Help a new kid out gang.

74 f250, 390, PS 2wd

Engine is out of the truck. I'm getting ready to paint the engine bay. The Pitman arm, I've read / heard that the rod it attaches to (sorry I don't know all the steering part terms of this vintage) has a non-serviceable ball joint. To separate the pitman arm do I just use my pickle fork? Will this damage the ball joint? Any old school tricks?

What say ye?

 

A pickle fork is required to separate the Pitman Arm from the draglink. The seals (3332) are replaceable, not the ball joints.

 

Drag link, that's the name that escaped me.

Drag link seals. I have more reading to do.

An aside to the first question. While the motors out and I'm fooling with the steering parts I asked a friend about replacing the ball joints. He told me they're not replaceable, that I would have to replace the entire part.

All that said, is replacing the seals a good idea or should I just buy new "while I'm in there"? I could "while I'm in there" till the truck is restored but I don't want to waste the opportunity either.

BTW. Thanks NumberDummy, I've read many, many (many many) threads where your post was the info I was looking for.

 

Pickle forks are very hard on the drag link and tie rod joints, ball joints as well, (nobody flame me) most front end techs will use a air hammer and rattle the cast iron part to shock and separate the tapered joint.

 

That's why I ask, on other cars when I separate a ball joint it's easy enough to replace. I have a ball joint tool and a press, used the "tap the side" method plenty.
​​​​​​
I'll give this one a few raps and see if it pops loose.

 

Beating on it isn't doing it. I'm afraid of damaging the steering box. Pickle fork it is. Just gonna bite the bullet and buy new stuff.

 

Im in the process of rebuilding/replacing my left front hub, ball joints etc.... Ive had the most luck with a combination of heat, tapping the sides with a sledge and then pickle fork ..... I take a little propane torch and target an area away from the seal or stud and wait until the grease starts to smoke and then pickle fork... worked really well with all the ball joint style connections i did last week... Just food for thought

 

I'm on rockauto, any recommendations on what particular brand vs others?

 

What are we talkin bout here ? Ball joints or seals or the drag link ??

 

Well, I'm guessing the drag link and the other end. As I understand it I can't replace the ball joints.

I'm a child of the 90s. Every vehicle I've owned has had rack and pinion.

 

Just gonna throw a wild guess, that whatever brand drag link you choose is prolly gonna be the same drag link with different branding, items like that are pumped out by one outlet and re-sold under many different names... So i looks like you have a longer 'Center link' and then the smaller link or tie rod if you will ? Make sure your paying attention to the different specs on rockauto, most of them will include the measurements, match them up with your current gear so you dont get a disappointment in the mail... Looks like you will need that adjusting sleeve also..

 

TWO different F250 2WD draglinks, make sure you get the correct one.

D3TZ-3304-B .. Draglink - Studs face in same direction - 40 3/8" long / Obsolete ~ 35 available NOS

1973/79 F100 2WD & F250 2WD with single piston caliper disc brakes; 1975/79 F150 2WD
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D2TZ-3304-A .. Draglink - Studs face in opposite directions - 40 7/16" long / Obsolete ~ 31 available NOS

1971 F250 2WD from serial number M00,001; 1971/79 F350; 1972 F250 2WD; 1973/79 F250 2WD with dual piston caliper disc brakes.

 

Thank you for the reminder!

I have dual piston calipers and checked my Vin tag for the gvw (8100).

 

Sorry if this muddies up the waters, but when you say "ball joints" are you referring toe the ends of the rods/links in the steering? Reason I'm asking is that while ball-joint might be an acceptable term for them (they are a ball and socket joint after all) the more common term for the link ends is "tie rod end" or just "rod end" which differentiates them from a "ball joint" that is of similar construction, but is used as a steering pivot point for the steering knuckle/spindle, brakes and wheels.

So you're not incorrect in calling those things ball-joints, and the info you got was correct that the individual components are not replaceable on this style we have. Because you'd mentioned not remembering what some of the parts were called, I just wanted to throw that in there in case it came up in future conversations.
Especially if dealing with a different rig that might actually have "ball-joints" as their steering pivots.

Good luck with the removal! I never wanted to use a hammer directly on anything attached to a steering box. But I have used a certain double-hammer trick to do it!
It's effective and I believe it puts less stress into the box itself as long as you're careful. And semi-coordinated too!
Since the idea is to hit it from two sides at the same time

Just like removing other tapered rod ends from their holes in more solid components, if you smack the part hard from both sides right where the end is attached, just to each side of the tapered stud, it sends a shock wave through the metal sufficient to break the bond that the seated stud has in the hole.
As long as you hit them at the same time that is. Or if you have difficulty doing the two simultaneous hits for whatever reason, leave one heavy hammer (like a small sledge heavy) laid up one side of the pitman arm, and smack the opposite side with the other hammer. Can really get the job done.

Sorry for the little segué there. Just wanted you to know some options when dealing with this stuff.

Paul