I have a dodge pick up she not H.A.M.B. friendly but don't know where else to turn .I am trying to replace the steering box. YouTube shows using a puller to get the pitman arm off the steering box and then dropping the box. The proplem is where the steering box and pitman arm is the front of the frame runs right under the motor and the pitman and steering box.I disconnected the nut on the center steering link and tried to take the pitman arm off there and remove it with the box. I have about destroyed my pickle fork and been hitting it with a sledge hammer till my shoulders sore. She wont come apart. Any ideas? Thanks Bruce.
Local auto parts store has a loaner pitman arm puller. They might also have a smaller one for tie rods etc Nick
Pitman arms are on there real good, you need a real pitman arm puller. Either borrow at auto parts store or buy one.
have to get the pitman arm puller to get it off the box , on them rams youhave to remove the box 1st then do it on the bench the pitman arm puller looks like this put some grease on the point and threads ( of the tool) before removing so it will come off easier . these also come in 2 sizes try to find the right one ( and do not use a impact gun use a long 1/2 breaker bar and once you start moving the arm do not stop till its off otherwise it can gall and seize to the shaft )
Also, leave the nut on the end of the shaft so that when the arm breaks loose, it doesn't fly into the next county.
oh and I forgot check the box mounting surface on the inside of the frame and outside for cracking as its known to do this, they make a repair/strengthening kit( several off road sites sell them ) if you find any cracks ( if its cracked no mater how little) get it fixed as it will fail .
I had one stuck real good, but a replacement was cheap and easy to get, so I used a dremel cutting wheel to slice the old pitman and then hit it with a chisel. When it cracked it fell right off.
Up dater on the dodge pick up truck.I finally got the steering box un bolted from the frame and was able to swing it around so I can get to the pitman arm. I was able to get the nut off. Tomorrow I am going to have to take the 56 buick wagon in to town and rent a pitman arm puller. All the pullers I have and I don't have that one.Any reason to drive the 56 buick wagon is ok with me. lol.Bruce.
An update on the dodge pick up, not to leave you all hanging like some people do. My wife helped me get the new steering box on and I was able to start the nut on the pitman arm under the steering box but I need a 1 inch and 5 /16 inch open end/or box wrench to tighten it up. The front frame is in the way {because its 4 wheel drive} so I cant use a impact wrench or socket. No auto parts stores sell that wrench that big except Nappa and they want $72.50 for it. I am not going to pay that for a wrench I am going to use 1 time even though I have a whole draw of those 1 time users aready .lol.Any ideas? Thanks Bruce.
Lots of auto parts stores have tool rental or loan programs. Harbor Freight is also a good source for cheap one-use tools. Sometimes when things get big like that it's time to start looking at the plumbing wrenches.
tb33anda3rd, a pipe wrench wont fit in there it is too big .This baby is right on the front frame that goes across the front of the motor. Thanks Though. Bruce.
Well Harbor Freight even didn't have a wrench that big so I bought a thin adjustable wrench and got the bolt start on the bottom of the steering box with the pitman arm too and then took a pipe to the wrench. I than ran her down to a local garage and they did the same thing. They said I had gotten it on pretty tight but I wanted to make sure.Now its back to working on the 56 buick station wagon.P.S THANKS FOR ALL YOU H.A.M.B.E.R. OUT THERE FOR THE HELP! Bruce.
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