Mopar Muscle Association UK

Got a 'friend' who thought he'd spend 5 mins changing sump gasket, coz he was fed up with leaks. One full day and a busted ball joint remover later. sump is still flailing in the wind supported by steering rods, oil and flesh.

So, does he A) heat the Bananarama! steering joints and tenderly attack with percussive instrument, B) use a recommended joint remover, or C) pull engine clear and live with knackered joints after their sound thrashing!


nearly gave up the fags today.

Getting the pitman off the 'Cab was a nightmare. Ended up with a hydraulic puller on it torqued right up and a chum heating it. Bang! he had the puller indentation in his chest for a week! (Helpful hint! Leave the nut on!!)

Try removing the tie rod end on the passenger (right) side steering knuckle. A pickle fork type splitter and mash hammer should do it no problem.

If that comes off OK try the right end of the center link at the idler arm.

That should come off easy too. If not try unbolting the idler arm and Bananarama! out.

Then you should be able to swing the center link out of the way of the sump I would have thought?

mash hammer

Get a long lever between the tie rod and the casting that the taper sits in and put some pressure on against the taper (out direction). Then get a large hammer and give the part that the taper sits in several sharp blows

not usually a need to be brutal, leave the nut on a few threads though to protect the threads when you miss, also works better if the rest of the casting is behind the direction of the hammer blow

I use two hammers,simultaneously each side of the casting,with the Mrs pulling on a bar to tension the tie rod.

Did mine last year. Got a ball joint splitter from H**fords. Got a new set of rubber boots from Ted & Pasqual.

always used Wils method on track rod ends

works every time. 1st or second hit

don't even need to tension with a spliter
lump hammer into side of the part that the taper goes through
some of them even have a lump cast in for you to aim at.

use a ground flat cold chissel. needs to be really ground down flat so the tip is a cm or more wide to transfer the shock through if there is no room to swing the hammer into the part

the pitman arm is an absolute ........... can't get mine off

Dave

Pitman.... now they are hard

20 ton hydraulic puller with 2 jubilee clips around the legs to keep them on, car jacked high to get the puller in, nut left on to stop the puller trying to bury itself in the ground while removing 2 fingernails and a lot of skin

Yea, pitman arms are a pain, a good hydralic puller is a must and sometimes a bit of careful heat as well. They come off with one hell of a bang, so you better not be too close to it when it goes....

I've done three Mopar pitman arms.

Big chisel. Me mash hammer. Big swings. Lots of sweat.

Did mark the metal a little. But OK.

Not tried it on an aluminum cased manual box though.

Not sure I would have the strength and stamina these days either.

changed tie rod ball joints last year, had a go with the pickle fork type splitter but couldn’t bare to hit it hard enough to split the joint , didn’t want to break the casting on the back of the hub, so i used a 2 leg puller instead, that was easy

Nearly there.

For Pitman arms, Frost do a Pitman Arm puller, I used one on my Ranchero a long time ago. Pitman came off in seconds, easy to use and no heat required.