Pitman Arm Removal Woes

[madams557]

- Second Pitman Puller broken
- Third consecutive Sears Craftman ratchet broken
- Table vise beat and bent to hell

Pitman arm still on the gear box. I've heated it up, I've soaked it for four days with PB, I've cranked it in the table vise and used a breaker bar.

I guess my question is, where the hell do I get a Pitman puller that is worth anything?

I stopped at the usually places, Autozone, Checker, Parts Plus, and they all looked the same so I picked up one at the local NAPA. Which after breaking once, they replaced without question. Now that I've broken the second one, I'm wondering if there is a better puller that I should be looking for or should I keep asking NAPA to replace the one that I am breaking? It is hard to tell if I am making any headway on the pitman arm with the broken pullers, so I don't know if I should continue to pick them up just to break them.

The Land Cruiser pitman arm came off with very little effort, but the pitman arm on the 1984 Toyota mini truck gearbox is on there gooooodddddd.

 

[Poser]

The only one to spend any money on. Anything else is simply a waste of resources.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro....D=2707558&Cat_NAME=Pullers&store=snapon-store

Have three, and do not leave home without one!

Good luck!


-Steve

 

[NocalFJ60]

The way I finally got my tie-rod end out of the bottom of my pitman arm was to use the torch and get it HOOOOT and then grab some ice from your freezer. Cool it down and then grab the hammer. Couple of time seems to break the bond.

Goodluck..

 

[dd113]

The only one to spend any money on. Anything else is simply a waste of resources.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/pro....D=2707558&Cat_NAME=Pullers&store=snapon-store

Have three, and do not leave home without one!

Good luck!


-Steve

You betcha! but add a gas ax to the situation.

 

[peesalot]

hit both sides at the same time with a 5 lb. sledge in each hand. it will take maybe 2 hits but it will pop right off . like it does not make sense to hit it on the sides , like it would pinch it or something , but it works . old school flathead engine guy showed me this. He's the same guy that sells the Stromberg coffee cups if ya seen em.

 

[alstaz]

For me it took multiple gear pullers (a regular pitman arm puller would not fit)
Plenty of PB blaster
Heat
5 Lb Sledge and a punch

and after only 3 short weeks I had the thing off.

 

[madams557]

alstaz - you got me chuckling by your final comment 'three short weeks'.

Poser - I think that SnapOn Pitman puller is the right design, but $100 bucks. If I go that route I'll spend all of my Land Cruiser allowance for the month in one shot.

I'm going to hit some gearhead friends of mine up to see if any of them have a SnapOn puller. I can't really do any other wrenching on the truck right now since I've broken most of my ratchets.

 

[woody]

I've always had good luck with a decent puller, get it REALLY tight on the pitman, then whack the backside with the sledge....the combination of puller tension and the hammering seems to pop it free.

watch yer toes...

 

[Chef]

The snap on tool and an impact driver is the only way to go...

 

[fj40charles]

Another vote for the Snap on pitman arm puller and impact.

 

[madams557]

Woody, I tried wacking the backside with a sledge, but the design of the gear box makes it impossible to get a good hit from back there.

Anyone on the list have a Snapon puller and happen to live in Fort Collins, CO that wouldn't letting me borrow it for a night (or three short weeks according to alstaz)?

 

[cruiserbrett]

Another vote for the Snap on pitman arm puller and impact.

Which of the three pullers on the page?