Stuck!

[TimmyTXJ]

3 Weeks, 3 pitman arm pullers, 2 BFHs, 1 can of liquid wrench, 1 propane torch, 1 defeated XJ owner. I'm at the end of my rope guys... I can't get this stupid thing off and I'm tired of it mocking me every time I pull in the driveway. I need help. 1815

[4.3LXJ]

Put the pitman arm puller on again. Use an impact gun if you can. Get it real tight. Smack the edge where the casting mark is with a BFH, and also the end of the bolt on the pitman arm puller.

[TimmyTXJ]

cranked down on it as hard as I can. The puller seems to be walking out / bending. This is the problem Ive had with all 3 of the pullers Ive tried. smacking it with the BFH makes me feel a little better but hasnt helped. I really appreciate the suggestion. Any other ideas guys?
1816

[bluedragon436]

I was talking to a member of the local Jeep club, and he said he has had a similar issue with pulling pitman arms for folks... He said what he does is spray more penetrating oil, put the puller back on top of the pitman arm, get another person to lend a hand... put a C-clamp near the top of the arms to hold them from slipping off... then crank on it as hard as you can... and if needed pop it a few times with a hammer of your choosing!! Says it works for him almost every time if it keeps slipping off or gets jambed up!!

[nickyg]

I feel your pain brother... Mine was a pain in a#$ too. I put pressure on it with the puller and bangged the crap out of it with a BFH.
I belive if you beat on anthing long enough somethings bound to give.
It might be time for some dynamite.

[Mudderoy]

cranked down on it as hard as I can. The puller seems to be walking out / bending. This is the problem Ive had with all 3 of the pullers Ive tried. smacking it with the BFH makes me feel a little better but hasnt helped. I really appreciate the suggestion. Any other ideas guys?
1816

It's a tight fit, you can't have the puller at that angle. You need to figure a way to keep it pulling down straight.

[nateyz2000]

If you are replacing it... Cut it off... Lol

[ArmyGuy45]

May I ask what he is fixing?

[Mudderoy]

If you are replacing it... Cut it off... Lol

Gots to be careful not to mess up the spline though!

[XjJeepacorn]

I broke two pitman arm pullers once lol having a good impact wrench really helps, in the end what worked for me was a combo of heat and the pullers and whacking the side, I did whack the top didn't budge but then I started to whack the side of it, and it popped off. I mean the side where it goes over the splines of the out put shaft. That loosened it then I whacked from the top the rest of the way

[xj4life2]

That is not a pitman arm puller , it will break long before the pitman lets go . Heat it to red, beat it with a hammer , then pull it

[01xjcny]

i would take a cut off wheel and cut 3/4 of the way, then out the puller on it will just break off

[TimmyTXJ]

May I ask what he is fixing?

Attempting the "easy" Durango steering gear box swap. Trying to take the pitman arm off the old steering gear to swap it to the new. I swear this is the most stubborn part to remove that I've come across yet! Thank you to everyone that chimed in with suggestions, but to continue buying tools and solvents and spend hours trying to reuse a part that I could probably buy for $20 is approaching lunacy. I think I may just give this one up to the XJ gods. :/

[XjJeepacorn]

You can do it!!! I did that swap a year ago, if you managed to pull the box from a rango at a jy your home free that's a real pita

[XjJeepacorn]

Luckily when I did it someone had pulled apart the whole front and I had easy access to the steering box, went back to grab another with a buddy for his jeep... That was a whole other story it took 2 days, but the first day I wasn't on the job the whole time I had my own crap to grab lol but we did it!

[oderdene]

My friend did that, loosen nut 1/3 way and drove a XJ. After 3 days he felt loose steering and temporarily tighten to reach to garage

[Mudderoy]

My friend did that, loosen nut 1/3 way and drove a XJ. After 3 days he felt loose steering and temporarily tighten to reach to garage

I would be concerned about the nut and pitman arm coming off while I was driving it. If I was lucky I'd just lose the nut!

[oderdene]

yeah, it is risky. Of course he drove slowly in stop go traffic between home and office and checked every parking is this pitman arm loosened or not :D

[Brasscatz]

Attempting the "easy" Durango steering gear box swap. Trying to take the pitman arm off the old steering gear to swap it to the new. I swear this is the most stubborn part to remove that I've come across yet! Thank you to everyone that chimed in with suggestions, but to continue buying tools and solvents and spend hours trying to reuse a part that I could probably buy for $20 is approaching lunacy. I think I may just give this one up to the XJ gods. :/

Let me know buddy. We've proved that the combined brain power of you and me can get some seriously tough stuff done! I can bring over my compressor, impact, and giant C-clamp (or what I call a "capitol 'c' clamp") and see if we can get it done. I'll try to figure out what's on my Sunday to-do list if ya need.

[Mudderoy]

Let me know buddy. We've proved that the combined brain power of you and me can get some seriously tough stuff done! I can bring over my compressor, impact, and giant C-clamp (or what I call a "capitol 'c' clamp") and see if we can get it done. I'll try to figure out what's on my Sunday to-do list if ya need.

Yeah I forgot about hitting it from the side. That's how you get TRE's out. So get it under pressure and hit the pitman arm from the side.

[XjJeepacorn]

X2 that's what I said!