Pitman Arm Blues, and did you ever use a conical puller?

[Carl McFly]

After one round of steering box replacement, the score is

New England Rust: 1
McFly:0

........ I have an AZ 2 miles from me and it's cake to replace

HELLO McFly?? Is there anyone in there!!??!!

I loosened the retaining nut on the pitman arm /steering box and went on to destroy a $15 AZ rent-a-tool pitman arm pullah. But that was no surprise. I knew I'd destroy it but figured I'd drop the arm doing it. I won't even show you the threads but after I stripped the nut with an open end wrench, I took a pipe wrench to it. Got enough rotations out of it to flatten the point on the shaft but the arm didn't budge. At all


Then I realized, Hey! I'm not married to this pitman arm. And even if I was, I'm pretty sure we have irreconcilable differences. So I thought of just buying a replacement arm but then I found this bad boy. I can get it for about the same price as a replacement arm AND I have a new tool in my arsenal



http://www.amazon.com/OTC-8150-Conical- ... 82&sr=1-16

The reviews look really, really good. Anyone have any experience with this bad larry? A 3/4 inch forcing screw AND I can fit an impact socket on there, unlike the AZ POS

[ZAEDOCK]

Did you heat the arm?

Heat is your friend.

[beaker]

Heat, as well as tapping with a hammer when under tension...

[Frank]

Smack the chit outa it under tension ! That az tool looks like what I have , just not from AZ. If I use my 3/8th gun it wont pull it. My 1/2" thunder gun is my tool of choice ! I cant believe the end flattened out like that. Thats a cheapo right there. FjR68

[Carl McFly]

Thanks everyone, you're all right on with your ideas, but there's a few things I didn't mention. I don't have a garage, torch or other way cool man toys. This is all done on the street / driveway. And that cheapo puller? The end where you put a wrench to it? It was flared out so you couldn't put a socket on it. An open end was the only option. That right there tells me the torque of a socket and impact gun would probably melt it

But I can smack the bejeebus out of it under tension and that's going to be the way to go. With my new pitman arm pullah, I think

[ZAEDOCK]

For heat, all you need is a little MAP or even propane. Just enough to get the arm warm, but not enough to melt the seal (obviously, you could heat more more as you replaced the box).

[Frank]

Carl : Once its under tension and hit , it SHOULD? come off. Take a file to the bolt head and make a socket fit it. Thats from the other guy smakin the chit outa it ! One good one ! Drive way or not it should work . FjR68

[DDewar53]

Carl : Once its under tension and hit , it SHOULD? come off. Take a file to the bolt head and make a socket fit it. Thats from the other guy smakin the chit outa it ! One good one ! Drive way or not it should work . FjR68

He's right That's how I've always done it, and like Joe said, Mapp or even Propane will heat it enough. Don't hit the bolt, hit the arm itself right on the back where it goes thru the shaft. It'll come.

[Carl McFly]

going to do that, tx guys. I have a small torch and a 2 lb sledge. I was trying to get it done before the rain hit on Saturday and was trying to rush it but just ended up wasting some time. But live and learn!