Pitman Arm Replacement Cost Estimate

While diagnosing a clunk or popping noise from the front end, the pitman arm and all other front end components will be checked for excess movement and lack of firmness in the pitman arm ball joint. If the pitman arm displays excessive play, the ball joint on the pitman arm is loose, or the technician can manipulate the centerlink against the pitman arm to replicate the noise, the pitman arm will be replaced. Also, a torn dust boot on the pitman arm ball joint or a crack in the pitman arm would call for replacement.

Pitman arm replacement can be physically demanding, but with the proper pullers and separators the job is quick and smooth. First, the wheels should be steered straight ahead, and the steering wheel should be centered. Then, the pitman arm can be separated from the centrelink with a ball joint separator, after the retaining nut is removed. The retaining bolt for the steering gear is then removed. Afterwords, and without turning the steering gear, a pitman arm puller can be used to separate the splined pitman arm from the splined output shaft of the steering gear. Installing the new pitman arm requires placing the new pitman arm in the correct orientation to slide onto the steering gear output shaft, and attaching the pitman arm to the centerlink. Once fitted, all nuts are torqued to specification, and the vehicle may be aligned if necessary.

When purchasing a pitman arm for an older vehicle, ensure you are using a part endorsed by the manufacturer of that vehicle, or the manufacturer of the power steering gear. The output shaft of many power steering gears are conical, and the new pitman arm must be able to seat in the original pitman arm position to prevent undesirable steering geometry changes. If the idler arm is suspected of failure, all other ball joints should be inspected at the same time. The tie rod ends and pitman arm are under the same stress as the idler arm, so they may fail around the same time.

Though the centerlink looks like a strong place to place a jack, lifting a vehicle from the steering centerlink may cause failure or separation of the pitman arm ball joint. If the pitman arm ball joint fails, the vehicle could fall while lifting, and serious damage to the power steering gear could occur.

With a good set of ball joint separators and a pitman arm puller changing the pitman arm is a good job for the DIYer. The average DIYer could inspect, diagnose, and repair a failed pitman arm without difficulty as long as all safety precautions are exercised, and the proper tooling is used.