Pitman Arm Removal?

[dabtl]

OK, I have a puller on and it is as tight as my impact wrench will take it. Not budging.

Should I get a big hammer and bang away or head to Harbor Freight for some big time impact wrench?

 

[m-35tom]

are you using a puller made just for pittman arms? has fine threads and has a U shaped opening to go around the arm. should come right off

 

[dabtl]

I have a five ton double claw puller. I have a unit from O'Reilly but it will take some modification.

 

[acetomatoco]

Bigger hammer...and correct puller..

 

[dabtl]

I am grinding the O'Reilly puller to fit around the shaft. It has a larger diameter screw and I will use an extension on the ratchet for more torque. We shall see.

 

[acetomatoco]

hitting the head of the screw is common practice to pop em off.

 

[dabtl]

I will try that tip this afternoon.

 

[CCATLETT1984]

pitman arms are always a PITA to get off. Heat may be applied to help get it off as well.

 

[dabtl]

OK! Got it off!

I went to O'Reilly Auto Parts, again, and purchased their Pitman Arm Puller. Nice, heavy and does not fit. I took a hand grinder and abrasive to it to widen the gap just about 1/8 if an inch. Perfect fit. Much beefier unit than the five ton two clamp I first attempted to use.

Looking on one of the 4x4 boards they all recommended a product called PB Blaster to loosen the connection. I am a believer in that product, now! Worked well.

I took the longest ratchet that was in the drawer and two long extensions to allow me to really torque it up from just beyond the fender. I turned it so tight I thought I must surely be stripping the threads. I removed the ratchet and took a hammer to pound a few times on the extension ends. Put the ratchet back on and the Pitman Arm came off with ease.

To remove the steering gear easily, you need the military steering wheel puller and the modified O'Reilly Pitman Arm Pulller. If you have both, I think the Pitman Arm and steering wheel can be removed in less than 10 minutes.

The puller is available, generically it appears, at AutoZone and NAPA also. I do not think the adjustable gear pullers are very well suited to this.

 

[m-35tom]

that is why there is a specific puller designed for pittman arms.... glad to hear you are on a roll. now to get the box out. you can pull the box cover and slide the shaft out to discover what is wrong with the box with it still in the frame.

 

[DanMartin]

The pitman arm puller's I've used in the past required a hammer strike for them to work (designed that way). Tighten the puller to like 75 lbs-ft, smack the screw end with a BFH, repeat. After a while, the tension and the impact loosens and pulls off the arm. Worked great on my buddy's Hummer.

 

[dabtl]

First time for me. (Sounds like something off Craigslist, sort of.) But, I do not have any idea how much torque was on the puller but it was a bunch. I really think the PB Blaster works as the threads were damp when the arm came off.

I figured this experience was enough to justify posting for those who try it in the future.

 

[ken]

I have to use pullers alot at work. We put never seze on the pullers threads and the tip where the screw touches the shaft. This greatly reduces the force needed to pull. And it saves the pullers threads.

 

[dabtl]

Fortunately, my puller threads are intact. But anti-seize is a good idea for those attempting this.

 

[doghead]

Could you post a pic or two of the puller that you modified to pull the pitman arm.? It might help others here when we need to do the same thing.

 

[dabtl]

Could you post a pic or two of the puller that you modified to pull the pitman arm.? It might help others here when we need to do the same thing.

Here it is. Just take a hand grinder and increase the size of the jaw opening to fit.

 

[Smoking Joe]

[QUOTE="dabtl, post: 133820, member:

 

[Smoking Joe]

"Looking on one of the 4x4 boards they all recommended a product called PB Blaster to loosen the connection. I am a believer in that product, now! Worked well.

I took the longest ratchet that was in the drawer and two long extensions to allow me to really torque it up from just beyond the fender. I turned it so tight I thought I must surely be stripping the threads. I removed the ratchet and took a hammer to pound a few times on the extension ends. Put the ratchet back on and the Pitman Arm came off with ease."

I know this is an old thread, but like much of this forum it is very helpful when trying to figure out things...so here is my experience.

My 1151A1 has the sheppard steering gear with a massive pitman arm. None his of the puller s from amazon would fit around it, even the ford f250 heavy duty one. I found this puller on amazon got longer retention bolts that locked it in pla e and did what the quoted text said. This quoted section was dead on. PB blaster from the top (peel the lip of the boot out of the way and a couple squirts). Wait 5 minutes. Attached the puller and tightened banged on it, and repeat 3 times. Then it literally slid right off. (Pic...the puller on the left in comparison to the ones others posted).