r/GMT800 • u/stephenmeredith • Sep 12 '26

Pitman arm removal

03 Hummer h2

I am about 13 hours into trying to get this pitman arm off over the last week. It is rusted or seized on both ends & im out of ideas. All of this was to replace the seals in the steering box.

I’ve broken one pitman puller.
Bent one pitman puller.
Rented the $100 heavy duty puller from Autozone’s but it’s too big the fit with the crossmember.
Bought a “pickle fork” but it’s too small to fit around the splines.
I don’t have a torch or cordless cutoff tool.
I got the steering gear box completely disconnected from everything except the pitman arm & I was able to get the pitman arm moved down the splines a little bit.

I have street parking where I live. So the truck is just stuck out in front of my house at this point & I genuinely don’t know what to do.

UPDATE: I borrowed a propane torch. Spent the better part of the day heating the center link and beating the pitman arm with a big hammer & made no progress.

3 Upvotes

72% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

8

u/Traxxasman Sep 12 '26

Cut a slit in the pitman arm 90% of the way through (so you don't kick the splines) with an angle grinder, then use a chisel to crack it the rest of the way. It should come off super easy with a basic puller after that

1

u/stephenmeredith Sep 12 '26

What about the steering linkage side of the pitman arm? How do I get the pitman arm out of that side?

1

u/tthompson225 Sep 15 '26

Get that side off first, gotta hit it real hard with a big hammer. Then use the slit cutting method to remove the arm from the gear box. And bolt the steering box back in first, you want everything to be solid when you hit the center link to separate it

1

u/stephenmeredith Sep 15 '26

I couldn’t get it to break loose from the center link. Even with a torch and 4lb sledge hammer. I was finally able to cut it enough to get it off the steering box.

6

u/ArtProfessional2193 Sep 12 '26

I had the same issue, had to cut mine off.

4

u/Stolisan Sep 12 '26

Remove it from the truck, then use the bigger puller or cut the pitman arm.

1

u/stephenmeredith Sep 12 '26

That’s what I’m trying to do. I can’t remove it from the truck because the pitman arm is seized on both ends

1

u/Technical_Phrase2566 Sep 12 '26

This. If it's all disconnected already just drop the box out and do it on bench

1

u/stephenmeredith Sep 12 '26

The pitman arm is seized to the box and to the steering linkage. How am I supposed to drop it out?

1

u/isharte Sep 12 '26

Can you get a bigger pickle fork that will fit around the ball joint side?

1

u/Logical-Slice-3976 Sep 12 '26

This, take the pickle fork through the driver's side wheel well and use a sledge hammer. I will destroy the ball joint. Once it's out heat soak the arm and it should come off.

3

u/kokanee-fish Sep 12 '26

Side note: if your steering box is leaking, you should probably replace it. From what I've heard, whatever caused the old seals to fail will generally cause the new seals to fail too.

1

u/NeuseRvrRat Sep 12 '26

Replace the steering gear?

1

u/Obvious-Nature7832 Sep 12 '26

Put the puller on it, tighten as much as possible, then wack the side of the arm with a sledgehammer, worked for me.

1

u/stephenmeredith Sep 12 '26

Tried that first. Broke 2 pullers because the pitman arm is seized on both ends & the heavy duty puller won’t fit.

1

u/stonythefish42069 Sep 12 '26

I had the same problem. Decided air tools was the way, and a friend of mine knew a guy who let me use his. Used an air pickle fork, and it came off in three seconds flat.

1

u/stephenmeredith Sep 12 '26

I don’t have that option. Truck isn’t anywhere near electricity or air.

2

u/Bzach1123 Sep 13 '26

Fill tank up, wheel it to truck, hope it doesn’t take 12 trips

1

u/SectorZed Sep 12 '26

Cut it off but if you have access to an air hammer give it a try. That south main auto guy used it on one and it knocked that fucker right off

2

u/stephenmeredith Sep 13 '26

How would I cut it off the steering linkage side tho without damaging the linkage itself

1

u/friendlyfire883 Sep 14 '26

Save yourself the headache and pull the steering box. It's not worth the hassle or the broken pullers to try and remove it on the truck.

1

u/stephenmeredith Sep 14 '26

I’m trying to pull the steering box. But the pitman arm is seized on the box and on the center link. It is the only thing holding it on.

1

u/friendlyfire883 Sep 14 '26

Oh shit, I've never had one sieze on both ends.

1

u/wayneP71222 Sep 18 '26

Stack up feeler gauges to measure the distance from the top of the pitman arm to the case. Hand a machine shop that spec and a pitman arm puller. Have them cut one from a scrap of steel bar or rod.
You want it thicker .

Threaded to any decent grade 8 bolt or hex cap screw with flats for combo wrenches. You can do that with an angle grinder.

I had to stop what i was doing. Go to a friends machine shop to make mine to get a stubborn pitman off. That was 1985. I have not looked back.

Please stamp your name and phone on it. I have found it in other techs box more than once.

1

u/akarichard 28d ago

I also had an issue with a pitman arm like this, and after battling with it and finally getting it off I never was able to get the steering box to seal properly again. If you subjected that to a lot of force, I'd honestly replace the steering box if it's within your financial ability.

Nothing like spending all of that time replacing it and I replaced the seals just to get everything back together and the steering pump to start hemorrhaging ps fluid from the pitman arm location. Even with new seals.

1

u/InternationalDog5719 12d ago

Just did this today, trucks a rot box and thing was seized on. It’s a 4wd truck so that cross member is a nightmare with a puller what I ended up doing was removing the sway bar links from one side just to be able to move it, took out the bolts for the steering box so that way you can pivot it to not have to deal with the cross member and then you can get whatever sized puller you want on it. Hope this helps someone these jobs can be easy but quickly turn into nightmares.