Tricks for removing Pitman Arm?
I have searched and really did not find anything other than the usual stuff.
My pitman arm refuses to come off. I have soaked it in PB Blaster for 2 days, I broke my puller on it, so I carried it to a local shop. The mechanic and I tried 3 different pullers and put a huge bind on it. We hit with a hammer while under pressure etc.... It still refuses to let go. I am at a point of about to take a die grinder and cut it off, but I worry about the heat that will generate. Any suggestions to removing this thing? |
wow, that sucks. these arm can be apin to get off. heard of people melting all the seals trying to heat arm while also using a puller. then there are those that used a picklefork/separator and pulled the sector shaft out of the box.
I would think cut-off wheel nice and slow, stopping to let it cool down a few times, would be the lowest risk way to get that thing off... |
I would heat it a little but not red hot.
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I once had an old Ford that the pitman arm refused to let loose using a puller so I got the torches out and heated it up pretty good, tightened the puller, gave it a crack with the hammer and that broke it loose. Didnt seem to do any damage to the steering box seals....
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Pickle fork and small sledge hammer.
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Originally Posted by annabelle
(Post 2371050)
Pickle fork and small sledge hammer.
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combine all the above advice and crank down the puller, put a little heat to it w/ torch, then give a couple blows with picklefork + small sledge:) if that doesn't get it i would cut it off before damging box...
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I used a Snap On CJ119 puller with a little heat.
I tightened the Snap On puller all the way down and then attached a flex handle bar attached to the puller, with a long pipe slid over the slide bar, for added leverage. Myself and a friend pulled on it and it came right off with two pulls. I dont think my compressor had enough PSI to pull down the pitman arm. I was shocked the flex bar (Snap on) held up and did not breack. |
I had to cut the last one I took off. The one on the 1st Gen took a 13-ton puller. The jaws on that didn't fit the '07 so I just cut it with a cut-off wheel like Bradler said.
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I've had lots of problems with snapping pullers, I would stay away from the heat.. Just use a wiz wheel, cut it about 3/4 through and use a chizel as a wedge in the slot you just cut.. few good pops with a hammer and it will crack the rest of the way through and it will pop right off..
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"I've had lots of problems with snapping pullers"
I ended up getting a bigger puller, but i had to grind down the top of the old arm and bottom of the box a little to get it in there. probably same amount of work as just cutting it off. and if you do like ^^ said then you won't be at risk of damging the sector shaft splines! |
I got it off. A buddy showed up and gave me a hard time saying it was no big deal. I offered to let him try. (I had just got home with a new puller and ground down the ends). I was about to use a cut off wheel also.
He climbed under the truck, put the puller on. I gave it a few good hits and it poped off. Now I will have to hear about this for the next few months. I told him all of my previous trys had loosened it for him. lol thanks to all that replied. |
I did mine with a zip-cut on an angle grinder, just cut it most of the way, then put a chisel in the gap from the cutting wheel and crack the remaining depth with a sharp hammer blow, came right off.
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Originally Posted by annabelle
(Post 2371050)
Pickle fork and small sledge hammer.
Pitman arm pullers work great, just get it on tight, give it a couple of taps then hit it with an impact, practicaly falls off in your lap. |
Mine took a $20 cheap puller few hits with a hammer, and that was it. If you know were to hit it it comes off like nothing. No fancy equipment needed, a cheap puller works great.
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