Driving my truck this morning and noticed the steering wasn't as tight as usual. Got home and checked the nut on my pitman arm and it was finger tight!!! So this afternoon I removed the drivers side tire, track bar bracket and tightened it back, this time with some red loctite. Better not happen again or it's gonna get a little tack weld next time

 

Poorly engineered aftermarket junk?

 

I wouldn't have thought so. I bought my lift from Zone Off-Road and it seems to be quality stuff. As much torque as that nut requires at install, I can't imagine how it could come loose. Guess that's why you're supposed to re-torque after a few hundred miles

 

sorry i have no help, but i am changing out my steering box, and since you tighten up your pitman arm so much, I was hoping you could tell me the socket size for the nut so I am prepared to change mine out as I dont think i have anything that big on hand. thanks!

 

1 13/16 or 46mm is what mine is. Not sure what year model your truck is so don't know if yours will be the same

 

mine is an 06, sorry was thinking yours was an 05.

 

but i see its not!

 

nevermind youre not the thread starter lol so i was right, he is an 05

 

I'm choosing violence tomorrow. This has become a more persistent problem lately. The way I see it, the nut can't back off if it's part of the spindle(seals I know). Impact wrenches, cheater bars, loctite, nothing stays tight. She's getting a bead around the bottom of the nut tomorrow. Redhead on order, I'm gonna just gut the whole damn thing, and replace it. But I'm hitting the trail this weekend. Disclaimer: can weld a dick on a snowman.

 

each nut removal needs a new nut....the nut is not reusable.

what I did was

1. with pitman arm removed
2. heat up the pitman arm with a map gas torch (yellow tank)
3. while the pitman arm is still blazing hot....use a pair of pliers to position the pitman arm to the shaft
4. after seating the arm in the correct position...use a long socket to slide over the shaft and use a 2lb hammer to tap the arm fully into position.
5. 3 and 4 need to happen real fast.....once the arm cools after doing the above...its almost a press fit.
6. clean all threads and with locktite prep cleaner
7. apply the lock tight of your choice to the threads all the way down (the new organe works great) getting a very thin coat on all threads...let this dry
8. the new nut already has locktight
9. after the orange thread lock drys, alloy more thread lock in front of the nuts path
10. install nut and torque.

the nut is one time use.

 

I have the same lift and problem. I had our local dealership fix it for us $500 later ugh and now it is happening again abt 8 months later I'm with you PLEASE HELP

 

5” lift on mine 2 years ago with new drop pitman arm.

Before putting the pitman arm on the shaft…i heated the pitman arm up with map gas around the spline hole. Held with vice grip pliers.

then put it on the shaft and tapped into place with a large socket …the large socket goes over the shaft with out touching the shaft and puts equal surface pressure on the pitman arm surface.

put the steering wheel in position 2 or 4 assuming you decide the turn circle into 5 parts…you don’t want the wheel at either extreme or at center.

i used a 2lb hammer

put the new nut on and torqued it down.

has not come loose and dont expect it too.

when the hot pitman arm cools it shrinks and becomes almost a press fit.