Pitman arm removal

[David Langhorne]

I have been following the recent and not so recent threads on removing the steering box and although I can enlist my son to help pull it up from below I am not looking forward to it. I have just got a used box from someone who recently imported a rust free car from California and found it in the trunk.
I was planning to have it rebuilt but think I will try it as it is first as there appear to be no leaks and absolutely no play in it (my old one has excessive play and no discernible self centering). I replaced the pitman arm on my old box some time ago using a 1-5/16 socket and puller but this used box has a 1-3/8 inch nut. I wonder if anyone has any info why this might be?

[redstangbob]

what are the CASTING dates? is there a tag on the box?

[David Langhorne]

Thanks Bob, the tag is HCFB1 258779
On the body of the box C5VR 3550-A next to that 5A26.
Is that any help?

[redstangbob]

David, looks like you have a mid year 65 box. I suppose the nuts could have come from different vendors, I wouldn't over think it. I've had some pretty stubborn pitman arms, even with a good puller I had to use heat. I'm guessing you want to use your new arm and it should come off pretty easy. If the spare box has a worm arm, a cut-off wheel wouldn't be out of the question for me, good luck, Bob C

[David Langhorne]

Thanks reply. Yes the replacement box has some slight wear in the arm so I'm hoping to swap my existing one over. I had no trouble removing the arm from the original box a year or so back but I know someone with a 63 Caddy who had to cut through the arm and weld it back up afterwards!
Anyway looks like I'll have to buy a new socket. I'll try a 35mm as easier to get hold of.

[David Langhorne]

I decided to tackle the task of removing the steering box today and haven't made much progress. I can't even separate the pitman arm from the linkage.
Usually a blow with a hammer does the trick but I've been bashing this all afternoon and then tried a pickle fork as I'm putting a new pitman arm on anyway but no luck. I don't have access to oxy-acetaline but would propane heat it up enough?
I measured the gap the box has to fit through and decided to lower the exhaust and move it across a bit. I managed to shift one of the nuts a bit and have left it to soak overnight but the other one sheared off so it looks like I'll have to take the manifold off yet again to remove the rest of the stud. I haven't even started on the other side.

[RedBird64]

There's a couple of tricks to making the whole assy easy to get out.
Once you get it unbolted, unscrew the rubber mount that's in the way. I think it's the forward mount. A pipe wrench makes quick work of it, even after being stuck in there for 50 years.
Then (if my memory serves me right) with the gear loose, rotate it about 90 degrees counter clockwise and it will fall down through the flattened slot in the frame.
Once you know how it moves in and out, it's fairly easy.

BTW, you can leave the pitman arm on until you ge it out (makes a good handle). Might be easier to beat into submission after that.

Scott

[David Langhorne]

Thanks Scott, I read your previous posts about removing the box but the problem is I can't get the pitman arm off the linkage at the moment.
I'm going to get a longer pickle fork and see if I can get a better swing at it.

[RedBird64]

Yeah, you've got to pound the pickle fork harder than you feel comfortable.
I'm always surprised when the rubber boot survives.

[David Langhorne]

Well I got my new improved pickle fork and got the arm off straightaway. Phew! Funny how I have to buy new tools every time I work on this car which I have never needed before - just sent off for some crows foot sockets to get the power steering lines loose so fingers crossed there.

[RedBird64]

For the PS lines you really need a line wrench. Any common open-end or crows foot will probably round them off.
So, more tools!

[swissie66]

I just finished overhauling my steering box. There was no way the pitman arm would come off with a puller. I had to take the assembly to a workshop with a press. It took 5 tons to separate...

[David Langhorne]

I had no trouble getting the pitman arm off the steering box with a puller - it was the other end which was stuck but now happily sorted with the new pickle fork.

[David Langhorne]

Now have the power steering lines off. Although I had line wrenches there wasn't enough room to use either the 1/2 or 5/8. I figured the best bet was to get a 5/8 claw wrench (actually 16mm) and this worked great. Once the larger line was out of the way it was quite easy to get the 1/2 line wrench in to loosen the smaller fitting. Funny thing is I fitted the smaller line myself about 15 years ago with no trouble but that's always the way I reckon.

[David Langhorne]

Here's a photo of the wrenches I used.