I had the original pitman arm on my 05 2500hd replaced about 2yrs ago. About a year later, it broke again. Both times, they were replaced by moog. Well yesterday as I am backing out of a parking space, it pops and had completely broke again. I have a torsion key lift and am running 325/60/18's. I did some searching and saw some people recommend the Cognito idler/pitman brace kit. Are there any other recommendations that you all may have?? Thanks!

Honestly I have seen and heard of many issues with the aftermarket Idler and Pitman arms. I have replaced numerous aftermarket arms, including MOOG, compared to the number of OEM arms. The aftermarket arms are cheaper but just do not seem to be as strong and durable as OEM (GM) arms. I only use and install GM Idler and Pitman Arms when I replace them for myself or my customers. I personally suggest going back to OEM arms and then adding the Cognito Pitman Arm and Idler Arm Support kit. I keep all these components here in the shop and can help you out if needed. Just let me know if you'd like a price.

Thanks! I have heard a few others tell me to go back to OEM parts. If I put the OEM on this weekend, will I have to pull it off to put on the cognito stabilizers? I am trying to get it fixed tomorrow morning as I have to leave town.

Ive always heard Moog was stronger.

Breaking arms is not normal, you have something else going on.

Thanks! I have heard a few others tell me to go back to OEM parts. If I put the OEM on this weekend, will I have to pull it off to put on the cognito stabilizers? I am trying to get it fixed tomorrow morning as I have to leave town.

No you will not have to remove the arms in order to install the Cognito Idler and Pitman Arm supports. The supports install with the arms and everything in place. Very easy install.

Breaking arms is not normal, you have something else going on.

any ideas???? I do have 325/60/18's on my truck. I thought that that might be part of the problem as well as some of the things I have heard about the Moog.

With that large of a tire and no lift you are applying alot of stress or twist to the steering and without at least Cognito braces installed you are only going to see this keep happening. Cognito steering braces will not be the over all fix but will help the life reducing wear and twist. Over all you may want to start looking into a true lift to better your steering angles at the same height, this will keep everything lasting longer.

Without a question get a gm pitman. Moog pitmans are no good in my experience. Their idlers are ok though.

Thanks for all the info guys.... Is there a specific brand of lift that is recommended, or one to stay away from??

So the question remains....OEM GM pitman/idler or Moog pitman/idler. I plan on putting in a 4'' TC kit and was going to go with the aftermarket but if the OEM is just as good with the steering braces....I'll take that route.

I like spicer idler arm/pitman arm. I wont use moog again.

Something else is wrong here guys. I run the moog arms with 37s and ram my wheels against rocks many times offroad. The arms have never broke. In fact, the steering box will blow and/or I will bend the HD shaft inside the Cognito Blue Idler assembly - long before the arms ever went out.

I also am raised so high with torsion only lift that I have to run RCV half shafts just to get rid of CV vibrations. I am cranked up about 3" in the front.

granted I am doing this in an H2, but the arms are the same as a 2500HD. I do have the Cognito braces though, but never broke an arm even without the braces.

Something else is wrong here guys. I run the moog arms with 37s and ram my wheels against rocks many times offroad. The arms have never broke. In fact, the steering box will blow and/or I will bend the HD shaft inside the Cognito Blue Idler assembly - long before the arms ever went out.

I also am raised so high with torsion only lift that I have to run RCV half shafts just to get rid of CV vibrations. I am cranked up about 3" in the front.

granted I am doing this in an H2, but the arms are the same as a 2500HD. I do have the Cognito braces though, but never broke an arm even without the braces.


x2 the arms just dont break on a regular occurance, moog or gm. Something else is wrong.

There may be something else wrong like maybe something else is worn out that is putting to much of a load on the steering, but the moog arms walk up the splines (more than one case) and become loose and a number of people have broken the shafts clear off as well. I personally experienced the prior and will never go back. They are also IMHO an inferior design by using coarser threads on the shaft. Now the idler on the other hand is a much beefier piece than stock.

Easiest thing to do is lift up on side of the front underneath the a-arm so to take the load off the ball joints and steering and see what is loose. Do a top to bottom motion and a side to side motion. Check the upper and lower boall joints, the wheel bearings and the steering components. Unfortunately, this is one of the things we have to live with with our trucks. Still, I will take it over replacing headgaskets, egr parts and intercoolers like most of my buddies have to do regularily on their Fords. :)

I have a rancho 4" lift, 35s and the cognito front end equipment... I have had to change out the pitman and idler several times... checkout this pic, its the cognito brace

http://i44.tinypic.com/2eeyliq.jpg

Does the 1500s and 2500s share the same pitman arm?

Does the 1500s and 2500s share the same pitman arm?


No they do not, different angle or arm all together.

Does the 1500s and 2500s share the same pitman arm?
Like Nick said, completely different.

Something to know or watch out for...you can install a 1500 idler arm on a 2500 and drive the truck but we have come across this and the way you see that something is wrong, the 1500 arm will drop the idler side of the center link lower than the pitman arm side thus not sitting flat like it should. This will throw the tow all whacked up while driving down the highway and the suspension traveling. We have found after trying to chase a coupe front end issue's people have been sold from GM and parts stores the 1500 by mistake and the general DIYer not noticing it and chasing there problems after. Recently there was a truck owner on Duramaxforum.com that had a front end issue for almost a full year that they spent money trying new parts to find out it was due to a 1500 idler arm getting install by mistake and no one ever seen it. link to read > http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/images/misc/paperclip.gif (http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/suspension-steering/index5.html#) http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/images/misc/subscribed.gif Idler/Pitman braces Help (http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/suspension-steering/51060-idler-pitman-braces-help.html)

Completely agree. i had a customer come to me wanting the idler and pitman arm braces installed after they just put new idler and pitman arms on because the truck's steering was much much worse after the new arms. The arms were installed at a basic service center when he had his oiled changed. Long story short, when we tried to install the braces, found out they had used a 1500 pitman arm. Didn't know he was having steering issues till after I told him something he had the wrong arms on his truck. Come to find out, the service center finally admitted their mistake and fixed the issue. Which good for me, I now do all the maintenance and repair work on this customer's truck! The truck was all over the road with the 1500 arms on it. Almost dangerous to drive!

Something else is wrong here guys. I run the moog arms with 37s and ram my wheels against rocks many times offroad. The arms have never broke. In fact, the steering box will blow and/or I will bend the HD shaft inside the Cognito Blue Idler assembly - long before the arms ever went out.

I also am raised so high with torsion only lift that I have to run RCV half shafts just to get rid of CV vibrations. I am cranked up about 3" in the front.

granted I am doing this in an H2, but the arms are the same as a 2500HD. I do have the Cognito braces though, but never broke an arm even without the braces.

im gunna have to agree with tompat and Nick on this. Ive runn HARD miles on my moog idler/pitman arms and never broke one. Now ive worn them out very quick (5k w/o the cognito supports) but even with the supports i only got 10k out of my idler/pitman arm.

How often do you check for slop in the idler/pitman arm? they could have been worn out to the point of causing them to break. I dont know though as im not there though so it could be all kinds of things but this would be my best guesstiment.

I dont think there is much if any difference in teh moog and gm parts. untill i see factual evidence that moog is indeed worse then ill believe it but with my exaxt kit and all the hard HARD driving ive put on the idler/pitman arm form moog im hard pressed to say they are junk

I just check my front end tonight when i rotatecd my tires and everything was very solid unlike before I have movement at the pitman/ilder arm joints. I have 10k on my Moog idler/pitman arm and cognito supports, all highway and my ranch road every weekend. The

I got 8" lift and run supersteer support kit has worked good for me so far 40k+

Something to know or watch out for...you can install a 1500 idler arm on a 2500 and drive the truck but we have come across this and the way you see that something is wrong, the 1500 arm will drop the idler side of the center link lower than the pitman arm side thus not sitting flat like it should. This will throw the tow all whacked up while driving down the highway and the suspension traveling. We have found after trying to chase a coupe front end issue's people have been sold from GM and parts stores the 1500 by mistake and the general DIYer not noticing it and chasing there problems after. Recently there was a truck owner on Duramaxforum.com that had a front end issue for almost a full year that they spent money trying new parts to find out it was due to a 1500 idler arm getting install by mistake and no one ever seen it. link to read > http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/images/misc/paperclip.gif (http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/suspension-steering/index5.html#) http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/images/misc/subscribed.gif Idler/Pitman braces Help (http://www.duramaxforum.com/forum/suspension-steering/51060-idler-pitman-braces-help.html)


Weird rockauto lists the same Moog/Acdelco pitman and idler arms for a 1500 and 2500hd.

What are the correct part numbers? I hope I have the right ones installed.

Well it has happened again. I am starting to get sick of this. Pitman arm completely snapped again. I had it alligned after I had the pitman arm replaced in March and was told everything was in good shape. I am not very mechanically inclined so I have no idea what else could be causing this. Other than having different torsion keys installed and cranked a little bit, everything else is stock. I have 325/60/18's installed so maybe those with no lift are part of the problem. I guess it's time to find a 3" lift kit. Let me know if you have any recommendations.

Thanks!

Well it has happened again. I am starting to get sick of this. Pitman arm completely snapped again. I had it alligned after I had the pitman arm replaced in March and was told everything was in good shape. I am not very mechanically inclined so I have no idea what else could be causing this. Other than having different torsion keys installed and cranked a little bit, everything else is stock. I have 325/60/18's installed so maybe those with no lift are part of the problem. I guess it's time to find a 3" lift kit. Let me know if you have any recommendations.

Thanks!

....Alot of tire and no true lift...alot of working angle and leverage. I would look at a true 4" lift at least to be clearing the tires and wheels but with retaining the factory working angles so your steering is not stressed out. Remember when people say they can make 325/60r18's fit under a stock or leveled HD doesn't mean it will function correctly and not wear or break parts, push the limits of what we see being the common guide line and things like this will happen.

Sorry to hear you continue on breaking your front end but I think you have figured it out.

I have been running 325/60/18 for almost 3 years without any problems. Actually I just had the alignment checked today. The tech said there was some play but it wasn't to the point of needing new parts. He did recommend the cognito steering kit to me. Where is the best place to buy the kit? The cognito web site had it listed for $230, is there a cheaper place to buy it?

check ebay

do you turn your steering wheel standing in one spot at all? That puts a lot of stress on steering parts and most pitman arms that ive seen break are usually in parking lots...

I have been running 325/60/18 for almost 3 years without any problems. Actually I just had the alignment checked today. The tech said there was some play but it wasn't to the point of needing new parts. He did recommend the cognito steering kit to me. Where is the best place to buy the kit? The cognito web site had it listed for $230, is there a cheaper place to buy it?

I have all the Cognito steering upgrades in stock if you are interested. I will be as cheap as any authorized Cognito dealer can be! Let me know if I can help.

Well it has happened again. I am starting to get sick of this. Pitman arm completely snapped again. I had it alligned after I had the pitman arm replaced in March and was told everything was in good shape. I am not very mechanically inclined so I have no idea what else could be causing this. Other than having different torsion keys installed and cranked a little bit, everything else is stock. I have 325/60/18's installed so maybe those with no lift are part of the problem. I guess it's time to find a 3" lift kit. Let me know if you have any recommendations.

Thanks!
You could just back off with those enormous tires and retreat to something a bit more chassis friendly.:confused:

i have cognito hd tie rods and brace kit, what should i do about my center link?? i'm running 30/70/16 on just cranked t-bars. when i'm launching in 4wd i notice my tires point in a fair amount. i don't race or off road on a daily basis.

i have cognito hd tie rods and brace kit, what should i do about my center link?? i'm running 30/70/16 on just cranked t-bars. when i'm launching in 4wd i notice my tires point in a fair amount. i don't race or off road on a daily basis.



Cranked torsion bars + Boost launching in 4wd = issue's

lower the front end to have the steering angles be flat if you are looking to 4wd lauch and the front end will react better. The increased angles are the issue and why it's allowing the tires to toe in.