removing steering arm

[newk5driver]

Hello fellow k5 drivers, when I turned 16 and got my k5 blazer I decided that
I wanted to lift it. I have recently purchased a 4 inch tuff country lift kit. I cannot get the steering arm off though, does any one know an easy way to get this suckers off?

 

[jekquistk5]

If you are talking about the arm on the drivers side knuckle for push pull type steering. Big Effin hammer and a bunch of penetrating lube.

 

[Deuling]

If you are talking about the arm on the drivers side knuckle for push pull type steering. Big Effin hammer and a bunch of penetrating lube.

I instantly thought pitman, brainfart.


If you mean the steering arm on the knuckle then yes, hammer. They suck.

 

[max 02]

Somebody said loosen the nuts off and drive it up and down the driveway.

Never tried it but it suppose to work good.

I have done three of them two came off easy one was like it was welded on! Next one I do I will try the driveway trick if it is being a bugger.

 

[toomany]

I've had better luck hitting them down toward the knuckle. Around the studs. Hitting it up (or even hitting down where the drag link hooks to) forces the cones to grab harder. Hit down until you can get a pick/small screw driver in the split of the cones. Start trying to twist them.

Or if you have a torch....just cut it off. Done that a time or two.

 

[blazinzuk]

Somebody said loosen the nuts off and drive it up and down the driveway.

Never tried it but it suppose to work good.

I have done three of them two came off easy one was like it was welded on! Next one I do I will try the driveway trick if it is being a bugger.

Drive it with all the nuts just barely on. I had one where I drove it around my neighborhood 5 or 6 times ended up cutting that one off

Not fun or super easy is how these things tend to go

 

[Irish1941]

Drive it with all the nuts just barely on. I had one where I drove it around my neighborhood 5 or 6 times ended up cutting that one off

Not fun or super easy is how these things tend to go

Yep, drive it loose. NOT over 20mph. Lots of turns of the steering wheel with weight of the truck on it should bust it loose. Works on old Fords too.
Those wedges suck.
Man, how did we figure this stuff out before internet instant answers...
Took me weeks to get my first one off ---yrs ago. My dad just laughed at me as worked on it. I remember life before cell phones and internet.
Geez, Im old....

 

[BigOrange90Jimmy]

I've had luck with heat and Seafoam Deep Creep or a brass hammer/punch on the top of the studs.

 

[F-ingrob]

i just did one the same as ive always done them loosen the nuts dont take them all the way off they will protect the studs from the hammer
jack up the front remove the wheel and use a big ball pean hammer and smack the side a few times then the cones will start to come up and then use a small screw driver or pick and spread the cone washer open and pull them off
good luck

 

[F-ingrob]

dont hit the studs it may make a nightmare puttong it back together and use lots of penetrating oil like wd40 or kroill

 

[Burbdood 74]

I got super lucky taking mine off. I soaked the p*ss out of mine in PB Blaster for about a week before I got ready to take it off. After I loosened the nuts, I got my BFH, got ready for the battle, gave it 3 smacks and it popped off without me breaking a sweat.

PB Blaster is your friend....use it liberally.

 

[-stew-]

WD-40 IS NOT PENETRATING OIL. Its better than nothing, and its good for a lot of things, but its not penetrating oil. Everything I've read says acetone and ATF mixed 50/50 is the best penetrant there is. I've used it and I like it a lot. I've never taken one of these off, but if it has cone washers, you can't pound it "off," you have to pound it "on." Pounding it off will only tighten the cone washers and increase their clamping force.

I like the idea of loosening the nuts and driving around.

 

[Mark1968]

Try a socket slightly larger than the cone. Put it over the stud and the cone and strike downward.

 

[diesel4me]

I've had good luck getting them free by jacking up on the steering arm with a bottle jack,then put a jack stand under the axle tube but leave a bit of room between it and the tube so there is weight bearing down on the steering arm,and whack it hard with a sledge at the end where the pitman arm attaches..the truck will come crashing down onto the jack stand maybe,so be ready for that!..

We had a few that we beat on for half an hour and they refused to budge,using this method worked when all else failed,we did heat a few up with the torch around the cone washers before they came loose..

 

[Blazer addict]

I just did this today ( soaked it really good smacked it in various places then tapped the cones close to the slit with a sharp chisel, smacked arm some more and cones started working their way up) 15 mins.

 

[4X4HIGH]

When I need to remove my steering arm I just remove the 4 bolts holding it on.