I got the top joint of the steering knuckle loose, can feel it clicking. The bottom I've tried hitting it with two hammers (one sledge), hit the pickle in there for a while too. Got a 4" jaw puller, can't get it to line up properly so it just twists off when I tighten.

Probably going to buy a torch so I can heat it up today. Any advices?

03 D2 140k
Thanks

 

You can rent a pitman arm puller from most auto parts stores. Basically it's just a regular puller with non adjustable jaws, with the right shape to fit most arms. Usually its full price, and full refund when done, around $50-$80.
They work well though.
And, if you heat the arm, you risk heating up the inside of the hydraulic steering box.
There are o-rings and nylon rings in there that could get too hot, and you could cause a permanent leak.
The box isn't overly complicated either, but no fun and not cheap to rebuild.
Good luck

 

I used one of the $10 hammer in wedge style ball joint tools. Works great.

 

You need to have some pressure on the joint and then place a 7lb sledge hammer on one side and hit the other side with a 2lb hammer. The object is to momentarily distort the taper joint to release the bearing. Heat may help but bear in mind that heat changes the molecular structure and dynamics of cast steel, be wary before using it.

 

I have a 8lb and 4lb sledge. I've been hitting it for what seems like two days.

 

I have mechanics with this same problem.

I walk over couple swings...all done. You have to put you soul into the swing, become one with it, don't be afraid, its not just a swing its owning it.

 

I thought originally he couldn't get the arm off the box, my mistake.
I 100% agree about hitting it just right to get the ball joint free. Get mad and hit it hard from the driver side, swinging toward the passenger side.

 

Thanks for the advice guys, unfortunately I broke down and bought an air compressor and used a pickle end on an air chisel.... Knocked it right off in about 20 seconds.

 

Good deal. For future reference, you have to really smack that cast iron to pop those tapers lose. Like swing hard enough that you think you are going to knock the truck off the jack stands, and then maybe a little harder than that. If they don't pop loose, you either forgot to remove a nut, or you didn't hit hard enough.

Or, if you have an air hammer, a flat bit in the same area will usually do the job.

Glad you got its though, they can be a pain In the ***.

 

They can be an incredible PITA. I actually bent a pickle fork trying to get one dislodged AND snapped a pitman arm puller to-boot. Ended up laying the torch to it in combination with the two-hammer trick WITH some pre-load from a ball joint puller. It was such a pain that at first I was going to do the other side while I was at it (did it in conjunction with hub and CV replacement on both sides), but now I'm not doing the other side until I'm 110% sure a ball joint is bad.