I have been working on my installation of the 6" superlift on my 84 K-5. I am running into the following problems. 1). The steering arm will not break free, I have everything removed i.e. bolts from the hub assembly and the link removed. I have been soaking it in PB Blaster and tapping (more like smacking) with sledges and ball ping hammers and it wont budge, is there something I am missing? 2). also can get the drivers side spring pack (center bolt) to line up with top plate alignment hole. Have tried everything I know to line up. Everything went togather nicely spring eyelets and bottom pin. One bolt away from being complete. Will take any and all recommendations to complete project.
CK5
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Steering Arm Removal
- Thread starter mayleke
- Start date
steve_kibbe
1/2 ton status
Keep hitting the steering arm, it will break free sooner...or later.
Which way doesn't the center bolt line up? Loosen the spring eye bolts so the spring can move around, and once its in place tighten them back up
Which way doesn't the center bolt line up? Loosen the spring eye bolts so the spring can move around, and once its in place tighten them back up
I can't beleive this arm is so hard to remove. I have been beating it for 2 days. I also put dunnage under it and dropped the axel weight down with no luck. I'll just keep beating. The center bolt is about 1/4 inch to far back (towards firwall) and slightly twisted. All hardware on springs and U-bolts are just finger tight. Passenger side went on like a dream. I guess it's just keep trying.
cegusman
3/4 ton status
Get the biggest hammer or sledge you have and beat the arm as hard as you can, it will come off.
steve_kibbe
1/2 ton status
Is the sway bar still on?
If the sway bar is still attached that might be the reason the center pin does not line up. as for the steering arm, have you rmoved the studs. double nut them and back them out. the arm should fall off at that point.
for the steering arm take a screw driver and drive it down the slot in the cones a little bit this will open up those cones that seat that steering arm and make it much easier for the arm to be pounded off. I did this a few years ago and it worked quite well.
Well, you're supposed to put in new studs when you replace the arm anyway.
What was meant, I imagine, was to spread the gap in the cones apart with a flat head, so as to expand them. You know that the cones go like 99% of the way around the stud, but have a gap in them, right? If you've never seen one taken apart they're not so obvious, as they get covered in rust and grime and crap.
Anyway, you want to spead that gap slightly, without bunging the threads.
Heat is also your friend. Heat the old arm, and then later when it's cool try and heat the cones and/or studs. The expansion of the one against the other may break them free. Also, soaking them in some sort of penetrant (WD40 if it's all you've got, I use some Gunk product and I've heard of PB Blaster as well) overnight can do wonders.
Finally, yep, whacking upwardly is the trick... I've done it with a 5# sledge, was easier and in the end more successful than my "prime motivator" (a 10# sledge on a 4' fiberglass/poly reinforced handle, grunt grunt.)
-- A
What was meant, I imagine, was to spread the gap in the cones apart with a flat head, so as to expand them. You know that the cones go like 99% of the way around the stud, but have a gap in them, right? If you've never seen one taken apart they're not so obvious, as they get covered in rust and grime and crap.
Anyway, you want to spead that gap slightly, without bunging the threads.
Heat is also your friend. Heat the old arm, and then later when it's cool try and heat the cones and/or studs. The expansion of the one against the other may break them free. Also, soaking them in some sort of penetrant (WD40 if it's all you've got, I use some Gunk product and I've heard of PB Blaster as well) overnight can do wonders.
Finally, yep, whacking upwardly is the trick... I've done it with a 5# sledge, was easier and in the end more successful than my "prime motivator" (a 10# sledge on a 4' fiberglass/poly reinforced handle, grunt grunt.)
-- A
Yea the steering arm can be a PITA. I soaked em in PB blast real good, removed one nut and loosened the other two. Beat on it with the biggest sledge I had. Eventually, the cone will pop loose, remove it then remove the next nut and beat on it some more. Repeat for the next nut. You really got to beat on it. There were sparks comming off the arm when I was hitting it, and I broke one of my sledges
it's extra work but if you pull the rotor an backing plate you will have a lot more room to hit it. Heat is your friend. get the arm red hot and whack away.
Soak them in Kroil. Find it at a bolt supply house.
NoReGrEtS
1/2 ton status
I heard to beat down on the arm and not up. It took 2 days for mine to come loose. I beat that thing any which way I could get it. Have fun
Yes beat down on it. Remove the rear most nut and loosen the others. I did it this way and it took about 20-30 minutesNoReGrEtS said:I heard to beat down on the arm and not up. It took 2 days for mine to come loose. I beat that thing any which way I could get it. Have fun
jaredmajor
Registered Member
I'm also in the process of removing mine, except mine broke right where the arm bends so i don't have that many good places to hit it. I've been hammering on it for three days now. I haven't removed the rotor and haven't tried heat either. I have been soaking it with pb for about 4 or five days now. I've gotten no where.
one of the problems is that the cone washer start to develop threads inside. If you remove the rotor and backing plate you can get in there with a chisel and spin the washer. put the chisel/screwdriver in the slot and tap the washer around. or wedge something between the arm and the knuckle. wood chisels work well because they are so sharp, it ruins them, but it gets it done.
They're a smaller version of the same thing, but yota's have cone washers holding their locking hubs on.
THE hands down easiest method I've ever used to get those loose is to take a BIG drift punch and put it on the END of the studs. A couple sharp whacks a piece and the cones rattle loose.
The single time I've taken a GM steering arm off I did it the same way and it took maybe 20 minutes start to finish. Mine was a rusty mess, but no idea if it was the usual tight or not. They did get a good soaking with PB earlier in the day.
THE hands down easiest method I've ever used to get those loose is to take a BIG drift punch and put it on the END of the studs. A couple sharp whacks a piece and the cones rattle loose.
The single time I've taken a GM steering arm off I did it the same way and it took maybe 20 minutes start to finish. Mine was a rusty mess, but no idea if it was the usual tight or not. They did get a good soaking with PB earlier in the day.
