lets hear em. I''ve tried all the things that have worked for me on steering arms but this pitman arm is kicking my ass...oh and are there seals just inside the shaft I should worry about while heating with the torch
CK5
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Pitman arm removal hints
- Thread starter Wicked Wolf Auto
- Start date
gotblazers
1/2 ton status
i rebuilt a steering gear box out of a 86 ford ranger for a class project and i just took off the bolt and pulled it off. You have to pull it off perfectly straight or else the splines wont let it go. Took me about a 1/2 hour the first time but this was with the steering gearbox completely out of the vehicle so im sure it was quite a bit easier. As far as seals go theres a Rubber ''O'' ring.
wade shirley
Registered Member
uswe a pitman arm puller you can buy them at parts house for about 20 bucks if it gets real tight and you cant seem to tighten it any more then smack it with a hammer youl be suprised it will pop out
puller is on it now and I've hit it hard with a hammer as well as used an air impact. Heated it with a torch and all with no luck
I'm about to torch the arm off completly
I'm about to torch the arm off completly
A little patience and beating on it like it owed me money and it's off!
yeah there are two seals inside real close to the pitman arm. we are talking 2wd box right? use the puller and loosen it with knocking it with the hammer at the same time.
My friend recently got a used steering box from a salvage yard,to put on a 92 Ford Explorer..he had to change the pitman arm,it was different,but the box was identical..'
He tried using a pitman arm puller,it refused to bugde--kept tightening it both by hand and with the air gun,and smashed it with a hammer,till the puller arms stretched and snapped off!..went to Auto-Zone and got a new one free under the "lifetime warranty" and went back to the shop,did the same thing to puller # 2!..
..the arm never budged..disgusted,he brought the steering box back to the junkyard,and the guy said "Oh,that sucks--here,look in that black Explorer over there,I tossed a bunch of parts in there off other ones I scrapped..
We found a like new steering box,with the correct pitman arm on it..guy said "just take it--that one looks like a rebuilt or new one,huh?..better than that grungy one you took the first time!..(too bad the other guy we talked too at first,had us pull off THAT one ourselves!)..he was in the background smiling with a diabolical grin--sometimes I think junkyard guys like playing head games with you!---..either they crush things you want right before your eyes rather than sell it to you--or they make you kill youself removing it yourself,then say 
h yeah--we HAVE one off already,thats way better shape!..after lying in the mud,baking in the sun for an hour,etc..
He tried using a pitman arm puller,it refused to bugde--kept tightening it both by hand and with the air gun,and smashed it with a hammer,till the puller arms stretched and snapped off!..went to Auto-Zone and got a new one free under the "lifetime warranty" and went back to the shop,did the same thing to puller # 2!..
..the arm never budged..disgusted,he brought the steering box back to the junkyard,and the guy said "Oh,that sucks--here,look in that black Explorer over there,I tossed a bunch of parts in there off other ones I scrapped..We found a like new steering box,with the correct pitman arm on it..guy said "just take it--that one looks like a rebuilt or new one,huh?..better than that grungy one you took the first time!..(too bad the other guy we talked too at first,had us pull off THAT one ourselves!
)..he was in the background smiling with a diabolical grin--sometimes I think junkyard guys like playing head games with you!---..either they crush things you want right before your eyes rather than sell it to you--or they make you kill youself removing it yourself,then say h yeah--we HAVE one off already,thats way better shape!..after lying in the mud,baking in the sun for an hour,etc..
andyblack
Registered Loser
I've used a small pry bar before when I didn't have my puller handy. Came right off. Doesn't sound like you're going to be that lucky.
Stomis
Professional Amateur
Your heating the arm only right? Not the arm and sector shaft?
Get a pitman arm puller on it as tight as it will go and just keep smacking the pitman arm all over with a mini sledge. Dont try to actually hit it down just smack the side of it.
Get a pitman arm puller on it as tight as it will go and just keep smacking the pitman arm all over with a mini sledge. Dont try to actually hit it down just smack the side of it.
never use an inpact on the pitman arm puller, you will break the puller jaws every time. Use a 2-3lb sledge and a 1/2 in ratchet and tighten then beat it around the arm base then tighten more and keep on doing it until it breaks free.
I got it guys
We did use a 1/2" breajer bar at first on both pullers,and smashed the puller bolt with the hammer,when that failed,out came the air gun,which usually works better when it comes to removing things with pullers like harmonic balancers & other pulleys..
I think the Tiwan pullers are just crap metal compared to a "good" one from OTC or Snap-On,Bonney,etc..but that Explorer pitman arm was ON there!--first one he wasn't able to get off,not without destroying the steering box anyway..
I think the Tiwan pullers are just crap metal compared to a "good" one from OTC or Snap-On,Bonney,etc..but that Explorer pitman arm was ON there!--first one he wasn't able to get off,not without destroying the steering box anyway..
