Re: Removing Spider Steering Arm

[Jon Pike <jhpike@xxxxxxx>]

Well.. an update.

I have the steering arm off.  I marinated it in WD-40 overnight, and 
rented a nearly the same kit of pullers.
I cranked the same pittman puller till I was about to give up, and it 
popped.  Whew.  I was afraid of buying the kit by breaking another one.. 
Kragen wanted $115 for deposit/price for this set..  (??!!)

So, now with the center tie rod and arm loose,  I proceed to put it in 
my vise, and try the tie rod end puller again, they still slip off the 
uneven steering arm surface.  I try beating it with a hammer,  succeed 
in leveling the mangled tie rod end somewhat,  but they still slip.  I 
try another tool kinda like a large clothspin,  it gets some purchace, 
but still no go..  I heat the surrounding knuckle with a torch,  and 
put on the clothspin... gets tighter, tighter... and suddenly loosens as 
one side of it breaks off like cheap pot metal...  (!!!!)   I now have a 
dented up vise, scarred steering arm,  somewhat mushroomed but still 
firmly attached tie rod end.

In frustration,  I get my cheap s#@$ Harbor Freight pickle fork, and 
start taking my agression out on it with a 3 lb sledge..  After much 
heavy bashing.. I realise the pickle fork is getting wider,  and sure 
enough,  a large crack is forming in the U of the fork,  with the tines 
heading in opposite direction. (!!!!!!!!!!)  I realizse the slightly too 
large fork has been just  making a wish on the steering arm knuckle.

I'm wondering how much abuse can a steering arm take before I should get 
a new one..  I wish I heard about the side trick earlier,  Charlie!! 
I'll give this a try,  tonight I've given it a break,  I think I've got 
tendonitis in my wrists from all the cranking of breaker bar arms and 
sideways swinging of sledgehammers..

Is Anti-Seize compound the answer for when I put my new parts together?

Jon - Icing wrists and popping Ibuprophan..  these Joint problems can be 
a pain!!
77 Spider

C2slayman@domain.elided wrote:


> Jon,
>        I've not tried to remove the steering arm, but I have removed 
> the idler arm.  A  sharp blow on the side of the knuckle seems to 
> unseize the joint.  This trick is also
> effective on all the suspension knuckles and ball joint knuckles.  It 
> seems like a side blow sets up some kind of vibration that breaks the 
> seizure of the taper fitting more effectively than a knuckle fork or 
> puller.
>
> Good Luck,
> Charlie
>
>
>
> > Date: Sat, 10 May 2003 23:15:30 -0700
> > From: Jon Pike <jhpike@domain.elided>
> > Subject: Removing Spider Steering Arm
> >
> > Hello all..
> >
> > OK, been trying to get mine to budge for a bit here..
> >
> > Details:  77 Spider, Burmann box (with the flat plate not the adjusting
> > screw on top) No problem getting the castle nut off, didn't see a key,
> > though it could be on the far side of my laying under the car.
> >
> > I cranked on it with a friend's pittman arm puller, till the puller
> > screw threads started coming out in long shavings, and the pushing end
> > of the bolt started to mushroom slightly. (!!)
> >
> > Nada...
> >
> > So, am I doing something wrong, or is this just a reeeeeeeealy tight
> > one?  And what kinds of tricks should I try from here to get it off?
> >
> > Reasons to pull the arm are, I want to replace the lower seal (box has
> > been dry for ?? how long) and there is the last tie rod end stuck in the
> > arm.  I mangled the end, since the puller I borrowed for that was a
> > little off, and now I can't push straght on it anymore.
> > Guess I need to  dress it down with a file, which I thought if I had it
> > and the arm off the car, would be eaiser, or just use the BFH and room
> > to swing..
> >
> > At any rate, I'd appriciate any hints!
> >
> > Jon
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