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need a Pitman Arm

blackblazer717

blackblazer717

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ok, im sure this has been covered but im dumb.....
87 V-20 pickup. lifting 4"
i dont want to replace the steering arm that bolts to the knuckle b/c its going to take forever to get off. (hence ive done it before on my blazer) does anyone have a link to a drop pitman arm that will do the same thing.
any help would be awesome.!
also, if i cant get a dropped pitman arm, is their a puller or something to get the steering arm off. those conical washers are stupid.
thanks a tone
LUKE
 
Hmm, a new pitman arm will run you around 70 -75 bux- if they make a 4wd version dropped arm. A raised steering arm is only like 40. Not denying they can be a PIA to get off but I'm curious to how you were hitting it? The trick is to hit it DOWN, not up. You can't hit it hard enough to hurt it so beat the crap outta it.
 
on my other rig, i was hittin it down. and i had tons of heat to it, doesnt matter what shape its in when your done, as long as its off....haha. but ya i already got the new arm. ill probably just try and beat the snot out of this one and hopefully it wont be as big a bear as my last one.
LUKE
 
steering arm

If you have a torch, just cut the old one off. Takes 5 minutes tops. I tried useing a bfh but I have a fire wrench and I'm not very patient. Just cut slots in the arm up to the cone washers and use an air chisel to push the cones off.
 
They make a dropped pitman but it's only a 2" drop. The raised steering arm will get you the 4" you need.
 
thanks broke73.
i have heat but no fire wrench,
my buddy does though except the truck is currently unregistered and all appart.
could i try and cut it off with a cuttoff wheel like on a 5 inch angle grinder or something?
like you said, slots next to all the cone washers?

LUKE
 
I don't think you'll make it through the arm w/ a cut off wheel...after you take the nuts off try using an air chisel...just put the tip of it in the crack between the bottom of the arm and the top of the knuckle then hammer away...
 
A cut off wheel could work fine, as long as you don't snag it. Better get a couple extra discs. I've shaved some pretty thick pieces off of 14bff housings with them. I'm not sure you could get in there without damaging the knuckle or the studs though.
 
pvfjr said:
I'm not sure you could get in there without damaging the knuckle or the studs though.
Click to expand...

That's the same thing I was thinking.

Might try to double-nut the studs and see if you can back them out.

Other than the methods already mentioned, that's about the only way.

You could always look for another knuckle. I have like three of them in my garage. :D
 
UPDATE!!!!!!UPDATE!!!
i had complete success with the cutoff wheel.
i didnt cut through the whole arm. just a few deep cuts around each cone washer ro re-leave the pressure, and heated the crap out of it and hit it with a BHF THREE TIMES and the thing basically fell appart!
must be some kind of record...haha took like 10 minutes instead of hours
ill post a pic of what i did later.
thanks for the help...
LUKE
 
Good job, congrats. That can be a little risky with the 'ole angle grinder. I was working on a shock tab down in that area once, the thing grabbed and flung over toward the brake line. It was close call for that brake line. Always makes me a little nervous using that thing in tight areas like that.
 
Well, it looks like it's a little late to chime in but I would advise you against using a raised steering arm. I used a raised steering arm on my 4" Tuff Country lift and I had horrible bump steer. I switched back to the stock steering arm and used a drop pitman arm and all my problems were solved. It seems to vary though so this might not be the case with your lift.

-Wes
 
I have a raised steering arm AND a drop pitman and I have zero bump-steer issues.
 
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