Hey guys. I have a question about my new pitman arm that hopefully someone can help me with.

I have a 1991 Toyota pickup dlx 4x4. I recently bought a new steering box from Redhead Steering gear.
I put on the new pitman arm that I got from LC.
I torqued the big side that connects to the steering box to 130 foot pounds and tried to torqued the smaller side to 67 foot pounds but only made it to 50 foot pounds before it started to spew grease from the overflow nipple on the boot.

My problem with the big side connected to the steering box is that the gap is much more than my old pitman and steering box and I don't know if that is okay or not. The gap is a little more than half an inch.

My problem with the small side is I don't think I can get to 67 pounds of torque and am wondering if 50 pounds is okay and will be fine?

I drive this truck thousands of miles a year way out in the mountains so I am looking for a second opinion on what to do from you guys.
It would suck to have a breakdown all alone somewhere with no cell service and no help etc for a pitman arm.

Would you leave it as is and run it? Or does anyone have a suggestion on what I should do? I can try a different pitman arm if I have to.

Thank you.

 

The big side I generally give a few light taps with a dead blow to get it seated up there before I torque the nut. The small side as long as you can get your cotter pin through the nut and it’s fully engaged you are fine.

 

Okay, sounds good, I'll remember that for next time I take it off. I will probably just run it as is for now and keep an eye on it unless someone else has some advice too. Thanks for your reply.

 

I was wondering when this question was going to come up. I have bought 2 pitman arms that didn’t fit as far onto the steering box as the one i took off. I can’t recall if the two were the same brand. I decided as long as the washer and nut could seat and the washer be compressed and the nut be torqued, i would run with it. No sign of them coming loose now after thousands of miles.

 

i don't know what the correct factory install procedure is, wrt putting some kind of lube on the splines, but having struggled with getting stuck arms off of the box in the past, i don't like it putting together dry, which is what that looks like(?).

if nothing else, maybe pack some grease around the exposed splines?

 

Glad I am not the only one. Thanks for your input on the topic. My main issue now is the codder pin on the little side that connects to the center link is below the nut making it totally not useful. I over tightened it because i was following the book trying to get to 67 foot pounds. I just ordered another new pitman arm and a OEM center link and will tighten until I can get the codder pin in and call it good. I am replacing all steering components so might as well do the center link too. Luckily I haven't torqued the tie rods etc yet.

 

I probably should have used some sort of grease. I did it dry. I am replacing the pitman arm again and just ordered a brand new oem center link as well so this time ill put a little grease on before I tighten down and see if the results are different.

 

It’s a taper fit. It’s gonna be tight no matter what.
My guess on the grease coming out is they just put too much in. I’d be inclined to torque to spec, and just wipe off whatever excess gets forced out.

 

Problem with that is that the nut goes to far and then the cotter pin isn’t engaged at all.

 

I'll try to torque it down properly with the new center link and pitman that I ordered. As you can see in the pic the codder pin isn't going to do anything. I thought maybe the hole that the pitman goes into on the center link may have been damaged so I am trying a brand new oem center link. If I torqued to 67 pounds I feel like the boot would be completely crushed currently.

 

Correct. look at the pic that I just posted.

 

I looked to see if an oem pitman arm was available, but if I looked it up right it showed as discontinued.
i saw Sankei 555 offered one. I’ve used their parts a few times and their quality looked good. Wonder where LC sourced theirs.

 

The pitman arm is Sankei 555 but this is what I ordered. It better be oem for the price that I payed lol. If not, oh well.
https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/...451-39145.html

 

Amayama has them as well but they take too long to deliver and I am trying to fix the truck asap
https://www.amayama.com/en/part/toyota/4545139145

 

I just cancelled the order. I just seen the production date for that part is 08/1991-11/1995 and my truck production date is 07/91. So I don't know if it will work. it says it fits when I type in my truck info though so I don't know. Going to have to investigate more.

 

I wasn't sure about the oem center link so I cancelled but I just went to the Toyota dealer and they confirmed it will work. So I bought another Sankei 555 pitman from LC and OEM center link. Hopefully things go better this time

 

I misread you. Pitman arms are discontinued as far as I know so aftermarket is the only option. I was able to get oem tie rods though which is cool.

 

I’m pretty sure i had this problem as well and i stacked 3 or 4 washers on it. Also some castle nuts are taller than others making it less of a problem for the cotter pin to engage where it’s supposed to.

 

That is a good idea to use washers but hopefully I will not have to do that.