[FleetwoodEstateWagon]

My idler arm and center link need to be replaced. Shop recommends replacing pitman arm at the same time. I can find a Proforged pitman arm for the Buick Roadmaster, but not for a Cadillac Fleetwood. I like the idea of updating the entire steering system, so I hope we can focus on the part identification and not get into an intellectual discussion on whether a pitman arm would ever need to be replaced or not.

 

[MWP]

It's the same part as Roadmaster.

 

[Z09B4U]

Shop recommends replacing pitman arm at the same time.

If the shop can not give you a good reason to change the pitman arm you may not have the right shop.The pitman arm wears out the center link but normally does not have a wear point itself.

The Pitman arm is on the steering box and not normally an Item that is changed when
doing front end work.

The Pittman arm is not a wear item, so it is seldom replaced. The only time you would replace it is if it was damaged in a wreck. There are 3 different sizes of the arm. There is a thread from a couple of years ago that enumerated the differences. Use the search function to find it

If you search pitman arm on the forum you will find more information like this.

 

[95wagon]

The common reason for needing a pitman is if the attaching nut is loose after a curbing incident.
The taper can be damaged in an impact.
I will say, from many first hand years in the industy, the sector also twists right above pitman really easy in a crash.
If the car has not been hit ,and the nut is tight then, as stated above, you might be wanting your shop to explain themselves.

 

[Z09B4U]

Will the shop guarantee no damage to the steering box while removing or replacing the nut or arm?

By the way, the FSM spec for the pitman arm nut torque is 179 lb/ft or 243 N.m

 

[Fred Kiehl]

The Pittman arm is not a wear item. You should never have to replace it unless the hole gets wallowed out, and that is nearly impossible. I think your garage is trying to make an extra buck at your lack of knowledge. The part that is the real culprit is the idler arm on the other side. I had to replace the center link recently, and the center link ball joint was damaged to the point that it was difficult to remove from the Pittman arm. I had to remove the arm and center link together, and separate them outside of the car. I reinstalled the Pittman arm and installed the new cross link.

 

[kink56]

I know that a towing package Roadmaster pitman arm is different than a regular Roadmaster. There are a different amount of cogs.

 

[Caddylack]

I know that a towing package Roadmaster pitman arm is different than a regular Roadmaster. There are a different amount of cogs.

Excuse me?

That would mean that the towing package also used a different steering box, which seems unlikely.

 

[kink56]

Yes, the towing package used a different steering box. I own a normal 1994 RMLS and I owned a 1994 V92 RMLS but sold it to my son-in-law.

 

[kink56]

I agree with the majority here. Pitman arms seldom need to be changed. The idler arm on these cars are a weak point. And I would replace them with a Moog part. I am sure everyone knows that the center link on a Fleetwood is different than one on a Roadmaster. The steering damper is on the opposite side between the two cars. The steering damper is different too, but the Moog part will work on either car.

 

[kink56]

If you want to update the entire steering system, don't forget a wear item, the tie rod ends!

 

[kink56]

So what I am implying is MAYBE the pitman arm on a FWB is not the same as on a RMLS

 

[Marky Dissod]

There were 3 different Pitman Arms. Their lengths varied very slightly. It was not a Caddy / Buick / Chevy thing.
More like FE1? FE2? FE3? FE4? F40? F41? 7B3? 8X3?
Even the same ratio steering box could get a different length Pitman Arm, depending on which suspension variant.


For further reading (Navy Lifer is awesome):

pitman arm part number

does anyone know the moog pitman arm part number?

www.impalassforum.com

Did some Impalas come with a 3.0 turn power steering box...

I picked up a used power steering box. The seller is positive that it came from a '96 SS but after installing it in my '94 wagon, it is 3.0 turns lock to lock. It feels like a "moderate" ratio--somewhere in between 12.7:1 and 16:1, and while it is higher effort than the stock box from my...

www.impalassforum.com

Steering box fitment 9C1 box

I was sold a steernig box to install on my 95 Caprice wagon for quick steering. I was told it was from a 9C1. I checked it before buying and found the turns lock to lock to be about 2.5 to 2.75 as I remember about .75 less than the stock box in the wagon. The box carries 7826692 in the casting...

www.impalassforum.com

So how many other FE1 Caprices came with quick steering?

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Which PS box?

Finished the PS lines yesterday. What a pain. I was a bit disappointed with the Gates hoses I bought. The hard sections of the lines were poorly bent. I had to reshape every end to get them to thread in. I was also disappointed with the O-rings. They were poorly sized and kept falling off...

www.impalassforum.com

 

[Caddylack]

There were 3 different Pitman Arms. Their lengths varied very slightly. It was not a Caddy / Buick / Chevy thing.
More like FE1? FE2? FE3? FE4? F40? F41? 7B3? 8X3?
Even the same ratio steering box could get a different length Pitman Arm, depending on which suspension variant.


For further reading (Navy Lifer is awesome):

pitman arm part number

does anyone know the moog pitman arm part number?

www.impalassforum.com

Did some Impalas come with a 3.0 turn power steering box...

I picked up a used power steering box. The seller is positive that it came from a '96 SS but after installing it in my '94 wagon, it is 3.0 turns lock to lock. It feels like a "moderate" ratio--somewhere in between 12.7:1 and 16:1, and while it is higher effort than the stock box from my...

www.impalassforum.com

Steering box fitment 9C1 box

I was sold a steernig box to install on my 95 Caprice wagon for quick steering. I was told it was from a 9C1. I checked it before buying and found the turns lock to lock to be about 2.5 to 2.75 as I remember about .75 less than the stock box in the wagon. The box carries 7826692 in the casting...

www.impalassforum.com

So how many other FE1 Caprices came with quick steering?

So, finally got a long weekend and some car time. Grabbed the impala gearbox that's been sitting in other garage for many years as it was going in the 91. Figured it was due for a home this weekend in the 95. But first needed front brakes as they haven't been touched in the 5 years of having...

www.impalassforum.com

Which PS box?

Finished the PS lines yesterday. What a pain. I was a bit disappointed with the Gates hoses I bought. The hard sections of the lines were poorly bent. I had to reshape every end to get them to thread in. I was also disappointed with the O-rings. They were poorly sized and kept falling off...

www.impalassforum.com

Apparently I got really lucky when I bought my pitman arm and steering box. Nice.