THE tool for pitman arm/drop arm removal

Tom Powell

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Available for rent at Auto Zone.

Aloha
tp

airschooled · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 9:20 am Post subject:

Interesting, I didn't see that when I rented one last month. I did use this one, and it performed perfectly:

http://www.amazon.com/OEM-25262-Pitman-Arm-Puller/dp/B000CMHKR2

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Tom Powell · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 8:43 am Post subject:

airschooled · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 8:48 am Post subject:

Wow! Out of curiosity- what is the chain thing for on the one you got?
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raygreenwood · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 8:59 am Post subject:

I have a tool just like the second one pictured. Bought it at NAPA.....made in Taiwan. It works percectly......but you MUST follow directions or yes....you will bend it.
This particular tool is not designed to separate taper and spline joints by generating force by turning the screw.....in fact all but the largest straight pullers are not designed to work by screw force.
As the directions note.....tighten the center screw very tight to induce load on the joint....and then strike the center screw sharply with a hammer (about a 3 lb sledge is about best combination of shock and not damaging the puller). Sometimes it takes a whack...and adding another half twist of the center screw....and one more whack......but this tool has never failed to separate any pitman arm it has been able to fit on.
You should pre-treat any very rusty joint....and maybe even heat lightly...300-400F is fine.

This puller works with force and shock....not force alone. I realize that cheap versions of this tool may not come with directions but the one from NAPA and Lisle tools do come with these specific instructions.....all fixed arm pitman arm pullers generally work this way

Not to be confusex with an adjsutable arm puller for removing straight shaft fit and straight spline fit parts like a steering wheel in keyed shaft gear etc. Those simply use screw force. Ray

raygreenwood · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 9:06 am Post subject:

Oh...by the way...how do you tell a puller that works by shock as compared to one that works by screw force?
You will notice that the one in the picture has no rotating foot or cup at the end of the screw. It has a sharp point in the center to hold it in tight contact so it wont slip. Thats a dead giveaway that its not designed to be operated by screw force.....but by shock force.
The shock force tool is really designed to seperate morse tapers and other friction fit tapered machine joints.
A tapered, splined pitman joint should be no problem for a tool like this.....if its properly used. Ray

SGKent · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 9:27 am Post subject:

the latter or similar with two hammers will work well.

Instead of hitting the center screw which transmits force into the ball bearings and gear inside the steering box, tighten the tool tight then hit the female portion (in this case the arm) with two hammers from opposing sides at the same time. This deforms the piece for just a small second, which allows it to pop free. Below is an example of the technique being used on a tie rod or drag link. It does less damage to the parts.

Tom Powell · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 7:39 am Post subject:

Tom Powell · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 7:54 am Post subject:

RG and SG I did all that with all the tools and it never popped. I used penetrating oil, heat, a small hammer and a BFH. After the OG installation 46 years ago and some rust, it finally came loose with the rental tool a fraction of a millimeter at a time. I used a breaker bar with a 2 ft cheater and turned the nut 5* at a time and whacked it with the BFH in between turns. I could see a clean spot slowly appearing on the splines, but it still took brute force and BFW's to loosen it. I applied the force and let it sit overnight in hopes that it would pop, but it took three days to get it off. Without the rental tool, a cheater bar and a BFH it would still be on there.

Aloha
tp

Tom Powell · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 8:01 am Post subject:

raygreenwood · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 10:10 am Post subject:

aeromech · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 10:29 am Post subject:

I've changed out two steering boxes over the last few years. Both times I could never get the pitman arm off. I wound up slicing through the arm with my cutoff wheel and replacing it with another arm. After the last job several months ago I purchased this puller and hope it will do the trick for me next time.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00061SMS0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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SGKent · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 11:51 am Post subject:

Tom Powell · Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 12:55 pm Post subject:

Tom Powell · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:35 pm Post subject:

$60
http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=C1cXpScjAU7...d%3Dsrese1

$90 most other places

Aloha
tp

Joey · Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2014 5:47 am Post subject:

Here's what I've always used...

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‘60 Kombi - '74 Bus - '79 Panel - '65 Beetle

Tcash · Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2014 7:08 am Post subject: Drop arm Pitman arm Puller

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=sear...arm+puller
http://www.otctools.com/products/conical-pitman-arm-puller-0

http://www.amazon.com/OTC-7311A-Pitman-Arm-Puller/...=otc+7311A
http://www.otctools.com/products/pitman-arm-puller-1


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