I WILL BE INSTALLING A DROP PITMAN ARM AND NEED TO KNOW HOW COMPLICATED IT IS TO GET THE OLD ONE OFF. I HEARD THAT A SPECIAL ARM PULLER IS NEEDED, IS THIS TRUE? HAS ANYONE FOUND ANY EASY OR GOOD TRICKS TO MAKE THE JOB GO WELL? THANKS

Do a search. This has been covered a couple times.

If your kidneys don't hurt, it's not a real Jeep!

search did me no good, so hook me up if u know anything.

go buy a couple of pitman arm pullers from your local auto parts store (whoever has the lifetime warranty on their stuff). They are about $10 each. If you break one, use the other, and return any damaged/unused ones for a refund when you're done. Also a good impact wrench is highly recommended (at least 200-300 ft/lbs) to be used in conjunction with the pullers.

I also bought a 34mm axle-nut socket ($12) to get the pitman nut on/off with the impact. It's not an exact fit, but it's close and it's cheaper than the $25 Craftsman socket which is the only thing that DID fit.

'83 CJ-7 nothing original but the tub and axle tubes

I had a hell of a time getting mine off as well. I was using a pry bar and socket method but I was really pullin hard and was getting bad feelings about my frame and the box so I stopped and brought it to a local 4x4 shop. I know some of the guys over there so they let me "hang around" while they were taking it off. They used an impact to get the nut off and then a special puller to get the actual pitman arm off. Well the nut came off pretty easy for them but the pitman arm was a pain in the A$$. Ended up heating it up with a torch. Hitting it with a BFH. And using the puller. Well the impact just couldn't turn the puller. We got a breaker bar to see if we could turn the puller and we just ended up breaking the bar. (Gotta love craftsman) The mechanic ended up taking the torch puting heat absorbing compound around the shaft and cutting about half way through the pitman arm. After that the arm came off pretty easily. Then as far as putting the new one on just line it up and torque up the nut. But don't feel bad if you have to bring it to a shop. I'm glad I did because even if I would have gotten the nut off I would have had no clue how to pull the pitman arm off. I don't have the an impact, puller, or a oxy/acet set up.

Be careful when you heat the pitman arm, you can damage the seals on the steering gear box...I know from experience. Sure do wish I had heard of AGR back then instead of OEM.




Jason

----------------
[]llll[] '90 YJ & '88 Grand Waggie

I fought with many a pitman arm. I love my Snap-on tools. Those cheap pullers you can rent at the auto zone are wrthless, if not dangerous. the sears one i had wasnt any better. I fought with a pitman arm on a 90s ex-police caprice on a buddys car. The sector shaft seal had gone bad. In any case, after breaking auto zone's puller, and saying about 16,000 choice 4 letter words, I wa able to find a shop a buddy worked in and "borrowed" his Snap-On puller. Brought it home, put the Impact Gun on it (love the Air Tools) and it came right off. I know they're expensive, but you cant put a price on safety. Snap-on, there REALLY is a difference! Just my 2 cents...

mike

Give me Jeep or Give me Death!!!

(Will trade functioning organs for CJ-7 or flatfender)

I don' know where you live but around here you can rent specialty tools at autozone or checker auto and you just have to pay what the thing cost and when your done you just take it back and you get (ALL) your money back. I hope this helps. I go there all the time. CHECK IT OUT.

THANKS GUYS!!! WENT AND PICKED UP THE PULLER AT AUTOZONE LAST NIGHT BUT RAN INTO SOME MINOR DIFFICULTIES ON THE SPRINGS AND DIDNT GET TO IT. WELL GIVE IT A GO TONIGHT. SAY A PRAYER AND WISH ME ALL KINDS OF LUCK.

Get the puller real tight and rap on it with a hammer. ken