When I was a kid a toot on the horn meant I dropped the broom, ran to the door, and pulled the chain for the door opener. I guess I was a chain fall tech.

Too much slack (more than the WRITTEN spec) in the Pittman arm means something is wrong. It has two ends so the problem could be at either or both ends. Shaking the arm is DOTs quick and dirty way of finding "something" wrong and generating a fine on a roadside inspection. Been there.

Reindexing (a truck box) means getting the box to "center the steering wheel." The road camber puts wear on one side and the arm gets adjusted to make up for it. Once and only once.

If it was me, I'd start at the ground: wheel sidewalls too soft for the car model? Wheel bearings OK? Bushings OK? Everything tight and aligned? Steering box mounting bolts tight? Correct oil in the steering box? Then and only then would I consider the box adjusting bolt. Too tight and you increase the wear, too loose and you stop the car where you don't plan to. The car box is very different from a truck box, so I wouldn't let your Pittman tech do it.

Good to hear you put a water separator in. Should be a required item for American fuel, in my opinion.

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daBenz - 1970 220D