Pitman arm
Just another Corvette guy
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,518
Likes: 3,863
From: Palm Springs, CA.
Oops, I see it now. Was on my hand held and the pics were too small to see it before. Yeah, something funky there but I'm pretty sure it would still work fine once tightened.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,057
Likes: 421
From: BC
You are correct. The double spline is there and is for alignment on the shaft but those splines are really badly chewed up or rusted out, especially in the second pic. I would replace the arm and check the shaft at the steering box to see what's up there. I think a new arm is only about 60 bucks.
Last edited by CanadaGrant; Dec 6, 2017 at 11:44 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 269
Likes: 52
From: Springfield, TN
On my cars ('71 & '75), the pitman arm doesn't fully engage the splines on the shaft.
This may have been the case on your car as well, and then the portion that was not engaged may have developed enough rust to eat away some of the exposed splines.
It's just a theory, but I can't really think of another reason for it to be worn or corroded away like that.
This may have been the case on your car as well, and then the portion that was not engaged may have developed enough rust to eat away some of the exposed splines.
It's just a theory, but I can't really think of another reason for it to be worn or corroded away like that.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,114
Likes: 3,904
From: Connecticut, USA
Marty
The sector splines are tapered so you get an interference fit, as mentioned those were probably exposed to the elements over time- although the lockwasher and nut would have cover the opening of the arm. Used PS arms are about $40. #383 is for PS, #451 for manual. I rarely have to replace arms but they do wear at the tapered hole and some get bent in accidents and never picked up on.
The sector splines are tapered so you get an interference fit, as mentioned those were probably exposed to the elements over time- although the lockwasher and nut would have cover the opening of the arm. Used PS arms are about $40. #383 is for PS, #451 for manual. I rarely have to replace arms but they do wear at the tapered hole and some get bent in accidents and never picked up on.
