I know this is the wrong section but HELP!!!

[jbohall001]

I apologize before hand, but this section gets the most traffic. I am trying to replace my steering gear box, but I cant get the darned steering rod on the bottom, the one that attaches to the arm on the box, to come off. Does the truck have to be in the air with no tension on the suspension? PLEASE PLEASE help

[Ranchero50]

Big brass hammer is your best friend. You can also try beating the side of the arm. It's a pain but it's on a taper so once it breaks free the arm drops right off. You need to be very careful to not distort the threads. Some folks put the nut on upside down almost all the way and break them loose like that.

I've also heard heat and beat. If you turn the wheel to the right you can hit it from the drivers side but it's still a PITA...

Jamie

[wildcard]

Ranchero, are you talking about the arm where it's attached on the shaft at the bottom of the box or where the arm attaches to the drag link ? I'm asking because I will probably be doing the exact same thing next weekend. I'm planning on trying to take one loose at the drag link. Would there be any possible problems doing that ? My drag link is only a few months old so it shouldn't take a lot of hammering to get it off. And I figured it would be better than hammering on the end attached directly to the box. Any thoughts on that ?

[sargentrs]

Tie rod removal tool a.k.a. pitch fork or tuning fork http://www.autozone.com/autozone/access ... tid=819999 .

Make sure you get the wide one, there are two widths. I beat on mine for 30 mins and couldn't get it loose. Bought a pitch fork and it was off in 5 mins.

Also, maybe a pitman arm/ball joint removal tool set http://www.autozone.com/autozone/access ... 00820_0_0_ .

[onetuford]

The pitman Arm? Use a puller.

[fordman]

a tie rod fork will get the pitman arm loose from the steering linkage. a pitman arm puller will take the pitmarm off of the box. i have heard of others tapping on the sides of the pitman arm to get it off of the box.