Removing Pitman Arm/Steering Gear Box

[edeboode]

I have a 2001 Wrangler and I have a leak in my steering gearbox, so I decided to just replace it. I am having a hell of a time getting the pitman arm disconnected from my gear box. Is there a trick to getting these off??? The nut and washer came off fairly easy, and there doesn't seem to be many signs of rust. I have used pb blaster the last 2 days, and have broken 4 pitman arm pullers from harbor freight. I have now rented a higher quality pitman arm puller from an auto parts place hoping this will work, but am shy to tighten to much because i don't want to break their part. I have hit the pitman arm from all angles with a hammer, but still nothing. Anybody have any other ideas/tips???

 

[captjanes]

if your going to replace the steering box then that means your not worrying about seals. so i would put alot of heat on it and hit it with a hammer then try the pullers it should come

 

[xt master]

I did a Google search and came up with this.Hopefully it helps you out.


1. DO NOT USE HEAT- I did this once before... heat=new steering box. lol it will ruin you seal on the box and make it leak like a sive.
2. use penetrating oil a couple days before to loosen everything up.
3. remove the 1 -5/16" bolt
4. place the heavy duty pitman arm puller on and put a bit of pressure on it.
5. do not tighten the puller too much though put some pressure on it and tap around the pitman arm with a hammer. If this doesn't work keep on putting more and more pressure and tap it with a hamer once in a while. what i usuallly do, is i put alot pressure on it using that method, adding more pressure and tapping it with a hammer and sometimes (most of the time) the damn thing still doesn't come off. So what i do then is ....nothing lol.

I just leave the puller on with a good amount of presure ( I use a 2' breaker bar ) and usually in a couple hours you will hear ping! like a fricken buller went off. you'll fing the pitman arm off. however for ***SAFTEY PRECAUTION*** I put the bolt I just took off back on a bit so the pitman arm doesnt go flying off and hurt someone.

 

[edeboode]

yea, i am not concerned about the seals since i am replacing the steering box, but my major concern is that the thing has been leaking for months, so is soaked in power steering fluid which is highly flammable. I will try heat as a very last resort, but I think I am going to be patient and just leave the puller on with as much pressure as possible and periodically add more pb blaster and pound it with a hammer.

 

[HiHood]

Since you said you are going back together with a new steering box anyways, I would put the puller on, with tention, then cook it till she breaks and starts to move. Once you get her moving STAY on it til it's free don't stop the move,you can throttle back on the heat but keep the move going.

 

[edeboode]

thanks guys, i got it off

 

[Ggg]

I hit the pitman arm with two large hammers simultaneously from opposing sides.

 

[edeboode]

I had been spraying it with PB Blaster for about 4 days, and spending each day hitting it from all angles with a hammer. On the 5th day, I put as much pressure as I could with the pitman arm puller, took a old breaker bar and placed it on top of the arm through the whole between the bumper and the body. I then went ape $h1t on the other end of the breaker bar with a hammer and when i went to tighten the pitman arm puller, i had noticed it had finally broken loose.

 

[jps4jeep]

pitman arm pullers don't actually pull the arm off. just put some tension on it and start hitting the arm where it sits on teh secrot shaft, then a little more tension and then more hitting, repeate till armsimply pops off.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

You may have needed a larger hammer, I use a 3lb sledge and hit the pitman arm at a 90º angle to the shaft. This temporarily egg-shapes the hole and they pop off every time. Same works for tierod ends and balljoints.

 

[Turbogus]

Those three pound cross peins are great, also for breaing apart U Joints:beer: