Taking a BFH to the pitman arm

[freedom_in_4low]

I've got a stubborn tapered stud at the draglink-to-pitman arm joint. I know the BFH trick to release tie rods from the knuckles and have used it many times before. No qualms about beating the hell out of a knuckle. But when the thing I'm beating on is directly connected to an expensive component without widely available quality replacements, I pause a bit.

I've given it a few half hearted whacks, but mostly used more conventional methods. Broke the tab off the jaw on my tie rod puller. Pickle fork hasn't gotten me anywhere. Gave it as much heat as I could get into it without starting a sustained grease fire. No luck. Just want to know if going full steam on my pitman arm with a 3 pound hammer carries any risk of damaging gears or anything else in my steering box and introducing new slop in the system.

 

[TJ4Jim]

You want to use 2 hammers at the same time from opposite sides.

 

[mrblaine]

I've got a stubborn tapered stud at the draglink-to-pitman arm joint. I know the BFH trick to release tie rods from the knuckles and have used it many times before. No qualms about beating the hell out of a knuckle. But when the thing I'm beating on is directly connected to an expensive component without widely available quality replacements, I pause a bit.

I've given it a few half hearted whacks, but mostly used more conventional methods. Broke the tab off the jaw on my tie rod puller. Pickle fork hasn't gotten me anywhere. Gave it as much heat as I could get into it without starting a sustained grease fire. No luck. Just want to know if going full steam on my pitman arm with a 3 pound hammer carries any risk of damaging gears or anything else in my steering box and introducing new slop in the system.

Swing the pitman to the left side as far as it will go. Swing the draglink out so it is in a straight line with the pitman. Set a floor jack under the draglink. With the draglink down a bit, find a socket, tube, steel bar that will fit in right next to the grease boot with enough diameter to act as a fulcrum. Raise the floor jack to put some pretty good pressure on the fulcrum. Use a smallish hammer and smack the end of the pitman where the hole for the draglink TRE pin is. That will pop it right out.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Swing the pitman to the left side as far as it will go. Swing the draglink out so it is in a straight line with the pitman. Set a floor jack under the draglink. With the draglink down a bit, find a socket, tube, steel bar that will fit in right next to the grease boot with enough diameter to act as a fulcrum. Raise the floor jack to put some pretty good pressure on the fulcrum. Use a smallish hammer and smack the end of the pitman where the hole for the draglink TRE pin is. That will pop it right out.

Awesome. I'll try this when I go back out there later. Makes sense you'd have a trick for this just like the bolt/nut to bust the unit bearing loose from the knuckle.

Thanks!

 

[freedom_in_4low]

You want to use 2 hammers at the same time from opposite sides.

do they need to be the same make/model/weight of hammer?

 

[TJ4Jim]

do they need to be the same make/model/weight of hammer?

Nope, just similar.

 

[gaabbee]

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-quarter-inch-forged-ball-joint-separator-99849.html
This is worth its weight in gold.

 

[pc1p]

Nope, just similar.

I do something similar, though I don't try to whack at the same time - I usually use a heavier hammer held against the pitman arm on the opposite side of where I'm hitting it. With a few modest whacks it will almost always get them loose. Never had any issues doing it this way in 25 years wrenching and it's how my old man showed me.

 

[mrblaine]

do they need to be the same make/model/weight of hammer?

I do that sometimes but a large shop hammer held against the inside and smack it with a smaller one on the outside to rattle it loose. Hitting it with two at the same time exceed my eye hand coordination levels by a fair bit.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I do that sometimes but a large shop hammer held against the inside and smack it with a smaller one on the outside to rattle it loose. Hitting it with two at the same time exceed my eye hand coordination levels by a fair bit.

mine too. Especially with power steering pump lines and radiators nearby.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-quarter-inch-forged-ball-joint-separator-99849.html
This is worth its weight in gold.

that would fit more easily in the space for sure. I hadn't seen one like that before.

The one I broke was this style. I turned the steering to get space for it above the joint but there's still not much room for a wrench. Enough to break it though I guess. I think I weakened it trying to pull a pitman arm last year 'cause I've given it way more in the past than I did yesterday. Had it for 20 years.

 

[mrblaine]

that would fit more easily in the space for sure. I hadn't seen one like that before.

The one I broke was this style. I turned the steering to get space for it above the joint but there's still not much room for a wrench. Enough to break it though I guess. I think I weakened it trying to pull a pitman arm last year 'cause I've given it way more in the past than I did yesterday. Had it for 20 years.

View attachment 213888

I have and use that other one. It isn't that great for the really stuck ones and not great at all if you plan on reusing the end.

 

[gaabbee]

that would fit more easily in the space for sure. I hadn't seen one like that before.

The one I broke was this style. I turned the steering to get space for it above the joint but there's still not much room for a wrench. Enough to break it though I guess. I think I weakened it trying to pull a pitman arm last year 'cause I've given it way more in the past than I did yesterday. Had it for 20 years.

View attachment 213888

I bought your type first and broke it too. The other option is surprisingly good quality for HF

 

[Rubicon John]

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-quarter-inch-forged-ball-joint-separator-99849.html
This is worth its weight in gold.

I use these on Range Rover ball joints all day long. Tighten it and give it a whack. It’s the only thing I’ve found that will free those control arms.

I’ve seen a pitman arm puller used on a TJ with a whack after it’s tightened and that also worked well.

 

[gaabbee]

I have and use that other one. It isn't that great for the really stuck ones and not great at all if you plan on reusing the end.

If you tap the end with a hammer as you tighten, it works much better. I destroyed a sway bar link at first but after using the tap method it’s been perfect.

 

[Tob]

Whatever you do, don’t hit the tapered bolt and mushroom the threads. I may or may not be speaking from recent experience

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I have and use that other one. It isn't that great for the really stuck ones and not great at all if you plan on reusing the end.

good info, I do plan on re-using the end. The whole task was to disconnect all 5 links at the frame mounts, the upper shock mounts, the sway bar links at the sway bar, un-mount the calipers, disconnect this joint and roll the whole assembly over to the other Jeep and install it. I thought it was gonna go faster than the rear since I have more space and no e-brake cables to mess with, but every job has it's hangup.

 

[Brianj5600]

I use the 2 hammer method. My biggest hammer as a anvil and next biggest hammer to hit it.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Whatever you do, don’t hit the tapered bolt and mushroom the threads. I may or may not be speaking from recent experience

I learned that lesson getting the spindle pin out of the rear suspension on a Datsun in 2002. Imagine a LCA bolt that's 8" long and twice the diameter and in addition to effectively welding itself inside a bushing sleeve it's in TWO bushing sleeves AND the iron spindle. I spent the better part of a day beating it to hell before I finally got it moving and destroyed a 3/8" extension getting it the rest of the way out. Oh, and it's $50.

On the other side I got smart and rigged up some nuts and sockets into a puller, but I had already demolished the first one with every ounce of power my 150lb 18 year old frame could put behind a full size 10lb sledge so brute force was my only option.