Power steering control valve removal.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 368
Likes: 1
From: Lititz PA
Power steering control valve removal.
How do I get the threded rod out of the "pitman arm"? The rubber washer at the steering control valve is gone, is there a tool out there that I need. I guess a pickle fork would work but I am concerned about damaging the valve.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,603
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA
No- Do not use a pickle fork- you will damage the steering bo (thanks to forum members for explaining that to me when I had the same problem). Get a "small pitman arm puller" or "tie rod end puller" either, rent, borrow or buy it and you are set. I bought one for the steering job and have since used it for tie rods. It is a great tool to have.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Eagle River AK
St. Jude Donor '10, '13
Actually you don’t even need a puller - I just did mine a couple of weeks ago and I followed the procedure in the repair manual, of course after spending hours doing everything else I could think of. Use a large hammer and place it on the back side of the pitman arm, where it attaches to the CV and then use a smaller hammer to bang on the front side of the pitman arm (Think sandwich with the pitman arm in the middle) this will dislodge the CV from the pitman are. I know it sounds like it wont work but it does and that’s how I got mine out - worked like a champ. 
As you know it is tight under there but time and patience will get it done.
Good luck,
As you know it is tight under there but time and patience will get it done.
Good luck,
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
The hammer method will work just fine unless the nut on the CV ballstud has been overtightened at some point. In that case, the hammers will not work and you need to get a puller as suggested above. Again.... don't use a pickle fork... you can severely damage the steering box internals.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,603
Likes: 0
From: San Francisco, CA
Originally Posted by Tom454
The hammer method will work just fine unless the nut on the CV ballstud has been overtightened at some point. In that case, the hammers will not work and you need to get a puller as suggested above. Again.... don't use a pickle fork... you can severely damage the steering box internals.
It was Tom454 who recommended this to me, and believe me, it saved me destroying my box. Autozone also will loan you one at no charge, but if you plan on doing front end work anytime soon, you will find the puller to be invaluable.
