Can't get pitman arm nut off...Help!

[RhainyC]

So, got this awesome gearbox from Jspafford, and we have to remove the pitman arm because it is from a 2wd...can't get the bloody thing to break loose...and not sure exactly what size the nut is...it is bigger than 1 1/4...and appears to be about 33mm according to the mic.

Any ideas folks? Need to get this thing installed this weekend, come hell, high water...or *Gulp* Snow...

[offroadranger]

So your having trouble with the nut or the pitman arm or both?

1st use some penetrating oil...generously. And use an impact or breaker bar on the nut.

Buy or loan a pitman arm puller. Now the trick to using these is to tighten up the puller tight, but not REAL tight. Then whack the pitman with a hammer real hard, then tighten up the puller again, repeat repeat repeat. If you dont hit it with a hammer, and just expect the puller to get it by turning the bolt, your almost gauranteed to break the puller teeth off, unless its a snapon puller.

Hope that helps! They can be a pain sometimes, but Ive never had one I had to cut off!

[RhainyC]

I actually have the puller, but need to get the nut holding the arm onto the shaft off...sorry if my terminology isn't correct. The nut is the one holding the arm onto the steering gearbox.

Will drown it in some more penetrating oil...and try to find the proper size socket or wrench...again... lol

[Yellowsplash]

I think I remember the pitman arm nut being 36mm. Go to your local advance or autozone and get their spindle nut socket set, it comes with 30mm-36mm sockets. Just soak the nut in pb blaster and then crank on it some with a long breaker bar...should come loose.:temper: Make sure to get a puller tool while your at it to help get it off once the nut has been removed.

[RhainyC]

Cool thanks Yellowsplash, I already have the puller so that isn't the prob, the blasted nut is ROFL But I will win...eventually....

[regnardrof39]

normally a decent impact gun should be able to get it off also if u have access to one

[Jspafford]

I found it easy to remove the nut once the box is mounted. If you can't do that an impact works well if you have one. Otherwise you need to somehow hold it down.. Maybe wedge it under something immobile and crank on it some.

The pitman arm is a press fit so the nut shouldn't be extremely tight.

[Yellowsplash]

The pitman arm is a press fit so the nut shouldn't be extremely tight.

I believe the torque spec out of the haynes manual is somewhere in the 170-200 ft/lbs range...

[projectnitemare]

Yeah they are usually on there pretty good. 200ft/lb range is about right. Use some PB Blaster, an impact would be helpful, heat in moderation just be sure you don't cook the sector shaft seal. It is much easier when the box is on the truck, just work at it a few times and it will come off. It should be that bad, I took one off with an adjustable wrench back in the day when I was young and poor.

Matt

[Jspafford]

I must be extremely strong or the factory did a shitty job on my truck. I just had to replace mine this spring after a wreck, I ended up with two used boxes, and didn't have much trouble at all with getting mine apart. Getting the actual arm off, was a little difficult, but not that much.

I had the correct size socket, but I took the nut off with it laying on the workbench.

[ZSK]

Mine came off with a little grunt and a 15" adjustable wrench. I had to use the puller and then give the pitman arm a good smack to get it off.

[MAKG]

I keep my trusty 3/4 inch ratchet and 4 foot cheater pipe for just such an occasion. Well, those are usually for suspension, but they work fine on the Pitman nut.

I think that nut is 1 5/16 inches.

And I've never broken my $6 Harbor Freight Pitman arm puller.

[metalmacguyver]

if your in a bind an just need an impact for one little thing, try going to a walmart with one of those tire change places and asking one of the guys for help. you can also try pretty much any garage or similar place.

[skiploverg]

I just used a big adjustable wrench and a pipe.
Make sure you are turning it the correct way :)

[RhainyC]

Thanks to you all...this weekend, even it *I* have to drag my broken self out there...it is getting changed. As for the impact...I think I can run it over to my mechanic and he can bust it off...hopefully without busting the gearbox ;)

[Jspafford]

An impact would put far less strain on the gearbox than a ratchet with 4' pipe would.

Sorry your having such a hard time. I should have loosened it up for you before I shipped it, I have the socket and impact. Didn't even think about it.

[RhainyC]

Hey no worries, really...personally I think it is more hubby not really caring if he gets _MY_ truck fixed or not...but hey I could be wrong.

He is really not very mechanical...but can follow directions, so does ok, except when it comes to figuring things out on his own, with new things...like 4WD steering linkages and gearboxes...

We'll get her sorted so don't you worry none! *winks*

[Totalled]

I keep my trusty 3/4 inch ratchet and 4 foot cheater pipe for just such an occasion. Well, those are usually for suspension, but they work fine on the Pitman nut.

I think that nut is 1 5/16 inches.

And I've never broken my $6 Harbor Freight Pitman arm puller.

I have. Thrice.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b248/totalled/motivator4136030.jpg

[compleckz]

you know what, installing the dropped pitman arm was the hardest part of my lift.. well removing the old one was the hard part.. the nut came off easy, but i could NOT get the old arm off.. i broke two 3-arm 5-ton pullers, i used heat pb blaster wd40, hammers bars, swearing, blood, sweat, tears...

finally what got it off after HOURS, was one of those cheap-ass 2 piece HF type puller u have pictured above (which you broke 3 of)...

it looked like it was ABOUT to break, the thing was bent like friggin crazy, then finally it POPPED, i had a safety face shield on and i just closed me eyes and cringed while shielding my body with my arms. i thought i blew the puller to pieces, i looked and it was still on there, and the pitman came off in my hand. the $5 puller did it. i was ****ing amazed. to this day is till find pieces and parts around the garage, of the other 2 pullers i blew to bitsssssss

[metalmacguyver]

what about just putting the box on the truck, and putting a ratchet or breaker bar on the nut, bracing it against the frame rail or some thing and starting the truck (after bleeding the system) and using the steering box itself to get the nut off? use a ratchet and just crank the steering wheel back and forth once its broke loose and then take it off by hand?

[Hardwareman]

WOW!!!!!!

I guess I got luck doing mine. When I installed my dropped pitman arm and had to remove my old original one it came off like butter.

Good luck to you.




Allen

[RhainyC]

Well folks, thanks for all your great ideas...he finally used a breaker and the house for an anchor and managed to get the one, on the truck broke loose, then did as I suggested and went to our mechanic and had him bust loose the other one.

Pitman arm removal ....scary stories may be in store... comes next.

[metalmacguyver]

any luck?

[RhainyC]

Yeah we got both of the arms off, and the gearbox installed and it got down to about 30 degrees so he had to stop there...

We will be getting the rest sorted this coming weekend weather permitting, as we don't have a garage and she's sitting in th driveway...

[Jspafford]

Heck if you have the box on, it can't be more than 20 more minutes of work to finish it up.

Tell him to get a move on, a little cold never hurt anyone.

Last winter the starter went out in Heather's ranger on the coldest day of the year. I was laying under it in her driveway in a huge pile of snow. I had nothing but problems getting it out. Three hours later, I was NOT in a good mood.

[RhainyC]

Hehheee, well I would have told him just that except the poor man had spent ALL day out on the ground getting this thing sorted...I had a bit of pity on him, but this weekend's D-Day...and all going well, I will be either ordering parts a week from friday, which is payday, or he will be going to pull them of at a wrecking yard a couple hours south of us...

Oh and btw, expect a little paypal notice same said, week from friday ;)