93 C1500 steering - tire cupped. Idler arm?

[keraf]

Just had a tire rotate & balance & the front passenger tire was worn on the inside. Techs showed me some play in that wheel/linkage that they diagnosed as a worn idler arm & pitman arm. Seemed much more play and wear on the passenger than the driver side. My questions are:
(1) why would worn idler/pitman arms cause more alignment/wear problems on one side and not the other?
(2) why would both idler & pitman arms wear and need replacing at same time? Is that common?
(3) any tricks/gotchas to be aware of on this? I probably will have it done rather than attempting myself as I have no lift, tools, etc. for this.
(4) anything else that should be done while in there?
Thanks.

[777stickman]

Seems to me a worn idler/pitman would effect both tires as far as abnormal wear (toe in/toe out). Since there is more wear on the pass side I would suspect pass side tie rods and/or worn ball joints (camber & caster).

Just MHO...........Steve

[OleBones]

Have you had this truck since it was new or know the service history? Difference in wear could be because of some prior work being done on one side and not the other. When I replace idler/pitman, I usually do both sides just to get new parts on there because trouble seems to go to the weakest point. Cupping of tires can be caused by bad shocks. You might want to check the ball joints, upper and lower control arm bushings, and tie-rod ends. If the rubber boots on these parts are deteriorated, dirt and grime can get in there and wear the parts out. I replace these parts with a jack and jackstands and seperators designed to seperate the different tapered fittings. Autozone has a loan-a-tool program, so you can get the tools you need there. I am assuming you have the basic handtools.
If replacing control arm bushings just be sure to use a spring compressor or chain the spring down so it can't jump out and injure you(your most valuable asset). When replacing tie-rod ends, just get a good mark on the old one before you start taking it off and count the number of turns it takes to get it out. Then lay the old one down next to the new one do a comparison check. When you put the new one back on just count the turns. Then you can drive it to an alignment shop and have the alignment done. You will save money on parts and labor by replacing the worn parts yourself.

Originally Posted by keraf

Just had a tire rotate & balance & the front passenger tire was worn on the inside. Techs showed me some play in that wheel/linkage that they diagnosed as a worn idler arm & pitman arm. Seemed much more play and wear on the passenger than the driver side. My questions are:
(1) why would worn idler/pitman arms cause more alignment/wear problems on one side and not the other?
(2) why would both idler & pitman arms wear and need replacing at same time? Is that common?
(3) any tricks/gotchas to be aware of on this? I probably will have it done rather than attempting myself as I have no lift, tools, etc. for this.
(4) anything else that should be done while in there?
Thanks.

[keraf]

Thanks for the info. Tire wear is on the front passenger inside - not really cupped as I first said. I'm very ignorant about steering linkage issues but since idler arm/pitman arm is not side specific, I'm still surprised the wear is confined to the passenger side - or at least is noticeably worse. Again, is it common that both Pitman & Idler wear out together? Thanks.

[spyder2000]

Yes, replace both pitman and idler together. If one is worn enough to cause issues then the vibrations will pass to other component as well. The parts are cheap relative to your time or money in purchasing the labor to get this done. Tire wear more often than not is cause by incorrect toe. A proper alignment will correct this too.

[keraf]

Thanks for your response. Shop (Tires Plus) said that is won't hold the alignment until the idler/pitman is replaced. Again, I don't understand why just the passenger side wear and not the driver side as well. I guess I would feel better if someone knowledgeable told me this is common or gave a good reason for it. Thanks again.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by keraf

Thanks for your response. Shop (Tires Plus) said that is won't hold the alignment until the idler/pitman is replaced. Again, I don't understand why just the passenger side wear and not the driver side as well. I guess I would feel better if someone knowledgeable told me this is common or gave a good reason for it. Thanks again.

It is my observation that the debris on the road shoulder is the cause of increased tire wear on that side.....

also front end components have more work to do when they hit the road side drainage storm grates curbs etc.....


In my area you also have road salts that cause damage to all these componets....tire rotations every 10,ooomi is required..


If you drive very close to the road shoulder you should expect this...and also the spring on the passenger side to be in need of replacement...

[maxwedge]

Cupped tires can be caused by a bad shock, also.