NEED HELP!! (Stuck Pitmam Arm)

[Saint0416]

In the mist of the rebuild on my CJ7 and I am getting my *** kicked by the pitman arm. Got the frame back from powder coating a few weeks back and I have all of the front end back together, but just can't get the stock pitman arm off to install the new one for the 4" lift. Things I have tried:
1. Pitman Arm Puller
2. Pintman Arm Puller, Impact, and BFH.
3. Soaked in oil and repeated above...
4. Tried above off frame in vice and bloted in place with no luck!!

Any other suggestions or thoughts other than buying a new steering box???

Thanks,
Mike

 

[TroyaCantrell]

You could try one of these with an air hammer.



Assuming the nut is off, this might be too much for it though.


Troy Cantrell
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Build thread - '66 CJ6 :
http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15075

 

[jdarg]

I just fought with mine this past weekend. Its safe to say its probably been on there since '75 and it took me several hours. I've never had one put up that much of a fight.

I think greasing the pitman puller threads is what really did it as it would start to bind when I torqued it down. After a bunch of tries with the puller, letting it sit, beating the side of the pitman arm w/ a hammer while it was under compression from the puller, etc., I finally re-greased the splines of the puller and it popped right off on the next try without even having to hammer it. I think the pitman puller was fighting itself once it got to a certain torque and I needed just a little more than it was giving me.

Pickle fork wouldn't have worked on mine too well - there's too much gap between the bottom of the box and the top of the pitman arm, at least for my cheap HF pickle forks.

Good luck.

I was rewarded for all this work with a bad ball nut in my steering box but I'm 99% sure that was pre-existing and not caused by my hammer. So much for dropping in a $35 rebuild kit though.

 

[Saint0416]

I will try again tonight!! I left it on over night, but I used WD-40 to soak it.. I will step it up a bit and use something else..
Thanks,
Mike

 

[Old Dog]

It took a little heat to get mine off. Not to much though, you don't want to fry the seal in the steering box.

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Ive only had one get stuck that bad. I put the puller on it, rughtened up with a impact gun then put a little bit more on it with a socked and long handle breaker bar. sprayed it with pb blasterlet it sit. Every hoour I would go out here and tighten it just a smidge, spray it with pb blaster and hit the side of it with a hammer.. Let it sit over night and found that it popped its self off over night.

I ded have another one that I wanted off asap and the box was bad so i tok the torch to it.

 

[Peanut Butter]

How about a cutting wheel? Cut to within about 1/8 inch of the threads and give it a good bang then. Shoukd pop off and break into. Just a thought. Proceed at own risk. Rod

 

[Scooter402]

I used heat to get mine off when they were stuck. But if you're replacing it, cutting it isn't a bad idea...Unless you want to save it to send to me. I could use a stock pitman arm. Just saying.

 

[JR74CJ5]

Just remember to leave the nut on a few threads while under it working.

It will pop off like a shot gun round when it finally does... and smash anything under it into the ground with a lot of force...

Ask me how I know... My hand was under it.

Otherwise, as all rest have said. Tighten, spray, tighten, spray... have a few 's and it'll happen.

If you decide to cut it, dont have pressure on it while you do (obvious, but just in case...)


~ Jr

 

[IOPort51]

I had to cut mine off with a die grinder and cut off wheel. cut as close to through as possible and drive a cold chisel into the crack to spread it. If your not going to use the arm again it is expendable, don't waste time and energy on it if you don't need to.

 

[Saint0416]

I used heat to get mine off when they were stuck. But if you're replacing it, cutting it isn't a bad idea...Unless you want to save it to send to me. I could use a stock pitman arm. Just saying.

Hey Scooter 402, If you want it, cover the shipping cost and I will send it your way once i get it off. I don't need it and if you do, it is yours.....

 

[Saint0416]

Just remember to leave the nut on a few threads while under it working.

It will pop off like a shot gun round when it finally does... and smash anything under it into the ground with a lot of force...

Ask me how I know... My hand was under it.

Otherwise, as all rest have said. Tighten, spray, tighten, spray... have a few 's and it'll happen.

If you decide to cut it, dont have pressure on it while you do (obvious, but just in case...)


~ Jr

Thanks Man!! I know that one, but I had not even thought about it! Yu may have saved me a litle pain and Jeep damage. (I would have taken the BFH to something if it bit me)

 

[tarry99]

Hey Scooter 402, If you want it, cover the shipping cost and I will send it your way once i get it off. I don't need it and if you do, it is yours.....

Saint...............How about the obvious?.........go to your local NAPA and either rent or borrow a puller.........much easier than all the other methods.

 

[JR74CJ5]

Saint...............How about the obvious?.........go to your local NAPA and either rent or borrow a puller.........much easier than all the other methods.

Terry, he did from what he wrote 1st post i think...

Things I have tried:
1. Pitman Arm Puller
2. Pintman Arm Puller, Impact, and BFH.
3. Soaked in oil and repeated above...
4. Tried above off frame in vice and bloted in place with no luck!!

Any other suggestions or thoughts other than buying a new steering box???

Thanks,
Mike

 

[JR74CJ5]

Thhe way I see it at this point youve soaked as much as possible...

either:

1) You cut it off with grinder (as mentioned above) but unforchunatley then scooter is out the old arm... but sure he'd understand

2) -Put puller back on arm.
-put nut on bottom of threads leaving gap to move, but keeping the arm from
flying with force.
-get large breaker-bar, and pipe to fit over end giving yourself at least 3-5 ft
of leverage.
-tighten, tighten, tighten if starts squeaking bad, or you think getting too
hot, let cool for a minute while you rest your own way (mine was a beer ) then keep
going...

Chances are right about when you think it cant take any more and its going to give and break something, it will pop loose! or... it will break something and you'll be po'ed ...

Either way, you'll be done, and moving forward...


~ Jr

 

[Saint0416]

Soaked it with MMOil lastnight and this morning. Going to try the breakerbar and pipe tonight.... I will let you guys know what happens. Scooter I hope I can save it for ya....

Thanks for the help guys!
Mike

 

[Saint0416]

POP GOES THE PITMAN ARM!!! Thanks for all of the advice guys! Soaked it in MMOil and used a breaker bar with a 1 1/2 wrench for leverage. I just kept pulling until I thought it was going to explode and just when I was about to stop she POPPED off!!!

Thanks again for the help and it looks like Scooter has a stock arm for his CJ.

Mike

 

[JR74CJ5]

Chances are right about when you think it cant take any more and its going to give and break something, it will pop loose!

I just kept pulling until I thought it was going to explode and just when I was about to stop she POPPED off!!!

Thats about what i figured

Glad you got it man. That was stressful for me the first time i did it too.


~ Jr

 

[Saint0416]

Thanks again for all of the help!

 

[ftwflh]

One thing I have learned from my job in the oil fields is dont be afraid to use a hammer.Stuck pitman arm you need to soak with penetrating oil,tap solidly with a hammer then use a pitman arm puller.Comes off every time.