Pitman arm "play"

[Strawdawg]

with the slightest movement of the pittman arm, the crosslink should move with it.  If the the pittman arm moves and the crosslink does not immediately move then there is a wear problem.  sounds like it is working right from your description.

[Katfish]

The joint is designed to pivot like a joystick, but it should be EXTREMELY hard to move that way by hand.

[mrbill426]

Thanks for the info guys.  I makes no sense to me why they would design any movement in that tapered stem other than (spinning) rotation, to me any "joystick" movement no matter how "extremely hard" to do would cause a (sloppy) delay in the center link's travel.  Maybe that is why I never felt like I had precise steering control.  Anyway, I have ordered another brand just to see if it is any "tighter.  I'll report back.

 

[Strawdawg]

Again, if the cross link moves with the pittman with no lost movement, then it is good to go.  If you watch the pittman/crosslink while some one moves the steering wheel, it will be obvious if there is a problem.  You want weight on the tires when doing this.

If there is wasted movement, then be sure it is the pittman and not the cross link that is the problem

[burdar]

It's designed like a joystick because the steering moves in an arc.  The steering box is mounted at an angle.  That means the end of the pitman arm doesn't just move left to right in a flat plain.  It also moves up and down as you turn the wheel.

[Chryco Psycho]

It swings in an arc but it has to stay on the same plane as the steering box

[mrbill426]

Thanks again everyone, the "arc" concept make perfect sense to me. 
 I have two arms to choose from now and the Raybestos one seems to be "tighter" than the Moog so I'm thinking of going with it.