Volkswagen Vanagon Pitman Arm Replacement at your home or office.

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Pitman Arm Replacement Service

How much does a Pitman Arm Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Volkswagen Vanagon Pitman Arm Replacement is $275 with $180 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1986 Volkswagen VanagonH4-2.1LService typePitman Arm ReplacementEstimate$475.75Shop/Dealer Price$575.94 - $854.01
1983 Volkswagen VanagonH4-1.9LService typePitman Arm ReplacementEstimate$455.75Shop/Dealer Price$555.96 - $834.04
1987 Volkswagen VanagonH4-2.1LService typePitman Arm ReplacementEstimate$455.75Shop/Dealer Price$555.96 - $834.04
1983 Volkswagen VanagonH4-2.0LService typePitman Arm ReplacementEstimate$455.75Shop/Dealer Price$555.94 - $834.00
1982 Volkswagen VanagonL4-1.6L DieselService typePitman Arm ReplacementEstimate$455.75Shop/Dealer Price$555.97 - $834.07
1980 Volkswagen VanagonH4-2.0LService typePitman Arm ReplacementEstimate$455.75Shop/Dealer Price$555.96 - $834.04
1981 Volkswagen VanagonH4-2.0LService typePitman Arm ReplacementEstimate$460.75Shop/Dealer Price$560.82 - $838.80
1984 Volkswagen VanagonL4-1.6L DieselService typePitman Arm ReplacementEstimate$460.75Shop/Dealer Price$561.19 - $839.46
Show example Volkswagen Vanagon Pitman Arm Replacement prices

What is the Pitman Arm all about?

Not the sexiest of all automotive parts, the Pitman Arm, named after railroad engineer George Pitman, is tasked with steering your car. The Pitman takes the circular motion generated by the sector shaft and converts it so that it can be used to turn the wheels. The Pitman arm, supported by the sector arm, is attached directly to the steering gearbox.

Keep in mind:

  • The Pitman Arm is robust. With proper maintenance, it will last the entire lifetime of your car.

How it's done:

  • The vehicle is raised, secured on jack stands and the front tire removed
  • The defective pitman arm is removed
  • The new pitman arm is installed with a new nut
  • The tire is installed and the vehicle is lowered off of the jack stands
  • The vehicle is road tested for proper steering operation

Our recommendation:

The Pitman Arm needs regular maintenance. If it receives that maintenance, it will easily last the life of your car. However, if you fail to give it regular maintenance, you will find that between 30,000 and 50,000 miles, your car's steering will falter. To prevent this, vehicle owners should have their Pitman Arm inspected regularly. A six-month inspection of the steering gear is more than adequate for most driving. However, if you drive in rough, rocky, off-road or other harsh conditions, the Pitman Arm will deteriorate quickly. It is wise to have it inspected, and replaced, if need be, on a three-month basis if this is the case. This may seem drastic, but remember that if your car's front wheels are taking a pounding, the Pitman Arm, as it sits on the steering gearbox, does too.

What common symptoms indicate you may need to replace the Pitman Arm?

  • Excessive play in the steering
  • Irregular or slipping steering
  • Inexact steering or wandering

How important is this service?

If you fail to follow the service recommendations in your owner's manual, you run the very real risk of losing steering control due to Pitman Arm failure. When the Pitman Arm fails, there is no longer a connection between the sector shaft and the wheels. When that direct connection is lost, you lose the ability to steer, which can result in dangerous consequences.

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Meet some of our expert Volkswagen mechanics

Real customer reviews from Volkswagen owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(15)

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Raymond

36 years of experience
63 reviews
Raymond
36 years of experience
Volkswagen Vanagon H4-2.1L - Car is not starting - Auburn, Washington
Raymond did an excellent job in determining what was wrong with my van. As a classic car owner, I won't just let anyone touch "My Precious." You can really tell he does what he loves, and he appreciates every vehicle he works on. I wouldn't hesitate to hire Raymond again, what an excellent first time experience with this service!

Trevor

22 years of experience
185 reviews
Trevor
22 years of experience
Volkswagen Vanagon H4-1.9L - Car is not starting - Cardiff By The Sea, California
Trevor is professional and very knowledgeable. He was quick to diagnose our problem and fixed it. We highly recommend him!!!

Kenneth

20 years of experience
801 reviews
Kenneth
20 years of experience
Volkswagen Vanagon H4-1.9L - Smoke from engine or exhaust - Los Angeles, California
I am so impressed with the knowledge that Kenneth has and explained the problems with my 1983 VW Westfalia Camper in such a way that I learnt a lot about this Van's engine. He spent enough time to check, detect the problems and made suggestions how to fix the issues. I will surely call him back in a week for a re-check. He is courteous, professional and a good teacher.

Scott

36 years of experience
920 reviews
Scott
36 years of experience
Volkswagen Vanagon H4-2.1L - Pre-purchase Car Inspection - Phoenix, Arizona
Very thorough, took his time to go over his findings- very pleased!

Excellent Rating

(15)

Rating Summary
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Number of Volkswagen Vanagon services completed
165+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Volkswagen MECHANICS
1000+
experts on our platform

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