Trick for sticky pitmans
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 710
Likes: 0
Trick for sticky pitmans
Thought I would throw one in here myself. When the pitman arm is stuck, wrench the puller on really tight then whack the BASE of the steering arm and re-tighten the puller. After several of these rounds it should pop right off. Mine was so tight I broke a 20mm wrench on the puller. Just I thought I would avoid heat, because of the seal right there.
CJ
CJ
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Trick for sticky pitmans
Using heat will remove the temper in the metal if you are not very careful.
Unfortunately when you hit the base of the arm with a hammer you just trashed the lower bearing so the seal no longer matters. Some units with bushings may take this abuse but any unit with a ball or roller bearings will not. The unit may "work" for a while but the bearing has been compromised. This is much like skidding into a curb and "just" bending a wheel. The bearing(s) will fail somewhere down the road from the impact denting the ***** or rollers into the race or shaft.
Never use a hammer on a shaft or housing with a rolling type bearing unless you intend to replace the bearing and/or the shaft. Needle bearings usually use the shaft as the inner race, and hammering will destroy the shaft as well as the cup/housing. You may not be able to see the damage with an untrained eye, but it is there. If the force of the blow is transmitted from the shaft through the bearing into the housing (or the opposit) you will destroy the bearing, shaft, or housing, or all three. There are some instances where a judicious ping with a hammer will free a frozen part properly tensioned with a puller, if the blow is transmitted in line with the shaft. Of course this only works with needle bearings or bushings, it will not work with tapered roller, or ball bearings.
Treat your bearings with respect, they have a hard job.
This much said, I hope you had a bushing in that unit.
over!
Unfortunately when you hit the base of the arm with a hammer you just trashed the lower bearing so the seal no longer matters. Some units with bushings may take this abuse but any unit with a ball or roller bearings will not. The unit may "work" for a while but the bearing has been compromised. This is much like skidding into a curb and "just" bending a wheel. The bearing(s) will fail somewhere down the road from the impact denting the ***** or rollers into the race or shaft.
Never use a hammer on a shaft or housing with a rolling type bearing unless you intend to replace the bearing and/or the shaft. Needle bearings usually use the shaft as the inner race, and hammering will destroy the shaft as well as the cup/housing. You may not be able to see the damage with an untrained eye, but it is there. If the force of the blow is transmitted from the shaft through the bearing into the housing (or the opposit) you will destroy the bearing, shaft, or housing, or all three. There are some instances where a judicious ping with a hammer will free a frozen part properly tensioned with a puller, if the blow is transmitted in line with the shaft. Of course this only works with needle bearings or bushings, it will not work with tapered roller, or ball bearings.
Treat your bearings with respect, they have a hard job.
This much said, I hope you had a bushing in that unit.
over!
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Trick for sticky pitmans
I hope it wasn't to hard. The sharp impact load is what does the damage. Sounds like you may have pulled it off, --no pun intended.
I just wanted to warn people to be very careful. I have seen way, way, too many bearings ruined over the years, both before and after the fact.
I have usually had the best luck with a very small "ping" on the end of the bolt on a tight puller.
over!
I just wanted to warn people to be very careful. I have seen way, way, too many bearings ruined over the years, both before and after the fact.
I have usually had the best luck with a very small "ping" on the end of the bolt on a tight puller.
over!
