I'm struggling trying to remove the Pitman arm on my 49 Mercury, I haven't got a puller to fit it and dont want to buy one unnecessarily. Oh yeah and the box is still in the car.
Just pulled one off (out of the car) used an acytelene torch to heat a small spot on arm with a little hammer tapping. It was still a struggle but it finally came off. If I had to remove one in the car I would invest in a puller or borrow one.
By the time you cook the seal out of the box trying to heat it and struggle, you will wish you had bought the puller, their not terribly expensive and on a tough one nothing else really works well.
If you're not keeping the arm - as in changing it out for a different one, you can use a cutoff wheel and cut a slice in the arm, along the axis of the box, and use a chisel to spread it once it's cut, and remove it that way. Go real slow as you approach the shaft, and you should be able to split it. I've broken some of the pullers too trying to get arms off, and as was said heat is not always best or you'll cook stuff. Good luck Pete
spend the money to rent or buy the correct one.Then when you get it tightened down on the arm to where it feels as though its as tight as it will go,hit the screw bolt with a good size hammer, in theory it shop pop off.
I had one. Stuborn as hell. Lots of heat and I mean lots. Had the puller on it with lots of pressure and kept working at it. Really poured the heat and pressure and finally ~~~ Pop! off it came. I wouldn't even try to do it with out the proper tools. Not worth the pain. Go to Autozone and rent one of theirs. Deal is you buy it and then return it. That's how the rental works there. If you like the tool.......keep it. Can't have too many tools you know.
I helped take the one off Robs Fairlane. I used an Hydraulic puller I borrowed from work. We had to wind the puller right up and then hit it with a FBH to get it off. But it worked
heh....brits have Ford Big Hammers, we have Big Ford Hammers here! ***uming it has tapered splines, as mentioned if you whack the arm on the side with a FBH, that might help loosen it, although it helps to have a heavy piece of metal on the opposite side to "back it up". Also I've seen guys use a cold chisel as a wedge between the steering box and the arm, to apply "pulling" force. not real nice to the inner gearbox parts, but it might get the job done. Somehow I used to get them off without the right puller or a torch or anything when I was young....but now that I have the correct puller, I wonder how I ever did it back then!
I've pulled a couple of them - one a 3/4 ton 77 Ford 4x4 - with a regular Proto 6" two leg puller. Loosen the nut, leave it on the threads, flush with the end of the threads. That will give the pitman arm room to move, save the end of the splines from spreading out due to the puller is pointed on the end as well as provide a safety catch for the pitman arm when it comes flying loose. Crank up on the puller pretty hard. Sometimes it helps to have a stainless worm drive hose clamp around the two puller arms to hold them together when starting the pull. With pressure on the pitman arm from the puller, apply a small bit of heat to the pitman arm splined boss end. It'll come loose with a big bang and scare hell out of you, but it will come loose. Don't get carried away with the heat or you'll ruin the seals.
depending upon the space you have immediately behind the arm, I've used shop rags, soaked in cold water, to keep heat from migrating... L' Pitman
I bought a puller at O'Reillys for around $12- & the pitman arm on my box came off like a breeze. I tried to cheap out & tried prying & prying & heat and that thing would NOT budge. I bet it wasn't 2nd's with the puller, just a couple of strokes of the ratchet & my pitman arm fell right off. Carl Hagan
I bought a puller from NAPA on my recent visit, but its in a vehicle being shipped here & should dock any day now, if all goes well it should be with me next week, you are welcome to use it! Kev.
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