pitman arm play
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: CDA, ID.
pitman arm play
hi so i have a 2004 F-250 4x4 with a 6 inch lift kit and i hadnt noticed this before the lift and the new drop pitman arm but now that ive installed the lift with the drop pitman arm i have play like this
its not as bad as that but there is still some play. at first i thought maybe the splines on the drop pitman arm werent exactly the same as the stock ones causing this but now looking at this i think it might be the sector shaft that has play as well. i can also push it up into the steering box about a 1/4 inch to 1/2 an inch maybe more didnt get to have a great look from the angle i was at, is that normal? any ideas? thanks
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From: CDA, ID.
i was thinking so too. when i installed it with my friend, we didnt realize how tight it needed to be. we did 200ft/lbs i believe and its supposed to be closer to 350ft/lbs. ive heard some things about these steering boxes with drop pitman arms with the sector shaft snapping, is that something i should be worried about? i know that a hydraulic ram assist normally takes care of this issue from what ive heard and is that something i should also invest in?
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I've had the sector shaft split on me, luckily it was backing into a driveway and not on the freeway. The replacement box I got (used from an LQK dealer) also had a cracked sector. I was home on leave from my deployment so I didn't have much time to get a new box, luckily the wrecking yard was able to source a remaned box locally and I installed it. That was seven years ago, no issues so far. I do check the torque on the nut every oil change to ensure that it doesn't backoff like you stated.
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From: CDA, ID.
I've had the sector shaft split on me, luckily it was backing into a driveway and not on the freeway. The replacement box I got (used from an LQK dealer) also had a cracked sector. I was home on leave from my deployment so I didn't have much time to get a new box, luckily the wrecking yard was able to source a remaned box locally and I installed it. That was seven years ago, no issues so far. I do check the torque on the nut every oil change to ensure that it doesn't backoff like you stated.
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Joined: Nov 2015
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Saftey, and the fact that the truck has sentimental value to you, far exceed the cost of replacing the steering box. Its a heavy sob, so be careful while removing/installing it, and make sure you bleed the system properly before you take it out for a drive. Good luck!
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From: CDA, ID.
yeah i would definitley agree with you. thanks man, i appreciate it!
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: CDA, ID.
do you think a reman or aftermarket one is good? i can buy a brand new one from ford for $490 but thats quite a spendy price. im definitley willing to fork out the cash if its needed for my saftey but im just wondering if remans/aftermarket ones are up to par?
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From: CDA, ID.
also do you guys think its safe to drive my truck for a while like this? im gonna have to wait at least until i get paid next to fix it and it would be easier to drive my truck until then
Tuned
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 368
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From: Ventura, Ca
I've been doing quite a bit of research on steering boxes and redhead keeps coming up as the best box available. I've read too many complaints about a people swapping in a cheaper box to only have it fail within a year. buy once cry once
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