After replacing the inner and outer tie rod ends and the idler arm, upper control arms/bushings/ball joints...it was time to pull the steering gear out to get it rebuilt due to all the play in the steering.

Soooo....all was going fine; got the two pressure lines off without much trouble....got the steering pinch bolt out and column compressed (finally) and the three bolts holding the steering gear out. Now it was time to get the pitman arm joint out of the link.....this is where the trouble begins.

I tried to use the lever style tie rod separator...nope will not fit, not enought room, etc. So I got a drift and tapped on the end of the pitman arm taper.....tap turned into hitting it as hard as I could given the short swing I had....nothing except began to compress the threads. Okay...fine!...I will have to get a new pitman arm....probably should anyways.....so I kept hitting it and got nowhere! Got the propane torch out...heated joint twice....nothing.

Went to parts store and got a pitman arm wedge (pickle fork) and after five or six blows, the joint separates....YEAH!!!!!

Get the steering gear out and onto the bench. WOW...that sure is a large nut there....33mm....really....I have a 30mm and a 36mm....
Down to my local garage shop that I used....hey can I borrow a 33mm socket.....nope....do not have one....have a 34mm.....let me get the steering gear...bring it in and he buzzes it right off.....YEAH!!!!

Return home and get my pitman arm remover...put it on.....spray the threads again.....grab my impact wrench and proceed to break one of the puller arms.....FINE!.....back to parts store and get another pitman arm puller. Rather strange usage instructions though and not able to use socket on the screw only an open end wrench.

Well....after about 45 minutes of beating on the pitman arm and keeping the pitman puller as tight as I could I finally get the pitman arm off...YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.....man are my arms tired!!

Soooo....bottom line.....to anyone else doing this little ol'e task....be prepared for a battle....you will win in the end....but you are going to work for it.

Later guys.

 

ive had them so stuck on the gear box ive had to cut into the pitman arm to get them to come off. im replacing them anyways but yeah after raming down the puller and hitting a bunch with a hammer i start cutting

 

I know my Blazer spent the first part of it's life where there is snow, ice, salt, etc....which contributed to the stubborn pitman arm.

I still have to find a socket or something to be able to tighten the pitman arm nut down. Anyone happen to know what the torque value is for this?

Thanks

 

Brings back my memory of doing mine last year. What a PITA. Although putting new pitman arm on I couldn't get it back on as far as the factory arm was. Im hoping its fine that way. Shop that did my alignment didn't seem too concerned.