PROBLEM WITH COGNITO PITMAN/IDLER KIT

[SummitUp]

A couple of weeks ago I installed the Cognito UCA leveling kit and also the Cognito Pitman/Idler Arm support kit. After installing the pitman/idler support kit, while the truck was still up on the jack stands, I was testing the feel of the steering lock to lock and noticed what I consider a potentially serious problem:

At full right hand turn at full lock I noticed that the turn limit "bump" stops on the left (driver's side) spindle/steering knuckle were lacking a 1/4" of making contact. What I found really disturbed me. The Cognito idler support arm was hard up against the center link, right where the steering stabilizer is mounted. This is bad news because the mechanical advantage of this scissor like action puts an extreme amount of sideways shear stress on the the idler arm mounting stud that the center link is mounted on. This point of contact is now acting as the turn limit bump stop!

I contacted Cognito immediately about this (emailed them photos also), and they told me that my alignment was probably in an extreme toe-out situation, and after a professional alignment the problem would be corrected. Wrong! I knew this wasn't the case as I checked the toe-in toe-out with a tape measure and it showed a 1/16" toe-in which is within specs.

Because I installed the Cognito UCA's and cranked up the torsion bar keys an alignment was called for anyway, so I just just had a professional alignment done yesterday, which is why I waited to post this. The alignment DID NOT correct this problem. I will contact Cognito again concerning this, but I don't see any easy fix for this. Today, with my right angle grinder, I ground a notch in the center link at the point of contact and also ground a little off the Cognito idler support arm. This has fixed that point of contact but the spindle turn limit stop still lacks about an 1/8" of making contact, because now the outboard side of the Cognito support arm is contacting the front frame cross member. Also in an extreme left turn at lock the Cognito pitman support arm also contacts the front frame cross member on the left side and prevents the right side spindle turn limit stop from engaging by about 1/16". The spindle turn limit stops need to take the stress of a full lock turn, not the Cognito components, especially in extreme off-roading situations.

At any rate I urge anyone who has installed the Cognito pitman/idler support arm kit to remove your front skid plate ASAP and do an inspection. I can't believe that my '05 H2 is unique in some way. If this is a problem with my ride, I'm betting it's a problem with your ride too. I'd sure like to find out!

edit: Actually you don't really need to remove the skid plate, just turn the steering lock to lock and look underneath to see if the turn limit stops are making contact. If you have this problem, please post your experience here, I'll be contacting Cognito about this next Monday. I also started this same topic over at the ******* Forums.

[IMG]http://www.*******club.com/forum/download/file.php?id=15599[/IMG]

[SummitUp]

OK, I found this situation unacceptable and I had no choice but to address this problem in the quickest easiest way. What I did was fabricate adjustable turn limit stops on my H2 (on both sides). I'm now confident that there will be no abnormal stresses applied to the Cognito support arms, and a little bonus is If I go with 37" tires I wont have to worry about them rubbing the front stabilizer bar at full lock! :lol:

If anyone else who's installed the Cognito Pitman/Idler support kit has this problem, please post your experience here!

At any rate, as the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll just let the photos tell the story:

[IMG]http://www.*******club.com/forum/download/file.php?id=15641[/IMG]

[Rhyno]

I have the same problem as SummitUp. Thanks for the post by the way!! I wouldn't have known there was a problem without it. I do not have the Cognito UCA's on my truck. The shop that installed my stuff is going to call Cognito and see what they say which will probably be the same as what they said to SummitUp. My shop will be looking into different options to fix this problem!!

[TXSUT]

Sincerest thanks for the warning and thorough explanation, SummitUp. I just recently had the Cognito kit installed, so now I have some checking to do this weekend. And Rhyno, thanks for adding in your knowledge as well...a second case of the same thing let's me know that I need to take this seriously.

It's funny, a person like me comes to this site thinking it's a safe bet to go with what's recommended, assuming most members here have expertise in all things Hummer. This kit sure came across as the next best thing since sliced bread, and I feel stupid for blindly running with the crowd.

[CONRAD II]

Originally Posted by TXSUT

It's funny, a person like me comes to this site thinking it's a safe bet to go with what's recommended, assuming most members here have expertise in all things Hummer. This kit sure came across as the next best thing since sliced bread, and I feel stupid for blindly running with the crowd.

Reflections of HUMMER life by TXSUT

[TXSUT]

Originally Posted by CONRAD II

Reflections of HUMMER life by TXSUT

[Rhyno]

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[SummitUp]

Originally Posted by Rhyno

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[Rhyno]

SummitUp, My shop did the same thing that you did to limit the steering. They installed nut's that you can adjust to limit the steering from hitting. I did not trim the Cognito support arms. I did lose a bit of turn radius

[TXSUT]

Finally got up under my truck this weekend...same problem.

[SummitUp]

Originally Posted by Rhyno

SummitUp, My shop did the same thing that you did to limit the steering. They installed nut's that you can adjust to limit the steering from hitting. I did not trim the Cognito support arms. I did lose a bit of turn radius

Rhyno, thanks for the update! Can you post a photo showing what your shop did?

Originally Posted by TXSUT

Finally got up under my truck this weekend...same problem.

TX, what are you planning to do to fix this?

Seems like Cognito should be picking up the tab for these repairs!

[TXSUT]

Originally Posted by SummitUp

TX, what are you planning to do to fix this?

Seems like Cognito should be picking up the tab for these repairs!

Not sure at this point, but I agree that Cognito should stand behind their products. I'm still under extended warranty, so drilling those holes to fit steering stops makes me a bit nervous.

[Rhyno]

Here is a pic

[HummerRidin26"kmc's]

I searched my cognito kit over an its with in 1/8 inch from hitting the center link aswell. what is this problem causing? Shaking? ive noticed a slight shake in my front end recently wasnt sure if it may be from this an ive also noticed liderarm an pitman arm bolts from the cognito kit have been working thereselves loose even with locktight. i also have had a aftermarket pivot box installed i wonder if that is whats keeping them from hitting being in a diffrent mounting position. gah an to be a hummer aka OFFroad Warrior i sure have had my time with suspension problems hopefully this one isnt a biggie an for those thinking of using this kit iam not real sure how bad of a situation this problem is. i cant tell you with out upgrading the strenght of the pitmanarm an idlerarm you will have front end problems sooner than later. my sugestions would be before you begin 2 have problems upgrade tierods(fabtech),pivot box,idler&pitman,edelbrock panhard rod, edelbrock trailing arms. this will make for a much much more enjoyable truck. or you can do as i did an just let it go until its all FD up an have 2 spend around 3-4 grand 2 get it all fixed it caused my hubs 2 go out even.To bad Gm couldnt have built these trucks with 2500 or 3500 series steering?suspension parts because it sure would have made hummer owners much much happier and much more money in there pocket instead of having to upgrade a 60,000 doller trucks suspension parts. these trucks weight what 1.5 tons heavier than a 1500 series truck. your steering will give you problems eventually. that much weight on those quality of parts you would be doing good 2 get 50k miles before you have problems iv heard reports of people having issues within 8000k miles