Removing Pitman Arm on '39 Ford
 

Hi, folks,

I'm replacing the gaskets in my steering box. It's leaking like a sieve and shorting out the horn, etc.

What is the proper procedure for removing the Pitman arm from the drag link. I don't want to spoil anything with brute force and awkwardness! Like most things, I'm assuming there's a right way to do this.

All help is appreciated.

Re: Removing Pitman Arm on '39 Ford
 

The tool you use is a "pickle fork". Its a double wedge on a handle and you smack it to split the pitman arm from the drag link. I guess they might call it a ball joint seperator too. Mine isn;t fancy like the photo, its all one piece
Gary

Re: Removing Pitman Arm on '39 Ford
 

Lots of outfits offer a pitman arm puller that's sized just right to fit over the arm and there's a big husky screw in the middle to push on the sector shaft. I think mine's a KD. Here's a link-

http://www.kd-tools.com/2289.htm

Re: Removing Pitman Arm on '39 Ford
 

Or, loosen the nut, back up one side of the arm with a 8 lb hammer and whack the other side. It will pop down off the tapered splines. Leaving the nut on loose insures a miss lick does not mess the threads up.

Re: Removing Pitman Arm on '39 Ford
 

I ,like Pete, would remove the pitman arm from the sector shaft coming out of the bottom of the steering box. Leave it conneted to the pitman arm Many parts stores,Auto Zone, etc., will rent you the puller and while you have the pitman arm off the sector. Using this puller makes it less likely to damage any of the steering linkage. Tom

Re: Removing Pitman Arm on '39 Ford
 

A lot of auto stores will loan you tools. There are special U shaped pullers that will push on the tie rod end and get it out. There are larger ones to remove the pitman arm from the sector shaft. The pickle fork will destroy your seal on the tie rod end. If used on the box, it will destroy the worm. I have used the two jaw pullers with adjustable arms. They are not as good as the dedicated pullers but will work.

Re: Removing Pitman Arm on '39 Ford
 

Thank you all. I think I'm going the tool rental route and pull the pitman arm off the sector shaft. I picked up on destroying the seal and the possibility of damaging the steering linkage. Save for the oil leak, the steering and the front end are in really good shape.

Yet another great piece of advice from the Forum...Thanks again!