Am I doing something wrong here? I'm trying to disconect my pitman arm from the shaft of the steering box. I removed the nut and lock washer and hooked up a gear puller....but I can't get the #$&^%@# to move!!
What am I missing?

 

Sounds to me like you are missing the tourch to cut it off.

Putting the jokes aside, must be rusted, use some penetrating oil and try again. Sometimes just heating it up with a tourch will help. After 50 years of being stuck in the same position things somtimes dont come off to easy.

Just my thoughts.

 

You've stumbled on one of Henry's special features. The bolt (at least on my 56) does clamp the pitman arm on but it also goes through a cross-drilled half-hole in the sector shaft. You have to completely remove the bolt in order get the shaft off even if you already removed the nut and washer to release the clamping force. Don't ask me how I found that out. :-)

George

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 01-Aug-02 AT 07:06 PM (EST)]Not a bolt on my '51. There's just the threaded end of the shaft with, I assume, splines that engage with the pitman arm. Then, a lockwasher and 1.25" nut. Guess I'll soak her down again and pull.
Thanks y'all,

 

Ya know, this is about the third time in a week I stuck my foot in my mouth by thinking another year truck would have the same type part as my 56. There sure is a lesson here but I'm not learning it very quickly. I'm looking at two different illustrations and both are entitled "FORD TRUCKS 1948/1969" and show the clamping style pitman arm. They do show different part numbers (8C-3590 48/52 and TAAA-3590 53/56) in the fine print on a different page though so I should have looked more carefully.

Had a bad day at work and I'm just venting here so ignore me more than usual.

George

 

I used two tapered punches. I wedged them between the chassis and the pitmam (one on each side of the shaft) and hit them with a hammer so that they they worked together.

 

Hey George, you still deserve a pat on the back for trying to help!! '56 seems to be a transition year, not?

Try a pickle fork on that pitman arm - like you use on ball joints and tie rod ends. It might not fit very well, but will still provide enough wedging force to move it. If you can't straddle the shaft with the fork, move off to one side and alternate whacks on both sides of the shaft.

And you're right - its a splined and tapered fit. More lube and a bigger hammer........and moderate heat won't hurt either.
Tim

 

Got her A carefully aged blend of penetrating oil and beer!
Once again guys, thanks for the tips and grins

 

YeeHaw! I 'spose you know that when beer is part of the solution you need to use the two-handed hammer.

 

>YeeHaw! I 'spose you know that when beer is part of the
>solution you need to use the two-handed hammer.

When I couldn't get it off I had to put it in my 12 ton press and press it out with a bang. the tapered forks didn't do it for me Ed ke6bnl So calif.