Steering Gearbox Rebuild: Stubbon Pittman Arm (1 Viewer)

[bsang]

In the process of a steering gearbox rebuild, however I am having a really hard time with the pittman arm. It just won't budge.

I got a generic puller off Amazon and it was a perfect fit, but went as tight as I could pull it and it wouldn't pop.

I let it sit for a few days with PB Blaster, nothing.

Then I removed the sway bar for more clearance, put a heating torch to it along with a long cheater pipe on the ratchet.

Now the puller is bending open and sliding off the side after extreme force.

I've read these things can be tough, but not beyond what I've tried.

Am I missing something?

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Get the puller tight, use a metal mallet and bang the top of the pitman arm.
That got mine off.
Low tech but low chance of anything bad happening.

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Just like above. You need to get the killer tight then smack it. Tighten a little then smack it again. The vibration from the blows will help it loosen.

 

[Jdog]

Is it a conical puller? I zip it with impact gun then a tap with a hammer then POP.

OTC (8150) Conical Pitman Arm Puller Amazon product ASIN B00061SMS0

 

[Spike Strip]

The correct puller, as Jdog posted above is key, but with a little heat and penetrant and a couple ball-peen hammers, it usually pops off with a BANG!

Using two hammers, and with the puller on as tight as you can get it, hit the arm opposite of where the puller arms are and this usually works.

 

[EscapeWagon62]

Any old puller and any old (heavy) hammer will do
When it comes off it’ll surprise you

 

[joebattle1]

I just did this a cpl days ago. Mash it with the hammer when the puller is good and tight.

 

[bsang]

Not a conical. I’ve been banging the hell out of it with heat and penetrant and nothing. You can see here that the arms on the puller are spreading. I’m going to order the conical mentioned and see if that helps. Thanks for all the tips.

 

[Spike Strip]

The OTC 8150 is the exact same puller Snap On sells for $170

It's well worth the money and makes quick work of TREs RREs, too.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

Some NAPA and O'Reilly's have them in stock, if you don't want to wait for Amz shipping.

 

[Jdog]

I broke a 2 jaw on my 40. Borrowed a members conical snap-on and bought the OTC when doing my 62. Well worth the money.

 

[georgebj60]

Maybe put another C-clamp across the forks of the puller and crank it down some more.

 

[bsang]

The OTC 8150 is the exact same puller Snap On sells for $170

It's well worth the money and makes quick work of TREs RREs, too.

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

Some NAPA and O'Reilly's have them in stock, if you don't want to wait for Amz shipping.

Thanks- Just ordered it and should have by Friday for next weekend's attempts. Hope it does the trick.

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, The puller your using always break for me. The OTC conical puller has worked for years for me. Mike

 

[bsang]

Good news! The conical worked!

Now I just can't get the worm bearing adjusting screw lock nut off. No part of this old box has been easy, and not sure how to go about getting this off now.

Tried the pipe wrench method and the punch/mallet method with no luck. Any other tips? It's really on there.

 

[Saucerman]

A little heat never hurts. That and penetrating oil. Don't set fire to anything though. I am always tempted when I am having trouble like this.

 

[bsang]

Thanks. I did try heat, and wire wheeled all the crud and gunk around it. I'll continue to work on it and see what happens. I found an OTC version of the SST, but looks like its $130 which I'd rather not have to spend.

 

[Jdog]

$32.89

OTC Tools & Equipment OTC8150 Conical Puller

OTC Tools & Equipment OTC8150 Conical Puller at Great Prices | National Tool Warehouse

www.nationaltoolwarehouse.com

 

[Saucerman]

It might be time to Dremel it off with one of those small cutting discs. You won't even have to cut it all the way through, just enough to weaken the nut. If you don't have a Dremel it is a good investment. You will use it again for sure.

 

[bsang]

Got a different pipe wrench and it worked easily. I rebuilt the gearbox using the Gates seal kit + an OEM teflon ring for the ball nut as I found the gates one to be too big and ripped two of them. On my approach with the OEM, I froze the ball nut, and shaved the inner part of the ball nut housing as to not continue ripping the teflon ring. This method worked nicely.

Gearbox is reassembled per the FSM, just not understanding how to gauge the adjustment of the sector shaft. I don't have an SST for the worm shaft, so am I adjusting looking for the least amount of resistance?