rbarton
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Acworth, GA
Help! Anyone had a pitman arm that just wouldn't let go? I've been trying to remove the one from my XJ off and on for about 2 years now. It's never budged and I always had to give up and put it back together so I could get to work the following Monday. Now that it's no longer a daily driver, I can get back to it and not have to worry about giving up and throwing it back together.
So far, I've broken 4 of the standard pitman arm pullers that are common at AutoZone, Napa, etc. And that sucker ain't movin'! I've soaked the shaft as well as I can with PB Blaster (or whatever the stuff's called) and let it sit for days...applying more each day. Last night, I got a little irritated and went at it with my angle grinder and cutting wheel. I've cut 2 notches as close as I can to the shaft without hitting the shaft or steering box collar and it still won't budge. I've used a typical propane torch to try and heat it up, but again, the steering box seals are too close to do much with heat. I've used an air hammer/chisel on the puller shaft to try and break loose whatever is holding the arm to the shaft. I Can't do much hitting on it with a hammer or air hammer for fear of damaging the steering box and am not sure what else to try.
I left it last night with a fresh dousing of penetrating oil and tightened the pitman arm puller as tight as I can get it without breaking - to the point that the "fingers" that lock on top of the arm were starting to bend up slightly upwards, hoping that letting it sit that way for hours might persuade it to loosen a bit. Clearly, I can't drive it now that the arm has been pretty much cut through. So there's no backing out now.
I'm out of things to try. If anyone has any ideas or has come up against this before and has a solution, I'd really appreciate the input.
Oh, and the answer to the question before it's asked....I'm trying to install a deeper drop pitman arm in order to correct an issue with my steering geometry
Thanks!
Ric Barton
1996 XJ Sport
So far, I've broken 4 of the standard pitman arm pullers that are common at AutoZone, Napa, etc. And that sucker ain't movin'! I've soaked the shaft as well as I can with PB Blaster (or whatever the stuff's called) and let it sit for days...applying more each day. Last night, I got a little irritated and went at it with my angle grinder and cutting wheel. I've cut 2 notches as close as I can to the shaft without hitting the shaft or steering box collar and it still won't budge. I've used a typical propane torch to try and heat it up, but again, the steering box seals are too close to do much with heat. I've used an air hammer/chisel on the puller shaft to try and break loose whatever is holding the arm to the shaft. I Can't do much hitting on it with a hammer or air hammer for fear of damaging the steering box and am not sure what else to try.
I left it last night with a fresh dousing of penetrating oil and tightened the pitman arm puller as tight as I can get it without breaking - to the point that the "fingers" that lock on top of the arm were starting to bend up slightly upwards, hoping that letting it sit that way for hours might persuade it to loosen a bit. Clearly, I can't drive it now that the arm has been pretty much cut through. So there's no backing out now.
I'm out of things to try. If anyone has any ideas or has come up against this before and has a solution, I'd really appreciate the input.
Oh, and the answer to the question before it's asked....I'm trying to install a deeper drop pitman arm in order to correct an issue with my steering geometry
Thanks!
Ric Barton
1996 XJ Sport