Pitman Arm blues...(i need help!!)

[bmxmon]

Hey guys, its been awhile, I started college and dont have my computer set up for the net yet. Well I came home this weekend to try to finish my car, but as the title suggests, I cannot get that sucker off. Its alot of the way off, but the last bit is holding me up. I am using a pickle fork because the pitman arm puller i bought from the auto-store was too wide. Any suggestions??? Ive sprayed it up with some liquid wrench, then pounded on that sob pickle fork with no luck. Thanks for any tips!

[Phillyfanfrombirth]

Hmmmm...


Are you sure you didn't damage the threads and "mushroomed" them out so now they are holding things up?

If not, I'd say BFH it. If it breaks, it needed replaced anyway...

You may also want to try to bolt it back on a bit, spray it more... clean up as much of it as you can so no dirt gets jammed in there, then try pulling it again. Sometimes that really sounds counter productive, but it ends up being one hell of a time saver...

If it is mushroomed, you will need an angle grinder and carefully take off the mushroomed part. Be sure to chase the threads if you do this, afterwords... the last thing you want is for it to be a PIA to get back on.

[bmxmon]

The BFH thing is kinda hard to do. I cant get a very good angle on it, so i was using a short, heavy sledge. It would pound it, get real hard, then a couple more good wacks just come flying back out!! I dont think there is really anyway i could have damaged the threads, at least not the ones the nut screws onto. The pitman arm is connected to the stearing thing with splines, which is possible i screwed up, but i would imagine that it would be the upper part of the spline that would get screwed up and not anything that the pitman arm would have to travel over. I will definately try out the screwing it back on thing, probably the best idea. Yeah, the angle it hard because i just have the front on jack stands, so trying to wiggle under there and get the pickle fork in there right, then actually hit the thing is a challenge, lol.
Also, way off topic, i just found a 87 lx stang, 4cly auto, for $250. I guess it needs brake work and a new exhaust, but otherwise runs fine. Its a little rusty, not too bad i dont think for 250, and some odd things are missing, like the cowl vent cover, rear gate key thing, and i believe a couple of other things. I was thinking about getting it for driving back and forth from home to college, but have heard that those 4cly are weak and not very good with gas, is it true? Right now im driving a jeep, which averages about 15mpg. Well, thanks for any help or comments.

[Rev]

What I would do is borrow a different pitman arm puller from the auto supply that fits correctly. I would then put an impact wrench to the puller and blast away. It could break the puller I guess, but that would be my attempt anyway.

Rev

[bmxmon]

thanks for the tips, I will try them out next weekend when i go home. (september has been really nice in minnesota so far, so hopefully it will last another week!!!)
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oh yeah, i really dont care if it breaks either, im replacing it with the v-8 pitman arm. That and the rest of the steering is the only thing stoping me from saying that i completed the entire v-8 swap!! ugh.

[Phillyfanfrombirth]

Next time...

Do it before you put the engine in...

[bmxmon]

that is what the logical person would do. Personally, the power had to come first, the other stuff, well.......

[bmxmon]

I got it off. I ended up just buying another one of the same pitman arm pullers, and made up some washers to wedge up in there, and it came off! I now have all my new stuff on, but have a question for anybody who has done the granada swap. That question is, what did you do to make the steering stop, so the wheels done rub?? My old stops stop the steering too quickly, but without them my tires can rub on the inside. Do I need to make some of my own, or is there another way?? Any info would be nice, thanks.

[firewrench]

Can you put the originals back on and grind them down till you get the right amount of turn radius?

[bmxmon]

not really, the brake line would be what would stop it....probably not a good idea. I figured this would be a common problem among people who do this swap.....??