Pitman arm will not come off

[beavis]

vehicle: 1995 ford ranger 2wd

I just spent a good 8hrs trying to get this damn pitman arm off. I broke 2 pitman arm pullers and it is still stuck. I’ve tried heat, impact gun, and a BFH. Any suggestions on getting this thing off. Btw its in the truck, not on a bench.

Topic

[Joe]

try using a combination of the methods you tried. Possibly stick a puller on it and impact the puller while someone hits the arm with a hammer and torches it. Maybe even spray some penetrating oil on there and let that soak in for awhile too.

Before you give up just think how much of a B&*( it’s gonna be to replace the whole steering shaft.

[Its me]

Two things come to mind…

1. A Snap on pitman arm tool remover (with impact)…see pic

2. The Sawzall/cutoff wheel…..(if accessible)

Good luck!

[Its me]

Now for some humor…

[beavis]

I have already tried most things. I had the puller on there tightened with the impact, then I heated it and pounded on it, yet it has not even budged. Its also been drowning in pbblaster. If I can’t get a miracle to happen tomorrow then I will probably just take an angle grinder to it and cut the thing off.

I just need this arm off. I already removed all other steering components (everything was worn and too rusty to reuse or even adjust).

[Joeseph Mama]

lay on it with an air hammer w/ a blunt end to loosen things up. try using oxy/acetylene to get it very hot.

[Austin]

Don’t fubar your gearbox with a cutting wheel, be curfffffullll.

[beavis]

If I do it i’m thinking of just cutting until I’m close then using a chisel and bfh to break it.

[Austin]

I agree with ratchet face on this one. Do you own an air hammer? Unless its a snap on, or matco though unfortunately it won’t do much. All depends on what you have room to get in there on.

[beavis]

Update: I took out the whole steering gearbox. I tried cutting into the arm and I am maybe 1 MM from breaking through but the thing still won’t budge. I tried chiseling into the cut and have been heating it and beating on it yet it still hasnt moved.

[Aaron Abajian]

Here’s my two cents: If the puller, torch, penetrating oil, air hammer methods all fail you, I would (and have) very carefully cut a slice in the side of the pitman arm with your cut off wheel. That should relieve enough pressure to remove it. If it is still stuck on, cut out an entire wedge. Just be careful not to damage the splines too much… Most small nicks with the cut wheel can be cleaned up with a file and some patience. Cut all the way through! If you use a hammer and chisel to finish the cut, you might do damage to the steering box by hitting it on the side. Personally, I would rather deal with some damages splines then having to replace the seal or even worse (if you bent the shaft), replace the gear box.

[Stephen Bowen]

If you’re only 1mm away from bottoming out?

I’d say put the puller back onto it and go to town. Take a hammer and smack the “Seam” you made with the cutter. Edit: Stand back or have some body armor handy…When it kicks free? You might not want to be in the path of destruction as a safety.

Yeah…I’ve done the same repair to my 89′ bronco II. (which is just a ranger with a rear top) I blew past 3 pullers that snapped. (Thankfully Advance Auto has a lifetime warranty.) After the 2nd one snapped the ear off? I returned it for a cash refund and picked up one from NAPA. That thing? Not sure where they got the metal from–but it bent slightly—and slowly ripped the arm off the shaft.

I still have that one in the tool box. Not sure what the difference is? Both are made in China at the “Yack-a-shema Iron Works” (old joke my electronics trainer used to tell about china/japan parts)

I think if you put enough pressure on it…the seam will probably give it up.

S-

[Author]

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