Power Steering?

[cowking7]

so I go out to my truck this morning to find my power steering sudenly not working. I can turn my wheel all the way left, but I cant turn it right. the steering wheel just spins until it stops then makes a hissing noise. im guessing something broke and power steering fluid leaked out the right side of the steering box or something, idk I dont have any experience in power steering, so any expertise would be verry helpful thank you.

[cowking7]

ok so Ive isolated it down to my left pitman arm. It looks like the bolt fell off or was never there in the first pace, so now I need to put it back in. A jack and a few chucks should work to take w.o.w. and I should be able to slip it back in correct? is it as easy as this, anything I should know before doing this? any tricks or special tools that will make it easier? never done this before so again any help would be awsome thanx

[rsavage]

It is difficult to tell exactly what you are saying. You have one pitman arm. It goes from the bottom of the steering box to the center link. On a two wheel drive the pitman arm faces towards the back. It fits on the bottom of the steering box on the splined shaft and there is a large nut that bolts it on. It should only fit on one way. I do not know if you will be able to get it back on while it is hooked to the center link - you may not have enough movement. Don't bung up the splines and make sure you get a nut with the correct threads along with a lock washer - if this is the spot you are talking about.

[cowking7]

im thinking if I jack up the front, taking the weight of the wheels, ill be a able to slide the pitman arm back onto the shaft. its still connected to the steering box, it just slid out of the hole in the shaft. either the bolt and wahser fell off, or I never had one in the first place.

thanks