Pitman Arm install

[Ryan_M]

I am trying to press the pitman arm onto my new-from-walck's sector shaft. I managed to get it a little more than half was on and now it won't budge. I tried tightening the nut at the end of the shaft hoping it would press in place. No luck. I also tried hammering it in place with a 7/8" socket over it. No luck. Added heat, no luck. I'm wondering it there's a "proper" method or do I just keep whaling away with my 3lb hammer until it either slides into place or I break something (??).

[Gunslinger]

Hey Ryan, that Whaling away thing,,, maybe not eh.  

Mine went on very easily, like you I pushed it as far as I could go and then tightend the nut to move it the rest of the way.  Clean parts, plenty of lube?  Maybe there is a dimensional problem, I'd be tempted to take it apart and do some measuring just to be sure,
Todd

[Ryan_M]

Hey Ryan, that Whaling away thing,,, maybe not eh. �

Mine went on very easily, like you I pushed it as far as I could go and then tightend the nut to move it the rest of the way. �Clean parts, plenty of lube? �Maybe there is a dimensional problem, I'd be tempted to take it apart and do some measuring just to be sure,
Todd

I'll pop it off and try it again. I noticed the old sector shaft seems tapered. Not sure if it was designed like that or only has that appearance from having a pitman arm squished over it for 60 years. I'll give it another go when I have some free time. Just wanted to make sure there wasn't something blatantly obvious that I was missing.

[JeepRoger]

Yes, the shaft is tapered. When you remove it, try it again at another angle (even if that position is not correct, you should see if it fits differently at some other spline position). The Pitman arm should go on easily 95% of the way and then you simply tighten it in place. While I'm sure you know this, but the steering wheel should be in the center of the lock-to-lock position, and the wheels straight ahead when you fit the Pitman arm. Regardless, the Pitman arm should go on at any spline position. Lastly, check the diameter of the splines at the very end - where they meet the threaded part. It should be .825" ...R

[Gunslinger]

Jeep Roger,
When I did mine I had a line on the sector shaft that lined up directly with a mark on the pitman arm, so I just ran the wheel all the way to one end, lined up the marks and slid her on.  I would worry about making sure the wheel was centered, wouldn't that be a little difficult to ensure?

[Ryan_M]

I ended up just ordering a new pitman arm, which was discouraging as there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the old one other than it doesn't fit. The new one seems to fit fine but I haven't actually had time to try much more than a loose fit. I think it'll be OK though.

[JeepRoger]

It's not really hard to find the center point. The only way to ensure that the sector shaft is equally and properly engaged at both full turn points, is to rotate the steering wheel full right, and then count the turns to full left, and then go back halfway - at that point steering wheel is centered. Then, be sure wheels are positioned straight ahead. Once that is done, you fit the Pitman arm. Doing it any other way might not give you full lock-to-lock steering.  ..R