pitman arm removal

[croga001]

anyone trying to put on a drop pitman arm have trouble getting the old one off? i have a pitman arm puller but its too fat to fit in between the pitman arm and the steering box. I was thinking about angle grinding it down to fit but idk if that would work?

 

[Dannyboy]

I don't know if you mean clearance issues, but I had to loosen my steering box from the frame to install my drop pitman arm. or else it would not clear the frame.

If you mean the pitman arm is on too tight I'd look at a few loan-a-tool places (autozone, napa, pep boys) and see if each tool is identical. One may have better clearance.

 

[4x4junkie]

I think he's speaking of the puller not fitting in the gap between the pitman arm and the steering box itself.

An angle grinder can widen the gap, but be DAMN SURE you don't nick the sector shaft with it (if it almost fits, but not quite, you could probably grind down the puller itself, but I wouldn't take more than 5-10 thousandths off it).

 

[croga001]

yeah i was talking about grinding down the puller a bit. and yes the clearance between the pitman arm and the steering box is the one giving me the issue. ill try the loaner tools and see if that helps.

 

[croga001]

update: picked up afew loaner tools and they were too big also. i ground down the remover i owned just enough to get it in between the pitman arm and the steering box. it snapped before i got anywhere with it.
anything else i can try?

 

[Blueeyeddevil]

heat it with a torch.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Bfh?

 

[IZwack]

Dont use heat, you might damage the seal on the box (assuming you're keeping the box).

 

[Flip4ford]

I used a pickle fork, and a BFH, to get it wide enough to get the puller in there... Get a very wide fork the first time around... unlike the 3 I bought.

 

[croga001]

thats a pretty good idea. i think ill try that.

 

[Maniak]

I picked up a multiple head pickle fork set from Harbor Freight tools. It has a single handle and you screw on the size fork you need. I've beat the crap out of it taking off a pitman arm off a rust bucket van and the pickle fork did fine.

I have also broken a HFT puller before, and one from Autozone.. I've never broken down to buy a good puller.. I just use my pickle fork set.

~Mark

 

[Dannyboy]

FYI, I saw that someone broke a pitman arm offroad so last night I decided to remove my pitman arm from my old truck's steering box and mount it in with my trial spares. It was a Superlift drop pitman arm. There was space between the arm and the gear, however the actualy pitman arm was wider than the puller. A few hits with the hammer wedged the puller into place and I was able to remove it.

 

[4x4junkie]

They broke the pitman arm itself? or the steering box sector shaft (much more common)?

 

[sn0border88]

I use the puller as a pickle fork, your right it is very hard to fit it in there. Hit it in with a hammer and it should pop it loose, if not then hit it all the way in and use the puller like normal. Iv done this numerous times.

 

[Four0Sport]

im getting ready to install a drop pitman arm myself but dont have a wrench/socket big enough for the nut on the bottom of the steering shaft. i was wondering if one of you guys could tell me what size the nut on the bottom of the sector shaft is.

 

[IZwack]

im getting ready to install a drop pitman arm myself but dont have a wrench/socket big enough for the nut on the bottom of the steering shaft. i was wondering if one of you guys could tell me what size the nut on the bottom of the sector shaft is.

Break out a ruler and measure the nut.

 

[Four0Sport]

i was gonna do that yesterday, and as i was getting up to get the tape measure i bounched my head off of my brush guard and stopped working. im not concussed, i slept last night and woke up this morning. thats a good sign.

 

[sn0border88]

So measure it again and dont hit your head.

(I know the answer, im just not telling)

:

But if your measurements are greater than or equal to 1 3/16 or less than or equal too 1 1/16 your wrong. IIRC.

 

[Four0Sport]

i tried 1 1/8, thats what i initially grabbed when i eyed up the nut. it was too small.

 

[croga001]

i used 1 and1/4 on mine and the nut came off. i have tried multiple things and my pitman arm is still on the truck. idk what to do now.