Pitman arm shifted / gearbox question

[MOJAVEC22]

Smacked a car that ran a red light last night. My girl was driving and didn’t have time to stop. Long story short I need a new bumper and my alignment is off. Nothing looks bent but I can only turn left a tiny bit and I can turn right a lot. I can see that the steering gearbox pitman arm is favoring the left side now. It maxes out to the left fairly quickly because it moved. Can turn to the right a lot, more than normal It seems. Still drives straight for the most part but I will still get an alignment asap.

Obviously the impact caused it, I’m just wondering if the spines strip on the sector shaft, or is it internal that would cause the pitman arm to move left from 12 o clock with the wheels straight. Haven’t had time to inspect it further, just looking for info from others that have had this happen. Thanks in advance.

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[arosen1997]

Nice tire choice
That being said, as a mechanic myself I would:

• Drop the pitman arm off the steering gearbox
• Inspect teeth on pitman arm and steering gear for damage
• Manually center steering gear by turning all the way left, counting how many turns to all the way right, then going half that distance back left before placing the pitman arm back on

If that doesn't fix the issue then it's probably the steering gear

That also being said, it's clearly the other vehicle's fault, just drop it off with a shop you trust and let insurance sort it.

 

[DylanM]

From your description, I'd be concerned that either the splines for the pitman are stripped or that the steering box has physical damage. In either case I would recommend not driving the vehicle any more until the exact cause is found and corrected. At present there is a possibility you could lose your steering ability and have another wreck.

 

[MOJAVEC22]

@arosen1997 thanks, love these yokos(except the small rocks that wedge between the tread occasionally). And for that advice, ill do that. I’m trying to just figure this out without insurance. I just filed a claim last month on the 8th due to a theft attempt. They broke 2 windows, my glovebox, and had to get my keys reprogrammed. Probably should have done that on my own too. Just got it back Wednesday and this happens!

With this case I just would rather put the 500 deductible cash towards a new metalcloak bumper and just upgrade any steering components that might be bent if any(tie rods, drag link, track bar). Doesn’t seem like it, so just the gearbox and I have an extended warranty I can use for that I hope.

@DylanM if the splines are ok then maybe the ball bearings in the “worm gear”? But it turns still so I’m not sure it would be internal. I will park it this week until I get it to the alignment shop. Guess I should’ve waited to post until
I checked everything out. Will pull bumper off, check everything good tomorrow.

 

[kevman65]

Are you still on factory steering parts?

If so, look at driver side end of drag link and see if the end has been driven into the adjuster or if it is collapsed.

Could be nothing more than you need a new drag link bar.

 

[DylanM]

@MOJAVEC22
If I'm not mistaken, Nevada isn't a no-fault state so the insurance of the car that ran the red light and caused the accident should be on the hook to fix your Jeep, meaning not a hit on your insurance or any need for you to pay a deductible.

 

[MOJAVEC22]

@MOJAVEC22
If I'm not mistaken, Nevada isn't a no-fault state so the insurance of the car that ran the red light and caused the accident should be on the hook to fix your Jeep, meaning not a hit on your insurance or any need for you to pay a deductible.

Yea it’s def other drivers fault but I forgot to mention it was a hit and run. Driver fled as soon as he stopped spinning. We stopped ahead because it was at an intersection and when I looked over they were gone. That’s why I would have to use my own insurance. We didn’t have time to get the plates and were assessing damages didn’t want to take off after them. Oh well win some you lose some.

So far looking at it before I take off the pitman arm, it looks bent to the left. Which is weird because the impact forced it right. Hard to tell tho. These are pics with the wheels pointing straight. I drew the arrow mark when I installed the sector shaft brace. So that tells me it’s not the splines just by looking at it. The nut is still lined up with the pitman arm. If it had slipped it wouldn’t be lined up. So it must’ve slipped internally? and possibly bent the arm?

@kevman65 draglink is fine; still in it’s position at the adjustment threads.

 

[kevman65]

Tie-rod end/adjuster is bent. You can see the threads of the adjuster are at an angle and tie-rod end is not straight with drag link.

New drag link bar and you'll be good to go.

 

[JTGuy]

Any good alignment shop should be able to tell you what is wrong.

 

[MOJAVEC22]

I turned the pitman arm to match my red arrow marks for center, and lo and behold, steering wheel centered, wheels pointed to the right quite a bit. I was able to find an old picture of my brace install. Def the pitman arm bent. Steering box might be okay after all.

@kevman65
The tie rod on the draglink is suppose to move on its socket like that for when you turn right and left and articulate axle up and down. It just looks extra crooked because the pitman arm is so tweaked. It was hard to tell at first but I think just bent pitman arm and draglink seems fine. Makes sense now why my steering wheel is off by over a turn. Kinda funny I didn’t see this earlier, it took some time underneath to make sense of it. The old picture helped . Will swap the arm and then get an alignment.

old pic

How it’s sitting now

 

[XraytecH]

I turned the pitman arm to match my red arrow marks for center, and lo and behold, steering wheel centered, wheels pointed to the right quite a bit. I was able to find an old picture of my brace install. Def the pitman arm bent. Steering box might be okay after all.

@kevman65
The tie rod on the draglink is suppose to move on its socket like that for when you turn right and left and articulate axle up and down. It just looks extra crooked because the pitman arm is so tweaked. It was hard to tell at first but I think just bent pitman arm and draglink seems fine. Makes sense now why my steering wheel is off by over a turn. Kinda funny I didn’t see this earlier, it took some time underneath to make sense of it. The old picture helped . Will swap the arm and then get an alignment.

old pic

How it’s sitting now

I'd have to agree with you. The pitman arm may be bent.

Also take this opportunity to upgrade the steering linkage.

 

[PuddleJumper]

Yea it’s def other drivers fault but I forgot to mention it was a hit and run. Driver fled as soon as he stopped spinning. We stopped ahead because it was at an intersection and when I looked over they were gone. That’s why I would have to use my own insurance. We didn’t have time to get the plates and were assessing damages didn’t want to take off after them. Oh well win some you lose some.

So far looking at it before I take off the pitman arm, it looks bent to the left. Which is weird because the impact forced it right. Hard to tell tho. These are pics with the wheels pointing straight. I drew the arrow mark when I installed the sector shaft brace. So that tells me it’s not the splines just by looking at it. The nut is still lined up with the pitman arm. If it had slipped it wouldn’t be lined up. So it must’ve slipped internally? and possibly bent the arm?

@kevman65 draglink is fine; still in it’s position at the adjustment threads.

HOLY SHIT. That Pitmen arm is tweak AF. Possibly the drag link too, can't tell cus no full pic. both holes should be parallel on the same plane just offset and lower. Yours is twisted.

 

[CrazyCooter]

Sector shaft in the gear is likely twisted and probably cracked. Don't drive it till you get it fixed.......

 

[JTGuy]

IMO, I would just turn it over to the insurance co and request a complete frame inspection, steering box replace, tie rod and drag link replace. If it hit hard enough to bend that forged pitman arm it really took a hit . Get a new custom bumper while you are at it. Is the front diff OK ?

 

[MOJAVEC22]

@XraytecH I have been eyeing the CavFab 2.5 ton steering for a bit . Will start with pitman arm first tho

@CrazyCooter My service guy said we may be able to warranty out the gearbox if it’s damaged once I fix the pitman arm myself. Im also worried with the force that bent the arm, how the gearbox held up. It had to have maxed out and then the arm bent. I do have the sector shaft brace I bet that helped.

@JTGuy I can get the metal cloak bumper I want, the pitman arm i ordered already, for under $1000 bucks so I’m just going to do that first. Draglink and tierod seem fine. I’d just upgrade if they were bad. Don’t want to use insurance because I just used it for a theft attempt literally June 8th last month. My insurance will go up and I’ll end up paying more than if I just fork up the cash. Frame and everything else look okay. I’m pretty sure the metal cloak brace saved my frame where the gearbox is bolted to. My alignment shop is a good one I will have them give everything a look also.

thanks for the replies, I will start with the arm and see how it does after. Will update once I install it. Should be here next Tuesday/wednesday. She’ll be sittin in the garage till then.

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