Steering wheel off center

[GHall]

Remove pitman first.. Then remove drag link. If you have a compressor, you can use a pneumatic hammer with a pickle fork attachment. It's like an impact gun only different.

 

[o1951]

Probably as a result of using a pickle fork to remove the pitman arm. Hammering on or using a pickle fork can drive the pitman arm shaft down and break the gears in the steering box.

Ok - here's the how to: First you remove cotter pin and loosen nut enough to have at least 1/8 clearance. Always leave the nut on so nothing pops loose and hits you. You put a bottle jack on end of shaft/nut and jack enough to pick a bit of load - 100# or so. You jamb the pickle fork in and pry down. All loads are taken by preloaded jack, no significant load goes into box. Any difficulty removing it, leave pickle fork in tight, jack preloaded. Take 2 - 2# ball peen hammers and hit opposite sides of pitman arm socket at exactly the same time. That releases tapered stud. Did LOTS of them back when that truck was new. Never any issues. Some guys used a torch to warm the socket instead of the hammers. I hated that - burning grease and stinky boot seal.

 

[o1951]

but weren't we just told not to strike in that general area with a pickle fork? or should i be removing the pitman arm from the box first. then removing drag link from arm.

I have not seen it done that way, but you could. My concern would be absorbing the forces it takes to loosen the big nut on the end of the pitman shaft without overstressing box internals. I think you would have to brace the pitman arm shaft with a piece of angle iron or something so when you yank on the big wrench, the load goes into the frame, not the box.

 

[dmilkman589]

so wait wait wait, put the bottle jack where?

 

[richingalveston]

get the pitman arm puller, they are cheap and will not break anything. you can use the same puller to pull the tie rod ends. I purchased one from LMC along with the steering wheel puller and lock ring compressor. All three tools were less than $50 and now I can fix anything steering related.

 

[rtk]

This is gonna be GOOD!

 

[wayne pick]

Yea,

 

[scottladdy]

Connecting Rod/Drag Link Replacement

OK, I can't bear to watch this happen.

From the -20 TM, Page 453 - Connecting Rod Replacement

a. REMOVAL
1. Remove 2 cotter pins (2) and nuts (1). Using puller, remove connecting rod sockets (5 and 8 )
from steering arm (6) and pitman arm (9). Remove 2 grease fittings (4) if damaged. Discard
cotter pins.
​

I added the emphasis.

Oh, and guess what, they make a tool for this too.

Does it look familiar? Yep, a smaller version of the pitman arm puller.

Guys, please please please, if you don't know what you are doing PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT SUSPENSION OR STEERING WORK ON YOUR OWN!!

(Apologies for shouting, but this is getting out of hand. I consider this a very serious safety issue and not something to joke about)

 

[o1951]

Dmilkman - wondering if you got it fixed? At independent repair facilities, no one used pullers - woulda needed a bunch to service all the different sizes on various vehicles that came thru the door - foreign and domestic. Mechanics buy their own tools. Not spending that kind of $. Mac tools or KD or snap on guys always trying to show us how their line was better - could do more with less. Properly used, pickle fork is one size fits all and a lot faster.

 

[dmilkman589]

nothing was wrong with it. we adjusted the wheel center and called it a day. figured the drag link slipped some teeth or something cause had it up in the air and couldn't find an un-ordinarily play anywhere...

 

[J8HN]

Now your steering box is not centered and you didn't find the problem. You are asking for trouble..Wise up and be responsible.

 

[dmilkman589]

your wrong. the steering box is centered thats what we fixed. like said earlier its hard for some of you to understand whats going on unless you see the truck. just know everything's good to go. this thread is over. my truck is fine