How do i free that steering arm!!!!!!

[knottyrich]

I can't get steering arm, or ball joint to free up!! fu@#$#$%k man. any "secrets" that have worked for ya'll? please please relay them to a rookie
any little tips on getting new steering box into the spline attached to steering wheel?? don't really want to beat on it.....???
guys i'm having a hell of a time. anybody out there living in austin, tx wanna come by tomorrow and show me some "skills"?????
thnx y'all. wish me luck.

 

[tRustyK5]

Steering arm removal 101:

Remove the steering arm nuts, but leave them on the studs right at the top so the nut protects the end of the stud. Soak down the studs with pb blaster.

Making sure you have lots of room, use a good heavy hammer like a 5 lb mini sledge, and hit the steering arm from side to side, and downward. As you hit it watch the split cone washers. When they start to raise up a bit you can almost always then use a sharp screwdriver in the slot to spin them off the studs. A steering arm takes about 15 minutes tops doing it this way.

You'll need to clarify what you're trying to do with the steering box/shaft/wheel etc. A pic or two would really help. (use photobucket.com to upload and then link to the pics.)

Rene

 

[knottyrich]

ok the steering box is facing driver....there is a little splined shaft sticking out.
that "slides" in to shaft coming from steering wheel. how do i squeak it in there?
and as for the steering link...it has like 2 nuts and is threaded pieces of steel, fully adjusting steering. it attaches to a ball joint on end of steering arm. got one of those "pickle forks" and tried it....nothing. still solid.
what's you remedy for that?
thanks so much man i was trying to strike upwards?? what the hell, i know...rookies...lol
(i don't have camera phone man, sorry)

 

[tRustyK5]

That steering link is called a drag link. It has two tapered ends and an adjuster sleeve in the middle. Get the pickle fork in there and give it a few medium whacks so it's putting some presuure on the joint. Then hit the meaty part of the drag link end with a hammer. It should pop it out of the taper...although if it's an older DLE it'll also probably ruin the rubber boot seal while you're at it.

So you're replacing the steering shaft too?

On the steering arm...the cone washers I mentioned are kind of like a barbed hook. The more you hit upward, the harder it sets the hook so to speak. Side to side and downward...they'll loosen enough for you to pick em out.

Rene

 

[knottyrich]

well i wasn't gonna, (running out of money quickly) but i got to get it off to attach it to new arm.
know what i mean...i was taking off both ends...then stopped ,,,,duh
i only need the one on arm.

 

[tRustyK5]

Gotcha...

Definitely get the drag link off the stock steering arm, then swing it out of the way so you can get the steering arm off the front diff.

Rene

 

[down4thakrown]

there are tapered cones in the arm that go around the threads that have a split in them. i took a hammer and a screwdriver and put the tip of screw driver in the split and tapped smacked it with a hammer so that the cone will spin counter clock wise and eventually turns out of steering arm...