I'm trying to replace my steering control valve and am having a big problem removing it from the pitman arm. I got all the lines off the control valve but cant get the control valve off. Will i need a pickle fork or something.. it doesnt look like a ball joint.
I ran into the same problem when I first did this job..what you need is a pitman arm puller. I don't have a picture handy, but it is a very small block-like shape with 2 "ears" that slide under the pitman arm and a bolt that tightens on top of the ball stud. Once you get that in there and tighten the bolt, it pops off fairly easily. I am not sure where you can get such a puller(my dad had one from when he worked at GM)..I think I may have seen one at one of the bigger auto parts store before... Without the puller you will probably end up detroying the valve and end up with just the ball stud stuck in the pitman arm..I did! Then I figured out how to do it the "right" way. I still have that thing on a keychain somewhere...
LOL u called it i wrecked the valve and the joint is stuck in the pitman arm... how did u get it out ive trying to get it out with a pickle fork... even tried to use two pickle forks but wont come out
Actually I believe it is a tapered shaft. So all you have to do is get a big hammer and one or 2 solid (extremely hard) wacks on the end of the pitman arm and it will pop right out.
Pounding on it did not do it for me..I had to use that small puller to press the stud out of the pitman arm...the instructions for this job specifically says not to pound on the pitman arm because you could damage the steering gear...but I had pounded on mine quite a bit before discovering the puller, and the gear was OK. Once you are able to press it outta there, the rest of the job ain't too bad.
would i be able to use the pitman arm puller to push the ball stud out of the pitman are... Just a thought... cuz if not i have to run out and pick up a big wrench cuz i just noticed thats a huge nut on the pitman arm
Would i be able to take a torch to the pitman arm to heat it up and make it expand or will that not work
You might be able to get it out of there that way, I am not sure. You can use the puller on just the stud, though..that is what I did!
All I did was to hook up all the lines, fill the system up with fluid about half way and then slowly turn the wheel lock-to-lock until the "grinding" sound disappeared,then filled it up the rest of the way. It didn't take more than a few times back and forth with the the wheel to get all the air out...
