Essential steering components located in the steering box, the idler arm and pitman arm are both key parts of the linkage mechanism that translates the driver’s rotation of the steering wheel into the left and right movement of the car’s wheels. The two arms work together on opposite sides of the centre link but have slightly different functions. The idler arm is attached to the frame or subframe of the car and uses a pivoting action to support the right-hand side of the centre link. The pitman arm performs the role of converting angular motion into linear motion in order to steer the wheels. As with most moving mechanical parts, idler and pitman arms are subject to wear and tear. Because of its pivotal motion, the idler arm is more susceptible to wear than the pitman arm and so generally needs to be replaced more often.