Pitman arm stuck on Steering box

[scarycary]

OK I hammered, pickle forked, propane torched and even sworn at my pitman arm. It simply refuses to release from the shaft. Any body got any ideas?
I am trying to replace my steering box. the alignment shop said my steering box was loose.

[hundahunta]

pitman arm puller and 1/2 or 3/4 inpact gun

[alloro]

Is it safe to say that you first removed the pitman arm nut?

Propane isn't hot enough to heat up and expand the pitman arm fast enough to keep the heat from spreading to the gear box shaft. As a result, the shaft expands with the pitman arm hole.

[scarycary]

hmmm yes I did . I think I'll get an air hammer and a real pitman arm puller and give that a go.

[Doug Rodrigues]

How did you finally get it off?

[scarycary]

I'm a procrastinator. I had to stop and go to Burning Man first. Then I built myself an english wheel.I now own an air hanner and real pitman arm puller. Now I need to get back under there and git er done. Thanks for asking. I'll post when it happens.

[Doug Rodrigues]

Well I hope you don't use a hammer and damage the steering gear. Pitman arms are cheap. Maybe just grind a notch into the grip area and pry it loose with a pry bar? What am I saying?....you're going to replace the steering gearbox. Hammer away!

[mechhound]

I had a stuck pitman arm on a '94 Ford F-150. I was going to remove the steering box anyway to replace the upper and lower seals. I couldn't get the pitman arm off even after turning it upside down and putting a good puller on it and literally beating on the puller bolt with a sledge hammer. So I took it to a welding shop. The guy heated the pitman arm and took an air hammer, it still woudn't come off. So he heated it again and dipped it in water and back to the air hammer, finally it came off. This was a couple years ago and the seals still don't leak. I just thought I would throw this out there in case all else fails for you. Good luck.