So, yesterday, I started working on my 2000 EB again (I'm about 2/3 done with a complete front/rear suspension overhaul, after my air ride failed).

Pulled the idler arm without any issues, popped the ball joint on the pitman arm, but then discovered the super-great clearance issues with the pitman arm to steering box.

Great design, thanks, Ford!

Anyhow - my question is, what gives with the SAE fasteners? Is the pitman arm bolt really 1 5/16", or is it a wonky 33mm? The ball joint castle nut seems to be 27mm, and up until this point in the overhaul, EVERYTHING has been metric.

I couldn't find a 33mm shallow socket locally, so I ended up grabbing a 1 5/16" Carlyle over at NAPA (which is nice, because I've been buying Carlyle to fill out gaps in my Craftsman sockets), and, in conjunction with a Harbor Freight wobble extension, was able to pop the nut off without any real issue.

Of course, the pitman arm was seized onto the splined shaft of the steering box, with zero clearance to fit the puller.

I decided to unbolt the steering box, and discovered that the bolts holding that to the frame are 9/16" head - definitely not metric in this case - fortunately, I didn't ruin the head of the bolt when my 15mm socket slipped and rounded.

Anyhow, after pulling the three retaining bolts out of the steering box (and busting the guts in a Snap-on SL80A!), I was able to remove the steering box mounting stand-off that was clipped into the frame, and rotate the steering box enough to get my OTC 7311A (same as Ford Special Service Tool 211-003 - this thing has been a lifesaver on this job, and is SOOOOO much more robust than the cheaper pitman arm pullers) seated, and, at that point, was able to fairly easily unseat the pitman arm from the spline shaft.

No heat, no cut-off wheel. New Moog arm is installed, and appears to be functioning well!

 

Might not be Ford, but the manufacturer of the steering gear that you need to take issue with.

 

It's the factory stock steering box.

 

Doesn't mean Ford made it.

 

Found more SAE, this time on the rear axle. There's four bolts on either side that insert into a square plate on the end of the axle, Grade 8 markings.

Not a big deal, just surprised at all the SAE that I'm finding on this beast.