I got a nasty 90W oil leak in my steering gear box. It is ooozing out right above the Pitman Arm. I got a new seal from NPD. It is 1 1/8 inch for a Mustang. I think a new seal will fix it. Question is: How do I remove the pitman arm to ge the seal in? There is a big nut under there. I put a wrench to it and it wont budge. Should I use a BFH on the wrench? Is it reverse thread? Any tricks or suggestions? I did rent out a Pitman arm puller. But I need to get the nut off first. Thanks in advance.
With the tires on the ground and a helper holding the steering wheel, I used a socket with breaker bar and a 2 foot cheater pipe. . Getting the pitman arm off -Get the puller tight on the idler arm and whoop it with a hammer and it will pop loose. You might have to repeat the last step.
Impact gun is the best for the nut. Next is a boxed end wrench with a BFH, standard threads so lefty loosie righty tighty. The pitman arm will require a little "pulling" with the tool. Once it is come off about 1/4" it should almost come right off.
This is improper. The tool has threads for applying pressure against the jaw as it pulls... A hammer is used on a pickle fork type.
I never was able to get mine off, not even with a BFH. I suspect if I had of some heat, I.E. a torch to heat the arm a little, it would have helped....
Shocking the screw of the pitman arm puller is standard practice. The rebound of the screw will pull the pitman arm faster than just trying to pull it until it pops off. Go ahead and crank the screw down good and tight and then hit the end of the forcing screw to jar it loose. Be careful to hit it squarely or you will deform the end of the screw.
Hint: BFH will only work the best if the car is up in the air so you can get a real solid swing on it. Not necessarly a long swing, just a good one... best IS a impact gun.
It is almost a guarantee if you hit the output shaft with a hammer, You will knock the top out of the box. This is a no-no. I have saw more than one of these broken because of hitting with a hammer. The adjuster rides right on top of the output shaft, And this practice will drive the adjuster Thur the adjusting plate, or bust the plate, Which on most are some kind of aluminum material. As was stated earlier the threads of the puller are for putting pressure on the part to be removed. If it seems to be stubborn, An impact can be used. As a last resort cut a slot in the arm itself with a Dremel or cutoff tool. It will ruin the arm but the box will remain intact.
pitman A little heat form a handheld propane torch along the os of the nut will loosen it quickly. The puller should not need beating on. Put a little penetrating oil around the joint from the top and just apply some steady pressure. Heat if necessary.
Update I got the nut off. Had to get a 1 5/16" socket and used the impact wrench. Then I used the puller and as soon as I couldn't turn it any more the think popped off. I put a Musatng seal on the Pitman arm from NPD, fits great. I just need to find the torque specs to put the nut back on.
I used the impact wrench on mine, it was soaked with PB Blaster, even tried whacking the side of the arm with pressure from the puller on it, nada. Only flattened the point on the puller. Said to heck with it and changed to the manual box. Wasn't but three bolts and the master cylinder to take off....
