I just got my truck (97 ram 1500 4wd) back for the alingment shop. They did the toe alingment but said they couldn't center the steering wheel because the tie rod adjusting sleeve was bent. Couldn't I just pull the pitman arm off, center the wheel and reinstall. The steering wheel is almost upside down, ever since i bought the truck which leads me to believe someone installed the pitman arm wrong. Thanks for the help.

 

The sleeve could be the problem but being bent THAT much?
I don't know about that. But, if that's the problem, just buy a new one. The have got to be cheap. I just replaced the Pitman
Arm on my Dakota 4x4, (What a pain in the butt)!
And, do to the fact that there is a slight difference from the stock one vs the Napa replacement, my steering wheel is off
slightly now,.... Gotta do the adjustment myself this weekend. Replace it and be done. Mark the old one with paint for a starting point before you take it off. If you have a hard time turning it, peel it off with a pry-bar once you get the clamps off. Then, just wire brush the threads before trying to put the new on. Good luck.

 

If i replaced the adjusting sleeve I would need to realign the toe correct? The steering wheel is just about upside down right now and i cant stand it. If i repositioned the pitman arm I could at least get the wheel upright, I don't care if it is off a few degrees. Do you see a problem with this?

 

The pitman arm and the steering wheel have notches or grooves that only allow them to be put on in only one position.

 

I just went under the truck to check things out. The right adjusting sleeve is bent pretty bad. After I replace the sleeve I will need to adjust the toe again right? How were they able to set the toe if it was bent bad enough to net set the steering wheel?

 

hummm how did they align it correctly with it bent?

 

thats what I would like to know. The Print out they gave me showed they got the toe within the specified range.