Pitman Nut Removal
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 868
Likes: 84
From: Florida
Pitman Nut Removal
How do you access to remove the Pitman Arm Nut?
So, I have a 2002 F 250 4WD XLT CC and I want to change out the steering box soon and was planning my action. What's the step by step to remove the Pitman Arm Nut so that I can remove the steering box? Do I have to remove anything to get more room? I am thinking yes but am not sure. Has anyone done this lately?
Thanks,
PJ
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 670
Likes: 6
When I put the lift on my 14 F350 with only a couple thousand miles, it took longer to get the pitman arm off than changing out 4 springs and tweaking the exhaust. Be ready for some blood sweat and tears. I couldn’t access the nut with the impact, but the correct wrench and a cheater got it loose. As for the pitman arm itself, that was a whole nother story. Is there not enough room to get the correct size boxed in wrench on it? The torque value is high on those btw
More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 500
Likes: 38
From: Pacific Northwest
Haha, when I did mine I didn't even bother!
I removed the ball joint at the end of the arm and left it on. At the time I didn't have an impact or puller big enough to get it off, I tried with what I had
after an hour I said forget it & simply turned in my old box for a rebuilt one. Napa didn't care that it had the arm left on it, plus the new one was only like 20$ so i payed the difference.
Now I have the Milwaukee fuel impact & have no doubt it would remove it, but if you don't have one hell of an impact wrench don''t even try, like they said you're in for a fight.
If you wanted to try I'd pull it out with the arm on, soak it for at least an hour in PB or something equivalent in a penetrating oil and then try it with an impact and have a propane torch on standby.
EDIT- Remembering back now I did manage to get the nut off but I couldn't get the actual arm "popped" off the box. I've got a hell of a puller now that would do it, but didn't then.
Good luck!
I removed the ball joint at the end of the arm and left it on. At the time I didn't have an impact or puller big enough to get it off, I tried with what I had
after an hour I said forget it & simply turned in my old box for a rebuilt one. Napa didn't care that it had the arm left on it, plus the new one was only like 20$ so i payed the difference.
Now I have the Milwaukee fuel impact & have no doubt it would remove it, but if you don't have one hell of an impact wrench don''t even try, like they said you're in for a fight.
If you wanted to try I'd pull it out with the arm on, soak it for at least an hour in PB or something equivalent in a penetrating oil and then try it with an impact and have a propane torch on standby.
EDIT- Remembering back now I did manage to get the nut off but I couldn't get the actual arm "popped" off the box. I've got a hell of a puller now that would do it, but didn't then.
Good luck!
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 716
Likes: 336
I put jack stands under the front axle to make bleeding the box after install easier. Removed the lf tire and inner wheelwell for easier access. Used a torch, 2 jaw puller, and an air hammer to get the arm off. It took 2 of us fighting the box on the ground to get the arm off. The new box took me from 4" of play in the wheel to under 1". No complaints about the red top box itself, but never saw a credit for my core. They did not respond to my emails. Left a sour taste.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,815
Likes: 24
From: Houston
It's been a long time since I did mine on my old 2002, but I removed the track bar bracket. Then destroyed a pitman arm puller getting it off. I was replacing the track bar bracket for a lift anyway.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 14,298
Likes: 2,197
I have to remove mine to replace the arm with an arm designed for my lift.
got the puller and various sockets in hand as well as a 1400 foot pound impact and a 3 foot breaker bar.
the only puzzle I am pondering is…..do I need to cut some 2x4 so that I have a jam that will keep my pitman arm at center and not against stops while I use all the destroyer tactics discussed in this thread?
got the puller and various sockets in hand as well as a 1400 foot pound impact and a 3 foot breaker bar.
the only puzzle I am pondering is…..do I need to cut some 2x4 so that I have a jam that will keep my pitman arm at center and not against stops while I use all the destroyer tactics discussed in this thread?
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 500
Likes: 38
From: Pacific Northwest
I would as your one of the very few that are actually going to be re-using the same one you took off.
Or somehow clamp it in a vise. Forget how big it is as it’s been awhile but I’d go the vise route first then try blocking it. Or since it’s out and if you a descent amount of mileage on it just replace it with a rebuilt one for a descent price. (It’s out anyways at that point
.)
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