Symptoms
Steering wheel off-center or loose, with an inch or more of free play before the wheels move. Front tires that splay apart over obstacles. A shimmy at around 35 mph that fades by 40. The shop manual's limits are 5/16 in of vertical play at the center link for the idler, 1/8 in for the pitman, and 1/32 in at either ball stud.
The fix, step by step
- Unbolt the idler arm from the frame and separate it from the center link with a puller or pickle fork.
- Flash Off-Road had to cut away the rubber seal first.
- With the idler off, the center link drops and the pitman arm comes off the steering box shaft.
- Pack grease around the box output shaft.
- Fit the new pitman on the splines and the center link together, torque the big nut to 180 lb-ft and the 15/16-in ball-stud nut to 80 lb-ft, and line up the cotter pin.
- Bolt the new idler to the frame at 60 lb-ft and its ball stud at 80 lb-ft, then grease both. 1993–94 trucks with the 7/8-in center link need spacers; the 1-in link started at VIN 163985.
Tools & part numbers
- Pitman puller
- 1-5/16-in socket and breaker bar
- 18 mm, 11/16 and 5/8-in sockets
- torque wrench to 180 lb-ft
- jack stands
- cotter pins
- AM General idler 5745558 and pitman 6011300 (Flash Off-Road, 2005)
Where to buy the parts
OEM Hummer pitman armChevy Parts Deal (GM dealer) ↗
Steering gear, 1998 H1 6.5 TD (catalog)RockAuto ↗
Predator H1 Steering StabilizerPredator Inc ↗Amazon ↗
Hunting a used or discontinued part? Search eBay Motors for AM General Hummer H1 parts →
Rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, support the truck on stands rather than a jack, and work at your own risk (disclaimer). Some parts links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission at no cost to you.