Broke my pitman arm puller: what am I missing?

Tanksoldier

Tanksoldier

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I’m attempting the TJ -ZJ tierod swap.

I’ve watched several vids, read blog posts, seems straightforward.

Got the cotter pins off, got the castle nuts off. No problem.

BC369EFA-2557-433B-A9B9-2376F6733427.jpeg


Tried reversing the castle nut and whackng with a hammer. No joy.

So, still no problem. I got my pitman arm puller out. Sprayed some PB, let it sit over lunch.

I broke the pitman arm puller, and might have deformed the tierod end.

CBAAEB24-16A8-416B-9426-30C952310E3D.jpeg


What obvious, stupid thing am I missing or forgetting?
 
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Take that puller and throw it in the trash where it belongs.

Buy an OTC 8150 and never deal with a pitman arm that won't come off again
 
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Thanks to everyone for the replies.

I’ve got a better puller on the way, should get here tomorrow morning.

I’ll let the PB Blaster soak overnight and give it another go tomorrow.
 
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Tanksoldier said:
Thanks to everyone for the replies.

I’ve got a better puller on the way, should get here tomorrow morning.

I’ll let the PB Blaster soak overnight and give it another go tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Have you tried post #7? Put the nut on so that if it comes loose it doesn’t slam to the ground.

Then hit that right there with a sledge hammer, smaller hand sledge, but a Big Fing Hammer. I have my shooting ear muffs when I do it..(can’t lose any more hearing ha)
 
The big f hammer guys know what they are talking about. It’s not rust holding it, it’s a taper fit and stuck because Jeep intended for it to stay stuck. Get the new puller on it with some tension then wack it with a big hammer. You can possibly break the better puller by trying to pull it off without hitting the pitman arm
 
I never use a big hammer to hit the side of the hole in the steering arm. If I have to do it that way, I use a 10 ounce ball peen. But, I know how to swing a hammer. I don't use a puller of any type whatsoever on steering arm ends.

What I do that works very well every single time is use a large center punch.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FCQJK6/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Set the end in the divot in the pin, smack it with a hammer, pops it right out. Some are stubborn, they all will pop out with this method.
 
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mrblaine said:
I never use a big hammer to hit the side of the hole in the steering arm. If I have to do it that way, I use a 10 ounce ball peen. But, I know how to swing a hammer. I don't use a puller of any type whatsoever on steering arm ends.

What I do that works very well every single time is use a large center punch.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FCQJK6/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Set the end in the divot in the pin, smack it with a hammer, pops it right out. Some are stubborn, they all will pop out with this method.
Click to expand...

I've been using the punch method most often for the last couple years. It does work really well.
 
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mrblaine said:
I never use a big hammer to hit the side of the hole in the steering arm. If I have to do it that way, I use a 10 ounce ball peen. But, I know how to swing a hammer. I don't use a puller of any type whatsoever on steering arm ends.

What I do that works very well every single time is use a large center punch.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002FCQJK6/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Set the end in the divot in the pin, smack it with a hammer, pops it right out. Some are stubborn, they all will pop out with this method.
Click to expand...

After the San Francisco Pelosi debacle with the hammer the other night, I’m going to refrain from comments, but the “sex toy” hammer pictures, that I was totally unaware existed, have enlightened me to many other hammers being out there.
 
I'm not a fan of smacking the knuckle with a BFH. I like to load up the puller, walk away and work on something else. Most times it will let loose with a BANG! about a half an hour or so later. It's kind of funny when it does.

EDIT: This is more for the Pitman arm at the steering box ... and make sure the nut is just "loose" and not "off".
 
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Tanksoldier said:
Thanks to everyone for the replies.

I’ve got a better puller on the way, should get here tomorrow morning.

I’ll let the PB Blaster soak overnight and give it another go tomorrow.
Click to expand...

PB Blaster isn't your best bet. I'd try something stronger like Liquid Wrench.

And don't buy it at Walmart ...

FB313355925_2321392631356670_3060481772655436034_n.jpg
 
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Tanksoldier said:
Thanks to everyone for the replies.

I’ve got a better puller on the way, should get here tomorrow morning.

I’ll let the PB Blaster soak overnight and give it another go tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Pay more attention to the advice given above that says to give that knuckle a SOLID whack or two with a BFH and that stud will pop right out. No this is not knuckle abuse, this is just the time-honored method of separating tapered studs. Don't be afraid to give it a massive whack with a BFH (big effing hammer), put your big-boy pants on for this job. I can break 3 tapered stud joints free in well under a minute with no pickle fork or puller needed.

Girly-tapping it with a brad hammer won't do it. 1-3 manly-man whacks with the BFH does it every time.

TieRodSledgeHammer.jpg


And for a penetrant stop using that PB-Blaster which is very ineffective when compared to far better penetrants like Liquid Wrench, Kroil, or Break-Free. PB-Blaster was ranked little better than WD-40 in penetrant tests and WD-40 is not even a penetrant.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
And for a penetrant stop using that PB-Blaster which is very ineffective when compared to far better penetrants like Liquid Wrench, Kroil, or Break-Free. PB-Blaster was ranked little better than WD-40 in penetrant tests and WD-40 is not even a penetrant.
Click to expand...

Jerry, why do you hate PB-Blaster so much?
Even if it's not the best; lots of comparison testing and reviews (online) that say it works just fine.
 
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