Stuck Pitman Arm!?!

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Ives2210

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Pensacola, FL

• Aug 4, 2012

• #1

1997 XJ. I used freeze off. I used every penetrating oil I have. I heated it (propane torch). I heated then sprayed water on it (internet search suggestion). The rod in the puller is completley flat now. I've got an IR impact that goes to 550 ft/lbs. I also used assorted variations of F bombs and it still won't come off.

Any suggestions?

...and yes the nut is off.

 

kastein

NAXJA Member

NAXJA Member

Location

Rainy side of Washington

• Aug 4, 2012

• #2

Crank it down as tight as you can, then whack the side of the end of the pitman arm where it wraps around the shaft with a 3lb hand sledge. It should pop loose a bit, if it doesn't, whack a little harder.

Same trick works on balljoints and TRE studs.

 

I

Ives2210

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Pensacola, FL

• Aug 4, 2012

• #3

Goofy question, but you talking about cranking down the puller and not the nut, right? A guy on another site said crank down the nut.

 

L

Locked98GC

NAXJA Forum User

Location

San Diego/IB

• Aug 4, 2012

• #4

Yup, the puller. That's how I get mine off also.

 

GrimmJeeper

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Gardena, CA

• Aug 4, 2012

• #5

not the nut. be CAREFUL, when it breaks lookse it's going to sound like a shotgun went off., make sure your foot is not under it. Do as Kastein says and tighten the puller down, then smack the base of the arm with a sledge. a few good whacks and it will pop right off.

make sure you torque it back down when you put the nut back on, IIRC it's 180ft/lbs or so

 

N

N8N_99xj

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Berwyn Heights, MD

• Aug 4, 2012

• #6

if you can leave the nut on when using the puller, this will keep the threads from mushrooming and also prevent the thing from firing into your foot when it does bust loose.

 

Original_MudButt

NAXJA Forum User

Location

In the eighth dimension

• Aug 5, 2012

• #7

I tried all of the above to no avail. Hope you have better luck.

I ended up removing the box and taking it to my shop and putting it a hydraulic press.

Took almost 10 tons to get it off and it sounded like a bomb went off.

The arm and shaft both have a matching tapered spline so it's kind of a double whammy.

 

stewie

NAXJA Forum User

Location

the Union of Socialist States, Amerika

• Aug 5, 2012

• #8

I've never had any luck with the adjustable jaw type pitman arm pullers. The only ones that work for me are the ones that are made from cast or forged steel and the jaws do not adjust.

I've seen some suborn ones but usually if they dont pop off then I can get them to creep off by tightening down the puller, smacking the pitman arm with a 4lb mini sledge. The arm would walk down just a little so I would tighten the puller again and repeat the procedure until the pitman arm is off.

 

I

Ives2210

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Pensacola, FL

• Aug 5, 2012

• #9

Got it off. My neighbor a high speed puller and knocked with a 3lb sledge.

 

I

Ives2210

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Pensacola, FL

• Aug 5, 2012

• #10

GrimmJeeper said:

not the nut. be CAREFUL, when it breaks lookse it's going to sound like a shotgun went off., make sure your foot is not under it. Do as Kastein says and tighten the puller down, then smack the base of the arm with a sledge. a few good whacks and it will pop right off.

make sure you torque it back down when you put the nut back on, IIRC it's 180ft/lbs or so

Click to expand...

Guess I gotta get a new torque wrench.

 

kastein

NAXJA Member

NAXJA Member

Location

Rainy side of Washington

• Aug 5, 2012

• #11

This is one of those things where "bastard tight" is fine IMO, as long as it's over spec. You are not gonna manage to strip the threads out of that nut or off that shaft with hand tools.