2001 Silverado 1500HD Crew 2011 Silverado 2500HD Crew Duramax (Hers)

02-02-2019, 11:20 PM	#4
Damien Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Farmington, MN Posts: 928	Re: Pitman Arm Broke My '00 2500 LD had a broken pitman arm when I bought it. The stud was sheered off in the drag link. I bought the truck and snow plow with 270K on it from a landscaping company. I really do not know what the cause was and just assumed wear and neglect. I swapped it in about an hour in the parking lot and drove it home. __________________ I can still count my vehicles on two... wait three hands.

02-07-2019, 08:02 PM	#5
61_FL_Apache Who Me? Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL Posts: 4,067	Re: Pitman Arm Broke I have seen them worn and sloppy, but never broke one. __________________ Steve 1997 Tahoe LT 4D 2WD (DD) 2001 Blazer 4D 2WD 1961 Apache 10 (sold) 1965 C10 Stepper (sold)

02-12-2019, 07:15 PM	#6
rharris Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Pottsgrove PA Posts: 560	Re: Pitman Arm Broke Here are the pictures Attached Images __________________ 72 Cheyenne Super C10 SWB 2001 Silverado 1500HD Crew 2011 Silverado 2500HD Crew Duramax (Hers)

02-13-2019, 02:00 AM	#7
hatzie Moderator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Wentworth, NH Posts: 4,977	Re: Pitman Arm Broke That ain't wear. A worn part would drop the link off the worn out ball not shear it off. Is that an original GM part or substandard Chinese floor sweepings? __________________ 1959 M35A2 LDT465-1D SOLD 1967 Dodge W200 B383, NP420/NP201 SOLD 1969 Dodge Polara 500 B383, A833 SOLD 1972 Ford F250 FE390, NP435/NP205 SOLD 1976 Chevy K20, 6.5L, NV4500/NP208 SOLD 1986 M1008 CUCV SOLD 2000 GMC C2500, TD6.5L, NV4500 2005 Chevy Silverado LS 2500HD 6.0L 4L80E/NP263 2009 Impala SS LS4 V8 RTFM... GM Parts Books, GM Schematics, GM service manuals, and GM training materials... 1973-1991 GM Light Truck Service, Unit/Overhaul, Wiring Manuals, Parts Books and Some 1968-1999 GM Service Training textbooks in PDF 1988-1998 GMT400 CK service manual project 1988-1993 GMT400 CK parts books. 1967-1972 GM Light, Medium, & Heavy Truck Service Manuals in PDF Please include at least the year and model in your threads. It'll be easier to answer your questions. And please let us know if and how your repairs were successful.

02-13-2019, 08:58 PM	#8
rharris Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Pottsgrove PA Posts: 560	Re: Pitman Arm Broke i'm not sure if its original GM or not __________________ 72 Cheyenne Super C10 SWB 2001 Silverado 1500HD Crew 2011 Silverado 2500HD Crew Duramax (Hers)



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