I was helping out a friend this weekend putting in new steering components on a 66 coupe and we ran into a snag. :bang: We can't get the pitman arm off the steering shaft. :scratch: We even used a puller and had no effect. Is this a part that is pressed on and need to be taken to a machine shop? If it is pressed on is there any other tool out there that would be more useful to get that stinker off of there?

I would really hate to have to pull that steering box out to get that pitman arm off.

 

they aren't pressed on, just stuck, especially if it hasn't been removed in 40 years. i took the pitman arm off of my '73 with a pitman arm puller and a 2' cheater bar on the end of my craftsman 1/2 drive ratchet. came off real easy with the extra leverage.

 

its a splined/keyed shaft, but like PP said, its one of the hardest things to pull off after 40 years. A *really* heavy-duty puller might do it, if you have the room. I know mine was a b*tch when I pulled it off several years ago.

IF you have time, you might try putting tension on the arm with a puller and waiting an hour/sev hours, then tightening up the puller again as it comes off, maintaining tension. Might take overnight that way, but Ive pulled some stubborn ones off like that....judicious application of heat would help as well.

Good luck!
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Lollipop20 live

 

Great ideas guys.

Push rod can you elaborate a little on your suggestion. Did you just knock the pitman puller in to place and just wedge the bar with the ratchet between the frame and the bar? Then pry it off.

We tried using a ball join seperator it just would not give. The pitmam seperator must be a larger diameter.

We will go purhase one and give that a try. :shock:

 

i went to autozone and bought a pitman arm puller. this link will show you what it looks like. http://www.thetoolsbar.com/pd_pitman.cfm
i took apart the jack handle (pretty much any pipe will work) on my floor jack and slid it over the end of the socket wrench for extra leverage and wrenched it off. i found it harder to put it back on than it was to take it off.

 

Cool thxs for the advice going to get on that soon. Maybe work a little better. I'll let you guys know how it went. B)