pittman removal

[rr41mag]

Anyone else have trouble getting that arm off? I left the puller on it over night with tension and sprayed it with pb blaster. I could see the puller bending so I stopped there. Man wish I had a torch now.

 

[Purple77CJ7]

With tension on the puller hit the end of the puller bolt with a big hammer! Just be ready for it to pop off. That little bit extra pressure usually helps.

 

[rr41mag]

I've done that too. I guess my hammer wasn't big enough?

 

[mylittlecj5]

before you hit it with the hammer, thread the nut back on about 2 or three threads. That will keep things from flying out all over the place. And dont waste your time with a small hammer. use at least a 5 lb. sledge.
Line it up, get a good swing and hit it. you wont break anything but maybe the puller unless you miss! LOL

 

[Purple77CJ7]

Also try smacking the sides of the pitman arm with two hammers in between your puller arms, with tension on the puller.

 

[CJ007]

It's pretty common. Mine was tough like this also, but just when I gave in and figured I would break the puller, it made a loud "clink" and fell right off.

You may have some problems on the link end as well, so if you haven't already, start apraying there as well

 

[CJim7]

Dont use heat. It will transfer up the shaft and cause bad things to happen to the seals.

PB Blaster, tension from the puller, impact, and a couple cold beers....that's all you need

 

[rr41mag]

OK I've tried all those, I'm in no hurry so I'll just keep spraying it with beer and drinking pb blaster.

 

[Purple77CJ7]

Drinking PB Blaster will get something going but I don't think it will be your pitman arm!

 

[CJ007]

OK I've tried all those, I'm in no hurry so I'll just keep spraying it with beer and drinking pb blaster.

I'm with ya for moral support. Ill drink a few and patiently wait until its ready to come off.

 

[RangerRick]

Use a full caption puller like a Snap-On pitman puller that will work without hitting the pitman arm or the tool with a hammer FWIW. Full caption pullers have a pocket that grabs the pitman arm in around at least 180* and a tapered point that fits the hole in the end of the sector shaft properly. Throw that claw type puller away and get a real pitman arm puller......Hammering anything around your steering box is a bad thing unless you're into leaks and troubles down the road....
RangerRick

 

[rr41mag]

I started cutting on the pittman arm and got about 1/8" when "POW" the pittman arm popped off. Pittman arm changed

 

[Germy]

It decided it was ready!

 

[JR74CJ5]

Just be ready for it to pop off.

before you hit it with the hammer, thread the nut back on about 2 or three threads. That will keep things from flying out all over the place.

Wish would have read these (actually i did which is worse... wish I would have remembered...) before doing this last night. I had the nut off, a claw type puller on, 4' pipe on a ratchet... tightened, tightened tightened ... drank a beer, tightened and while holding the bottom of the ratchet and torquing the pipe, it finally decided it was ready... I was not. Went off like a shot gun boom, and the force smashed my finger into the ground... thats an understatement... I thought i broke it, but just extremely swollen and painful.



Point is, these things are no joke guys. If you're getting ready to take these off, and not a expert mechanic, be careful... they will bite!



PS after this and the grinder accident earlier this year, thinking i may request to adopt busted knuckles' name

~ JR

 

[WednesdaysChild]

I am appreciating all this advice and the "warnings" as I am picking up a gear box today and prepping for this pittman arm removal experience. Since everything else with this jeep seems to be worst case scenario I will assume this project will be no different. I can't wait to get this problem fixed.

 

[jeepboy45]

I am appreciating all this advice and the "warnings" as I am picking up a gear box today and prepping for this pittman arm removal experience. Since everything else with this jeep seems to be worst case scenario I will assume this project will be no different. I can't wait to get this problem fixed.

Too bad you cant get a pitman arm WITH the new gearbox.. That way you could just remove the gear with the pitman attached!!!

BTW: are you getting a reman, or used? Stock or from another model Jeep? Just curious.
I changed mine a couple months ago after changing everything else underneath. The gearbox did the trick!! But I got a reman from a J20... Supposedly a faster ratio box and stronger as well.

 

[WednesdaysChild]

I picked up a reman from O'Reilly Auto Parts after seeing a link to them on the threads here. Not a bad price after the core is reimbursed. I read some of the reviews and they seem to do ok. I wish it had the pittman arm included indeed. They were out of the puller yesterday when I picked up the gearbox so I am hoping to get to it this weekend.

 

[JR74CJ5]

Just remember to leave the nut (loose for the pittman arm to pop off still, but threaded on the "stud" ) on while using the puller. That's how my finger almost got lost

When it pops off, it WILL POP off...

~ JR

 

[jeepboy45]

Wish would have read these (actually i did which is worse... wish I would have remembered...) before doing this last night. I had the nut off, a claw type puller on, 4' pipe on a ratchet... tightened, tightened tightened ... drank a beer, tightened and while holding the bottom of the ratchet and torquing the pipe, it finally decided it was ready... I was not. Went off like a shot gun boom, and the force smashed my finger into the ground... thats an understatement... I thought i broke it, but just extremely swollen and painful.



Point is, these things are no joke guys. If you're getting ready to take these off, and not a expert mechanic, be careful... they will bite!



PS after this and the grinder accident earlier this year, thinking i may request to adopt busted knuckles' name

~ JR

Wow, as you described it, I / we could see it coming!!! BTW: How far did you throw your ratchet? Thanks for the lesson, but wish you didnt have to go through that!!

 

[Duhwhat]

I got gearbox from Orielly's and have no complaints. I used a three arm puller from Autozones rental program ($79) to pull the arm. Just pressure and PB blaster. Tapped it on the side with a hammer and it popped off.

The hard part was the old bolts holding the gearbox on. Snapped the heads off all of them.