Does anyone know where I can purchase a new pitman arm for a '73 Maverick with power steering? Autokrafters only has one for manual steering, and I've tried local shops, but no luck...
I bought one last year from Car Quest, they were the only ones that could get it for me.http://www.carquest.com/
Well, thank you, I did call them after I saw the reply, but unfortunately, they only carry the idler arm, not the pitman arm... Do you or does anyone else have any other suggestions?
Isn't the pitman arm for power steering just a solid chunk of steel with holes in each end? If so, I have a lot of loose pitman arms and might have one.
Well, the only part I ACTUALLY need is the ball joint on the end, but I'll need to buy the entire part for that....
Ball joint...are you talking about the power "valve"? Has a little ball joint doohicky that slides back and forth (just a bit) to activate the power steering ram? If so, you can buy those new or rebuilt from any auto parts store. Otherwise, I agree with 71...Pitman arms don't have ball joints...
Well, I'm 18, so I'm not 100% sure about it, but my father told me that that ball joint is worn out... when I brake, my car jerks to one side. My dad checked it out, and that was all he could find (i.e. tie rod ends must be fine, idler arm, etc.). The part we ACTUALLY need is the piece that the castle nut bolts down to, if I understand correctly... I actually think I've already replaced everything on my steering except for that...
There should be 5 or 6 different parts with castle nuts...Each of the tie rod ends have one, there is one on the pitman arm, in fact, I think all the steering parts may have one... Take a picture of what you are looking at, post it here, and we will tell you what you need and where to get it.
It's the piece on the pitman arm with the castle nut, I'm not talking about the tie rod ends or anything else, I'm talking about the pitman arm. It's not on the side that bolts up to the steering box, but the other side....
That piece is the power steering control valve or the end of it, it is supposed to have a little back and fourth slack if this is what your thinking is worn out. You will probaly have to buy the whole control valve. If you can stay away from the rebuilt junk, because when the control valve is worn out its worn out. I do think Mustang s unlimited offers a rebuild kit with the ball stud if this is the route you want to take. But from experince BUY A NEW ONE.
On a power steering car, the only part attached to the pitman arm with a castle nut is the ball stud from the control valve of the power steering system. If you are checking the looseness of this area with the engine off, there will always be a lot of play there. When the engine is running, and the hydraulics are working, that play should go away because the power system is actuated. If you determine that the ball stud area is still worn, you need more than just the stud, you will need the bushing and seats and other parts it sits in. At that point you need to have the whole control valve/ball stud section replaced or rebuilt.
