There is play in my steering so I looked down to the pitman arm and I turn the steering shaft back and forth by hand. The pitman arm moves when the shaft moves so the play being in the box is ruled out. The center link does not move with the pitman arm until about 20 deg of shaft rotation. Where is the play likely to be? In the pitman arm or in the center link?
I dont think your test is valid. Try this- With all 4 wheels on the ground, have some one sit in the car and rock the steering wheel back and forth. Get under the car and examine all the steering linkage joints. They should be no slop, play or movement in any of the greaseable joints You need to check- centerlink, idler arm and inner and outer tie rods.
there is definitely play at the centerlink/pitman arm joint. The pitman arm can move considerably while the centerlink does not. I was just wondering if the pitman arm can wear and you said no, so it is the centerlink at least. I dont have any extra hands here so Ill have to find some other way to check the rest of it.
With it in the air, grab the center link and see if it will wiggle. On an A body (maybe others) the center link has a ball at the pitman and idler with holes for the tie rods. If it wobbles, it is probably the center link. I'd also bet the idler is probably shot, too! I've never had anything loose on any car I've had that didn't have a bad idler arm. I just finished upgrading my steering gear box and upper A arms with taller ball joints. I found the center link and idler both shot. Drives like a new one, better actually since I put the close ratio steering in it.
