A trick I've heard is to put a puller on it, tighten it to put some tension on it, and then leave it overnight.
I've heard of guys doing this and the POP of the pitman arm coming loose wakes them up at 2am.

 

Abandoned, i was just about to do that when the thing broke... the forces were so high that instead of breaking loose the pitman arm the tool failed... It was also a fragile fracture, which means the alloy and casting weren't of a good quality to start with...

 

Why do people even MAKE junk tools?

I remember one time I bought a big 30in (75cm) breaker bar to bust a rusted bolt loose. The end of the breaker bar twisted right off in the socket like it was made out of putty (didn't even put up a fight). What did they think someone was going to be using a breaker bar for?

Sorry to hear it.

 

I just feel for the little thing... it did put a fight...

 

Well, here it is, the new contender: Amazon.com: KD Tools (KD 2289) Pitman Arm Puller: Home Improvement (it costed me $47, mind you that it's actually a fair price to get the tool without the waiting and delivery time). My forearms don't feel well from the struggle yesterday, i think i'll skip working on it today (maybe i'll wait until the weekend so i can recover completely).

P.S.: I must say the vendor of the other puller was very comprehensive and offered me credit store for the price of the broken tool.

 

Well, the weather didn't let me try anything until today... I mounted the puller and tightened it the most i could (i can't even take it out now), hitted it with a heavy hammer... this pitman arm appears to be welded to the shaft (not literally), unbelievable...

 

I feel your pain. Used that puller, added a fork puller and swung a big hammer until my arms resembled sausage. Finally used a propane torch and took my anger out with as hard a hit as I could muster. It responded with a soft pop.....finally. I staggered away, too tired for the next step.

 

I actually deformed the tip of the bolt... now i won't fit my 3/4 socket without some coercion (hammer again)... My hand's tendons aren't feeling right, so i guess i'll go check if anything happened overnight, but not much else. I don't want to use a torch, but if i don't manage anything today i'll get one (wonder if the little pen-torch i have will work?).

 

I don't see it mentioned but, guessing you have it off the Bronco where you can swing well?

 

No, i haven't been able to un-attach either side of the pitman arm, i took the safe-nut on the other side but it won't come lose. I'm actually thinking on mounting the steering box back so i have a better grip and tighten the puller futher.

 

Oh, one end of mine came loose with a fork puller then I fought the arm off the box in the middle of the floor.

 

I have been looking images of that fork puller tool and i get no idea how you used it on the arm, did you attach it to the pitman arm puller bolt?.

 

SUCCESS! i think i just grew a third nut... That's how much of a man i feel right now. I went to my truck and tried several things for 4 hours, managed to take the puller off, rearanged everything, lifted both tires and placed the steering box/pitman arm in various positions, tried my pen-torch (the flame was too weak to use outdoors), and so it went... until it got dark. Then i decided to call the day, but i wanted to mount the puller once again to left it overnight and try my luck (i must say i was very very angry and frustrated). Before anything, i took the steering box up (it was on the floor, with everything attached), and place it in a nice position to mount the puller. Once i did that, i placed the pulled and tightened the bolt by hand until i felt everything was in place, then i took my socket wrench and started tightening. The whole arrangement moved until one of the arms of the puller struck one of the terminals bars, the position was great, i could apply as much torque as i wanted and it wouldn't move anywhere. I was still feeling defeated, yet i decided to try my pipe-wrench combo (it's just a pipe that fits perfectly on the handle of my socket wrench, giving me huge leverage). It was already tight, but with so much lever it was easy to apply even more torque, so i started turning it, and again, and again, 3 clicks at a time. It started getting really hard, yet in my frustration i had decided i would continue until something break...

After a little while all hell broke loose, the wrench fell, there was this loud "CRACK" noise and the puller seemed to jump. Expecting the worst, I reached for my cell phone and used its flash as a light source. I reached and touched the arms and the lids on the puller... ok, the pipe... ok, the wrench... well i turned it in the tightening position and it turned (f***! i broke my 12yo friend!), then i tried the other side and it offered resistance (what?), the forces at the moment where so extreme it actually changed the wrench's switch. Finally... i turned the bolt of the puller by hand and it turned, looked at the arrange and there it was... it was a 1/10 of an inch, but the Pitman arm moved!!!.

I will try to make a better sorted post later giving the proper procedure (with some very useful pics i took) from my experience. Now this week i'll be rebuilding the steering box, but i'm sure it won't be as much trouble as it was taking this darned thing off... Thanks everyone for their tips and sympathy!.

P.S.: Sorry for the lenghty post, but i'm just too excited and wanted to share...

 

Better warn your woman...you are the man tonight!!! Man's ego is a powerful roller coaster ride and you are bullet proof tonight. Congratulations!!!

 

Man, Encho, I've been feeling your pain. That's gotta feel good!