Alright,

THis is the second time I have tried to tackle any type of steering components. ANd I am failing again.

I have a pittman arm puller and it is not working to get this steering dampener off. It seems like I REALLY have to put some A$$ into it, but I don't want to damage the tie rod.

Should I just use my impact wrench to tighten this down? From being hand tight, it is already making divits from the puller teeth in the tie rod.


thanks.

 

if its unbolted you should just be able to wiggle it out no puller required...maybe a big screwdriver or pry bar to push it out..its just like replacing a rear shock in a way..

 

hmmmm. Well I guess I could try using a hammer and a screwdriver to "break" its hold.

I just don't want to bend a rod.

I have a picklefork, but i don't want to bend the rods. I am guessing that suspension components are not a "finesse"job. And tou need to apply extreme force.

 

when i did mine, which was yesterday, i unbolted the passenger side, and let that side hang, then took the nut off the driver side with the cotter pin, i PB-blasted the the hell out of the bolt, i tried a hammer first, and it wouldnt budge, tried a pickle fork still no go, then i rented a pitman arm puller, at first it didnt seem like it was working but i kept turnin it till it finally budged, the bolt is tappered so as soon as it gets past that point it will pop out easy, just keep turning

 

I already gave up and reinstalled it. It got to where I was doing a chinup on the pittman arm puller. I kept going until it wouldn't turn anymore. I couldn't fit my impact wrench in there. So there goes that. That might have worked well. If I take off the swaybar it would fit.

I might need to use a cheater bar. I will try to tackle this again next weekend. I just did this because I was bored and had a brand new steering stabilizer ready to put in.

Thanks for the help kuherrm. Funny, I tried a hammer...wouldn't budge. Tried a picklefork..same thing. Then I pulled out the pittman arm puller from my toolbox (bought it 5 years ago and it was still in the packaging!!).

I am just afraid I will bend something or pop a tie rod end out.

Also, tie rod ends are supposed to move up and down. But they are only bad if they are popping IN and OUT of the ball. Right?

 

Also, my steering stabilizer does not have a castle nut and cotter pin. Weird.

 

ya my tie rods moves up in down, just if the ball joint pops in/out like u said, i reinstalled my old one 3 times before i finally got it ha, so it got pb-blasted 3 times and the one i put in didnt have a castle nut and cotter pin either, i got mine from autozone, but it deff made a difference once finally installed, i just rented the pitman arm puller from autozone too.... i guess i could of bought one since it was like 14 dollars ha

 

Could you use a little heat?

That always seems to help me.

 

I don't have a torch. But i guess i can use the little butane pastry torch my wife has.

Sadly, I have used that before.

Also, are you a fisherman tunny? I can't wait to get back to the east coast and do some canyon fishing.

 

Yup, got it done today. Maybe it just needed to soak in PB overnight. I did it today and I kept going with the puller. Just when I was going to give up because I was really torquing...it popped.

I don't notice much of a difference, but I need an alignment. THe outside of my tires are worn in the front. I believe that is toe.

--Dan