4x4 raised steering arm removal
 

Is there a trick to removing the stock steering arm? I left my truck with the mechanic to finish the 4" lift spring install. The last thing to install is the raised arm. The old one just doesn't come off. Any helpfull hints????

Hit it from the side, hard, with a big hammer. You want to hit from the side right next to the studs, one at a time. This will deform the holes in the arm (momentarily) so that the cone washers that are in there will break loose. It is the same idea that is used to get tie rod ends and drag link ends to separate.

Like Tim said hit it from the sides (I used the back of a 3.5lb axe). Trying to strike from the bottom or using a jack and the vehicle weight to remove will only make them tighter.

Sometimes they are a BEE-OTCH to get off. To say the least. Soak them in penetrating oil and use an air chisel at the top. This worked on one of mine. Next thing is to put some heat on the wedges. I FINALLY got mine out after a couple of sessions with hammers, chisels, oil and heat. FYI, I had to go get new tapered shims.

Oh this sounds like so much fun! I am starting to remember why I stayed away from 4x4's for the first 24 years of vehicle ownership.

Not everything is as big a PITA as that steering arm. The 1-ton front axles are easier to work on. The steering arm is held on by 4 1/2" nuts (on studs.) Easy. Also, no ball joints - very easy to rebuild and not special tools.
Once you get the steering arm off you'll feel better :)
-- Mike

Yep beat the sh!t out of it with a 3 lb mini sledge and some time after your arm wears out it will come off. I was helping a friend do his one time and he offered a free steak dinner to the person that got it off. I beat on that thing till i couldn't feel my arms any more then his dad hit it three time and it fell off on the floor.

Ah come on guys they all arent that bad! LOL You have to hold your mouth in the right position and say the right words.

694x4 you should have wacked it 3 more times! LOL

Trust me mudder i was saying some words maybe not the right ones but words all the same.

It's off!!! And what a diff it made in the steering. Now I have the complete Tuff Country 4" lift kit on the truck at all 4 corners.

arm
 

For future removal for any one. I do these all day long and for the stubborn ones after soaking and side hitting try this also--- put the nuts on half way and with an air chisel with blunt end [such as you would use to blow out rivets thru the frame] hit the top of the stud also. The nut prevents damage to the threads-most of the time.

Hit it from the side! That's how I got mine off when doing my lift. Just tap it on the sides and watch for the cone washers to start lifting up. Then you can just pull them up and then the whole thing will slide off.

Hope this helped?

Later,

take the wheel and breake assembley off, heat it till it glows, then hit the snot out of it with a heavy hammer.The tech from tuff country told me to hit it wuth a soft hammer, I told him that the 5lb maul that I used must have been to heavy....