Pitman arm nut seized!

[LouisvEarlleJT]

So you are using the tire as brute force to turn the seized nut/Bolt?

Not the tire, that will move as you turn and depending on condition I'd be worried about damaging the tire. Shock mount, control arm bracket, something solid/immovable and made of steel that the bar can wedge itself against.

Basically as you're turning the steering wheel the pitman nut will turn until the breaker bar hits something and then from that point you're using the power steering system to break it loose.

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[LouisvEarlleJT]

You want to TRIPLE CHECK that you're turning the right direction before trying.

 

[Sweetums]

And probably make sure nothing/no one is around the front of the vehicle when you do this. An unrestrained breaker bar slipping or breaking off under tension is going to have a hell of a lot of energy.

 

[DanJT]

Ok, I git it so one would be using the wrench and socket as a wedge as the pitman are nut is turned by the steering box. If I'm not mistaken, you would turn the wheel to the driver side which in turn would cause the nut to turn to the left to loosen.?. That's a pretty good idea!
And Sweetums, I know what you mean, I'll definitely use extra precaution.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Not on my JT but I've used the truck itself to break it loose.

1) Get a breaker bar and socket on there
2) Place it in such a way that when you turn the wheels it lodges against the axle/frame/something hard
3) Start the vehicle and turn the wheel.

Also works on stubborn axle nuts on 4WD vehicles, except you use the ground as your "something hard"

Great idea. I used to do that for axle nuts or spacers, but now I just leave the brakes in tact until those are broken loose. I wedge a 2x4 on the pedal. They come right off.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Ok, I git it so one would be using the wrench and socket as a wedge as the pitman are nut is turned by the steering box. If I'm not mistaken, you would turn the wheel to the driver side which in turn would cause the nut to turn to the left to loosen.?. That's a pretty good idea!
And Sweetums, I know what you mean, I'll definitely use extra precaution.

Why not just an impact wrench and a 42mm impact rated socket?

 

[NC_Overland]

Why not just an impact wrench and a 42mm impact rated socket?

Because you need a pretty serious impact to get it off. I know that the shitty ones I have wouldn’t do it. Maybe my pneumatic one. I haven’t tried it. A new, decent spec impact is on my tools short list. The one where I actually buy the stuff. Not the one where I need several thousand more dollars to budget. Lol

 

[DanJT]

Why not just an impact wrench and a 42mm impact rated socket?

I've tried almost everything from 30" long 3/4" drive breaker bar, and my sons 1,000# Ingersoll Impact gun. Even used a cheater pipe on the breaker bar and snapped the crap out of sons extensions. I have a intrusion heater to heat the bolt and hopefully that will do it.
If anything else I'll go to HF and get one of their 1,700# impact gun and use it on the heated nut!
We'll see.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Because you need a pretty serious impact to get it off. I know that the shitty ones I have wouldn’t do it. Maybe my pneumatic one. I haven’t tried it. A new, decent spec impact is on my tools short list. The one where I actually buy the stuff. Not the one where I need several thousand more dollars to budget. Lol

I’ve gotten mine off with my mid torque Milwaukee. Yes. A good quality tool, but by no means the most expensive. I do use a 12amp battery when messing with big stuff. It makes a difference.

 

[Badunit]

You broke a 3/4" extension? Wow.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I've tried almost everything from 30" long 3/4" drive breaker bar, and my sons 1,000# Ingersoll Impact gun. Even used a cheater pipe on the breaker bar and snapped the crap out of sons extensions. I have a intrusion heater to heat the bolt and hopefully that will do it. We'll see.

That’s awful. Sorry. Really sucks. I’m worried the induction heater is going to make it worse though. If it heats the spindle, it’ll expand in the pitman arm and get tighter.

Wait. Sorry. I’ve got my stuck ball joint spindle in my head. For the nut removal, it should work, since hopefully red thread locker is the barrier.

 

[WILDHOBO]

You broke a 3/4" extension? Wow.

Seriously.

 

[Sweetums]

Why not just an impact wrench and a 42mm impact rated socket?

Because each one of those impacts from the hammer is being transmitted right into the gears of the steering box which isn't made to handle that kind of force.
A pitman arm is cheaper than a new steering box, it would be better to use a cutting disk to cut all but the last millimeter of the arm and use a chisel to wedge it open so it can be pulled off. For $60 you can get a new pitman arm to install, which is less than the $300 for the induction heater or however much you will spend on a big impact that might end up damaging the steering box.

 

[DanJT]

You broke a 3/4" extension? Wow.

I'll snap a pic when I get back to the garage!

 

[NC_Overland]

I’ve gotten mine off with my mid torque Milwaukee. Yes. A good quality tool, but by no means the most expensive. I do use a 12amp battery when messing with big stuff. It makes a difference.

I’ve finally replaced almost all of my junk Ryobi stuff I bought several years ago before I did much serious work. Almost all of it broke, but my impact remains. It will barely take off lug nuts and it’s rated to like 500 Ft lbs. it doesn’t have enough power to break. what a joke. I really like Makita, but nothing wrong with Milwaukee. I know that’s like saying my favorite tire oil, etc. lol.

I didn’t even know they had 12Ah batteries. My better batteries at 5-6HAh. lol

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