hello i have a 1996 dodge ram 1500 2wheel drive and the pitman arm is worn out. I got a new one and now the old on will not come off. I have tried pulling and beating. My 3 jaw pullers just tighten up and pop off the arm and beating has done nothen either. Has anyone else had this problem I have messed with this all day long and it has really whipped me good. Is there a difference in the actual pitmarm pullers and my 3 jaw pullers? any help is really appreciated.

 

i think i pitman arm puller is made to not come off so easy. the only thing is what do you mean your pitman arm is worn out. can you explain that or is that something some mechanic told you. because if so i think he's trying to rip you off. theres really not all that much that can go bad on a pitman arm. whats it doing thats making you think its bad? the only thing ive ever heard happening to them is the nut comes loose and the move aroung on the splines and mess them up but if that was the case it would come off really easy.

 

Tani's right. How the heck can it go bad?

 

Tani is right.. the only other thing i could think of is that the race where the jointed end goes into the arm is "worn" out but man.. that would be really hard to do.. races usually dont get worn or wear out... none that i have seen atleast

since we are on the topic of removal though and that you have a new in to put on... a trick is that you tdake a angle grinder with a thin metal cut off wheel and you cut down the pitman arm untill theres VERY little left and then bang the hell out of it untill it pops.. its hard to explain..

ill try to explain in a picture... in this pic youll see on the left side where i drew a red line... cut down that axis untill you get close to the splines.. becarefull you dont nick or cut the splines... thatll make your day go worse... when tehres very little metal left hold the pitman onto the shaft... use a sledge and nock it to get it to pop... pitmans can be stubburn sumambitchs...

hope this helps!


oh.. and no pokin fun of my picture... i am a adobe photoshop master .. in disguise

[IMG]local://upfiles/3936/157FCCF58E1E467297C36C53C3D2ABD7.jpg[/IMG]

 

Oh believe me they can wear out, the pitman arm has a joint in it that allows it to pivot and they do wear out. Mine is shot, has been for a couple months now.
If you do some checking, you will find Dodge was bad for the pitman arms and the idler arms going out pretty regular in them.

To remove you need an actual pitman arm puller, you can rent these at most shops or Autozone has them on their loaner tool section. It slides over the pitman arm and there is a bolt that goes through it and goes up against the steering shaft, as you tighten the bolt it will pull the arm right off. Way quicker and safe then using regular pullers. And dont go cutting it off, you take the chance of messing up your steering shaft splines. Do it the right way, just takes a couple trips to the tool shop, once to borrow it and once to return it.

 

dude theres no joint in a pitman arm. theres a ball joint on top of the track bar but that has nothing to do with the pitman arm

 

Dude, reread his is a 2 wd, it has a joint in it, the 4wd dont. Sorry didnt mean anything by the Due comment back, but 2 wd and 4 wd do have differant set up under the front. 2wd dont have track arms, we have regular drag links, with the pitman at one end and the draglink at the other. And of course the 2 tierods at the outsides.

 

trust me this thing is shot it has a ball joint on the pitman arm like livinginh said and it is completly shot i got my dad to turn the wheel and I watched it had tons of play in it. The trucked wondered all over the road.

 

does it move where the arm is attached to the steering box? if its moving on the other end its just the ball joint on the tie rod end. its the tie rod that needs to be replaced. not the pitman arm. i cant see how the pitman arm would have the joint in it. that doesnt make sense but if thats the way it is?

 

the pitman arm that attached to the gear box moves but the ball joint on the other end has tons of play before it moved the drag link. I have brand new ball joints not even a month old so there good and the idler arm and tie rod ends looked good while i was under there looking. I appreciate all the help Im gonna go to autozone after class tomorow and get the pitman arm puller. Thanks very much.