johndog

I have a 2001 Ford F150 4X4 and rebuilding the front suspension.

How in the heck do you remove the pitman arm? The Hayes manual shows a pitman arm puller and lots of space , but they must have cut out the frame as there is no room to get the puller up there with the screw.

Part store manager suggested using a pickle fork. I know that greatly increases the chance of busting the power steering box (bearings). Same reason I do not want to torch it either. Most cases heat is a great thing!

Thought I would try a shorter bolt but finding a 16mm fine thread on weekend is impossible.

I am thinking the only right solution is to remove the power steering box.

Glad I am not a shop owner / manager quoting a price based on the flat rate book.

lovefords

I did mine with a pickle fork - no problems

seniorFORDtech

I like to take 2 of the bolts holding the gear box on the frame out, and the 3rd one loose enough to turn the gear box down and the tighten in that postion to gain access to the pitman arm u will firdt have to remove the center link from the pitman arm to do this.. the best tool to use is a pitman arm puller auto zone or parts store may rent them. tighten the remover if it doesn't come off with the tool tight give the end of the remover a smack with a hammer and jar it loose

good luck

Broncomanjoe

Just did mine yesterday on my 97' after putting it off for months for the same issue no space. What i did was ..
1 took off drivers tire.

2 separated the inner tie rod

3 removed the big nut on the gear box that holds the pitman arm

4 removed the nut on the other side of the pitman arm that connects to the center link

5 removed the nut on the idler arm

6 used the pitman arm tool to separate the center link from the pitman arm and to separate it from the idler arm this gets the center link out of the way

7 removed the 3 bolts that hold the gear box and removed the plastic spacer

8 then i moved the entire gear box closer to the frame which allowed me to get the pitman arm puller in place and you can fit a socket through the small space between the lower control arm

9 finally I separated the arm from the gear box shaft this was on good, here in the U.P. everythings rusted on good, after maxing out the impact had to use a ratchet with a bar finally came off.

There might be a better way but this was what I did so hope it helps I always say Next time i'll take step by step pictures. Never do though

johndog

I used an air cut off tool and carefully made 2 slices 180 degree apart in the pitman arm. lightly tapping I managed to break the arm in two and it fell off. time consuming but not much choice on a Sunday afternoon

lovefords

i like that

awd86

I just got done installing a new Pitman arm (sector arm in the manual), took 4 hours! I ended up disconnecting the steering shaft and unmounting the steering gear. I managed to leave the fluid lines attached and do the whole process under the truck on the lift. If I had to do it again, I would just buy another bottle of fluid and unhook those lines...

After an hour and a half of wrestling with the arm, the combo that finally worked was one person holding the arm and steering gear steady with a crowbar, a second person with the impact wrench, and a third smacking the arm with a hammer.

This was the same truck I just did the ball joints on (did the XRF combo pack from that tire website). It took 5 minutes with an air hammer to push the axle out of the hub.