Pitman Arm Puller

When you need to remove a pitman arm please be sure to use a pitman arm puller. Don't attempt to smack the shaft out of the arm with a BFH. Even though the output shaft is almost an 1" in diameter you'll still mash the end of the shaft and rip the threads off which is what I just finished doing on the BMW 2002 steering box I just got. Goddamn it for not having patience.

No real purpose for this thread but to vent and persuade people to ALWAYS use the right tools. Goddamn it.

 

I feel your pain! Being an inveterate tool loser, as in never returning them to their place after use, I've often tried to make do and screwed myself bigtime in the process. Hasn't broken the bad habit though.

 

Eh yeah I'm still pissed off. I better learn from this.

 

If you do,,,,, you'll be one of the few. I doubt any one on this site that actually builds doesn't have an anger story of some type. If you ever have time to sit down for a beer, I'll tell you my story that ultimately ended with a screwdriver stuck about 3" into my leg, a huge scratch in my paint, and a 10 pound sledge sitting in my neighbors mini van with a busted window. BTW, it wasn't a fight, he was on vacation.

 

I already feel better.

 

Lol, I don't, that was 27 years ago and I still get riled up over it.

 

Fwiw, once you get the puller loaded as much as you dare, two - three seconds of heat on the pitman arm from an Oxy/Acet torch will pop it loose.
Leave the pitman arm nut on, but loose so the pitman arm has room to move.

Be warned, when it pops it'll scare you and all the spiders living in the car.

A two leg puller will do it in most cases, no special puller required.

(Then again, I have a bunch of pullers gathered from over the years and once in a while I still don't have the right one.)

(Even went so far as to make one that took an 8 ton bottle jack.)

 

Anger stories...ripped the door off the car once cuz I got hurt. Yes, ripped it right off the top hinge and most of the bottom. More modern O/T car, and I may not have gotten hurt if I prepped a lil better. Even then, prep right, safety equipment, proper tools, shit can still take a left turn. I was doing a Super Stock style early 60s Mopar, welding in wheelhouse extensions, got all covered up for sparks and burns (gets old sometimes), on the 1st weld a lonely spark found a small hole in the welding blanket, rolled through and burnt my inner leg right next to my...well, you get it. It was 10am and I closed for the day, took a break. Next day the job went flawless and fast, made good $$$ on it and remembered one of my shop rules. Stop, think it through, prepare, check safety measures, go to work. It takes 15-30min to do and saves hours at the end.

For the record, I still fuck up once in a while. You're not alone.

 

we've all been there. was changing a t-stat on an o/t car years ago, using a crappy screwdriver to loosen the hose clamp, it kept slipping off the clamp, got pissed, threw the driver, it bounced around and poked a hole thru the radiator!

 

Hey guys, if you don't ever want to buy one, just go to the nearest auto parts shop and rent one. I have some in stock at the advance auto that I work at all the time and the price is low and you get it all back! Just something to keep in mind.

 

I just bought 2 different sizes at Summit. I think they were about $14 ea.

 

I have a lot of cheep tools
but my pitman arm pullers are Snap On and they are most excellent for the job they have to do
they got used a lot in stock cr raceing and building days, now they must be burried in a tool box??

 

if you do more than 1 in your life, buy a snap-on pitman arm puller.
the 2 fingered things SOMETIMES don't have enough balls.
ruined a bunch of those, snap-on warranties theirs
haven't had to have it replaced but once....
no, i ain't no snappy salesman but they DO get enouigh of my $$

 

Forrest Gump had a quote for this !! >>>>.

 

Where ever you buy one take a close look at the parting line on the outside of the "U". Wide=forging; thin=casting. The cast one is cheap (Summit?). It WILL break after a couple tries on a stubborn pitman arm. Buy the forged one and use it for years.

 

Yeh, my 39 buick steering box was binding, took it apart and found chipped teeth on the worm, somebody had pounded on it while putting it back together, it had all new parts. had to use some old parts to fix it.

 

I got the box for $50 and the M22x1.5 die to fix the sector shaft threads is $45. But the threads aren't even really fixable. I mashed the end of the shaft over pretty good so it's junk now. At least I can use it for mock up until I find another one.