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First time K5 lift install, i'm stuck, PLEASE help!

FreedomIsntFree

FreedomIsntFree

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Ok, I can't get the old steering arm off the knuckle or disconnected from the drag link. I took the cotter pin out of the bottom and I took the three nuts off the knuckle where the steering arm sits. I'm used my rubber mallet and it WILL NOT BUDGE!

What am I doing wrong? Please help. By the way, the truck is a 74 K5.

arm1.jpg



arm2.jpg


new%20arm.jpg
 
You need to use a REAL BFH, not a rubber one. There should be some numbers cast into the arm, that is where you want to whack it, hard. After a few whacks, you should be able to work it off of the studs. Let those cone washers soak in penetrating oil for a while before commencing on the whacking. You can separate your drag link with a pickle fork. If you don't have one, go pick one up, they're useful all over the steering system.
 
Boy you need a pickle fork. LOL


OK dont have one then give the steering arm a love tap on the side paralell to the ball joint shaft. This should shock it free.
 
I just got done installing my lift. For the drag link i used a pickle fork you hit with a hammer. Well, that didnt work, so one connected to a big air hammer was used, came off fine. As for the steering arm, i used the flat back of a huge ax where the drag link connects and gave it some really hard wacks for a while and then the cone washers started to pop loose. It was hell, but the result is awesome
 
Soak it with PB Blaster and hit it with a BFH until it moves, take a beer break, and keep hitting it until the cone washers move.

you can kind of "loosen" the cone washers even though they are not threaded, with a flathead screw driver.

you can use the search feature, to find everyones tips and tricks to getting the steering arms off.

personally, I get a brass hammer or large drift pin and "shock" the studs -- just hit them on the top lightly, with the nuts flush with the studs.

that seems to work the best. then give the steering arm hell with a 5# hammer.

have more beer. install new arm AND NEW CONES!
 
I have some additional insight. not having to do with your current dilemas directly.
In your first pic it looks like your spring plate is not torqued evenly. Doublecheck that.
Also....remove your sway bar.
 
I used a pickle fork for the drag link, came off nice and easy. The key to getting the arm off was removing the drag link first. I tried to take it off first, but it wouldn't budge no matter how much I hammered it.
I guess taking the drag link off let the rest of the arm vibrate when I hit it. I don't think it was nearly as difficult as many say, maybe because my sub isn't so old
 
I get a brass hammer or large drift pin and "shock" the studs
Click to expand...

Yeah, I forgot about that. I put the ball end of a ball peen hammer on the stud and give the flat face a good tap with another hammer. Do that to each stud. This seems to break the cone washers loose very effectively.
 
Well I finally got the drag link off but the steering arm is still on there and solid as ever. I've sprayed a TON of penetrating oil on the three studs and whacked the hell out of the arm. I don't think I have a big enough hammer though. Tyler
 
Find the biggest hammer you got! that was my problem, just wasnt using a big enough hammer... but the huge axe i had worked like a charm, the back is like a big square hammer! so my opinion is just get the biggest hammer possible and beat on it like your mad at something. It works!
 
i got mine off after 8 solid hours of trouble, i found using some heat as well also helps, just dont melt the ball joint boot

also, take your sway bar off!

LUKE
 
readymix said:
I have some additional insight. not having to do with your current dilemas directly.
In your first pic it looks like your spring plate is not torqued evenly. Doublecheck that.
Also....remove your sway bar.
Click to expand...
:yikes: :yikes: :yikes:
Good catch. :waytogo:
Tighten the ubolts in a criss-cross pattern little by little and then torque them correctly (125 to 150 ft/lbs I believe). And then recheck the torque all your suspension bolts after you drive for 100 miles.
 
Yeah i'm not done, that's why the u-bolts are not tight all the way around. But thanks for looking out guys. :bow:
 
wow, the steering arm was the hell ride for my truck. 5 pound sledge beating repeatidly did not work. i probably had 8 or so hours beating on it. tryed everything else also, backing the studs out, they didnt move. drilling into the cones, trying to spin those off, they didn't budge either. i guess thats what 15 years of salt and rough winters gets you. eventually i got so fed up with it i got a whole new spindle where the arm attaches to for like 300 or 400 bucks from the local chevy dealer, took the regular arm off that, and replaced it with the high steer arm. put it back on and man i love this truck now. hey no matter how much it kills you, just remember it would've killed you more to give up or have someone else put it on in the first place.
 
spray penetrating fluid.

Steering arm: Take off the wheel on that side and hold a really heavy sledge against one side of the steering arm. I use a 10 lb sledge and then nail it repeatedly with a 5 lb sledge then switch sides. Seems to help vibrate the conical washers loose. If no luck with that get a stud puller and try to take the studs out.

Those washers really rust in there. The first one I took off I didn't know there were washers, I just thought it was rusted together.

The pitman arm well remember 20 reps then switch arms. About the time you decide to just torch it and replace the whole kit and kaboodle it will come loose. :o
 
Well i'm really glad you guys had problems too.

I only have regular hammers so i'm off to home depot tomorrow to get a BFH. Hopefully that'll do the trick.

Thanks for all the help.
 
As said before, BFH. Whack it on the top where it is flat, not in the area of the cones/studs. Mine took a few whacks with a small sledge and the cones started to work thier way out. Mine was the original arm with 30 years of exposure to the elements. 10 minutes and it was out.

The trick is as I know it, by whacking down and away from the studs, the downward force causes the arm to pivot at the knuckle and lift up on the end of the arm. Kinda like a teeter-totter. Plus the arm vibrates like a tuning fork when whacked upon (your hands will feel it for sure!) and aids in feeing up the stubborn cones.

Hitting up from the underside of arm would have the reverse effect, forcing the end of the arm down. Only side benifit would be the vibration might help loosen the cones.

Bottom line, BFH hitting down on the top of the arm. Once you have a cone up high enough you can remove it by twisting out with a flat screwdriver like others had mentioned or pliers (carefully so as not to clamp too hard and pinch the cone on the stud)
 
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