[Slickriffs]

Trying to remove pitman today-tried heat with tapping..no luck. Am I on the right path or do you need a puller?

Thanks,

Keith

[OneMoreTime]

You really do need a puller on those and watch out when it comes loose as it will pop off of the shaft..corrosion from being on there since 1955...

You may still need some heat and tapping yet to get it to come loose..

Sam

[HalfOunce]

If you leave the nut on a few turns it won't come flying off either

[boatbob2]

Heat the pitman arm,spray some blaster on the shaft,use a puller,as was told in a previous post,leave the nut on a few threads.

[Slickriffs]

Heated it and bought a 5 ton puller..No luck yet ..I
actually don't have a breaker bar so I've gone as far as
I could with a ratchet and it hasn't budged. Probably head to
sears in the morning for something heavy duty.

Thanks for the advise,

Keith

[ernkazern]

Be careful not to heat the arm too much. You don't want to burn up the seal in the bottom of the box. If you get any front end component cherry red in the process of taking it apart you should throw it away. I use a heavy duty puller and get it as tight as I can, then I usually hit the knob on the bottom of the puller as hard as I can with a 3 pound hammer until the arm pops off. So far I've never had one that wouldn't come apart and so far I've never damaged a steering box either. Soaking it in penetrating oil overnight and leaving the nut on a few threads are also very good ideas.

[Slickriffs]

I'd be lucky to get it cherry red..I'm using a simple propane torch
Have heated it for 20 minutes.. not even close to cherry read.

I've also noticed that the puller is not perfectly inline with the box shaft.
Either the pitman isn't square to the box shaft or one jaw is shorter than the other. Do you use a 2 jaw or three?

Thanks,

Keith

[gcrmcc]

Buy a pitman arm puller and forget the 3 and 4 jaw pullers.

gcrmcc

[ernkazern]

I use a pitman arm puller. Regular pullers won't do the job.

[Slickriffs]

Is that the type that fits over the pitman as opposed to having 2-3 jaws?
I need to pick up a wrench this am at sears...they show a pitman puller like that online.

Keith

[gcrmcc]

Originally Posted by Slickriffs

Is that the type that fits over the pitman as opposed to having 2-3 jaws?

Keith

Yes, the pitman arm puller is a solid puller that slips over the pitman arm and the jaws slide under it. It is best and safest way to pull one.

gcrmcc

[Slickriffs]

Is this it?


http://www.autozone.com/images/in_ou...zed/27016L.jpg

Thanks,

Keith

[Henry Highrise]

Thats it...its just like the one that I use except mine is a OTC brand.

[Slickriffs]

Well finally took the easy way out..cut a slot in the pitman.
I plan to do The Toyota power steering thing so the pitman
won't be re-used. With the pitman off I can shoot some epoxy on the front frame..

Thanks for the help...next time I'll know there's a special puller for this

Keith

[61bone]

Just a hint. When heating something to get it to release, heat as quickly as possible. Slow heating heats both parts and doesn't really do any good. Quick heat expands the outer piece while the inner piece hasn't had enough heat transferred to expand. I use a rosebud and heat no more than a dull red.