steering arm removal

[shelby987]

Well, I gave up.....if any of you have read my post about parts store satisifaction, you know my current state of frustration over a simple axle swap.....I figured by the time I found a place that carried these parts, I could have received them in the mail.
72 stomper, thanks for all the help....it probably would have taken me at least a couple of days to track down tri-county.....looks like the truck lies immobile for at least another 4 days.

[Dan72cst]

THE SOCKET THING WORKED!!!!!!!!

I was beating on this steering arm for an hour with my sledge, I had heard they were a *****. I finally searched and found this posting. I started beating on my socket and was thinking this wasn't going to work but finally out of frustration, I just kept beating on the socket and ssshaaazzzzam ! the center cone came lose and then I worked it out with a screw driver. The front cone came out too, but the back one was very stubborn as I hit the cone a few times with the socket because there isn't much meat on the steering arm back there. SO I got the flat tip for my air chisel and hit the socket with it and that back cone came dancing out of there. YEEEE HAAAW

And the best part is that I don't have to mess with auto parts stores and replacement part numbers.

[see ten]

Originally Posted by Dan72cst

THE SOCKET THING WORKED!!!!!!!!

I was beating on this steering arm for an hour with my sledge, I had heard they were a *****. I finally searched and found this posting. I started beating on my socket and was thinking this wasn't going to work but finally out of frustration, I just kept beating on the socket and ssshaaazzzzam ! the center cone came lose and then I worked it out with a screw driver. The front cone came out too, but the back one was very stubborn as I hit the cone a few times with the socket because there isn't much meat on the steering arm back there. SO I got the flat tip for my air chisel and hit the socket with it and that back cone came dancing out of there. YEEEE HAAAW

And the best part is that I don't have to mess with auto parts stores and replacement part numbers.

Congratulations! You are now not only richer but wiser! Take this knowledge with you out in to the world and tell the people! I have posted and reposted this method and couldn't get anyone to believe me. I would give you a beer for a job well done if I was there!

[trkklr77]

i have pulled lots of these and never had heard of the socket trick. i must just be stronger than the lot of yall, cause i just hit them and they come flying out in to your pocket and the new arm gets so scared it installs its self.


i have a couple set of cones if people still need them and have good access to lots more.

[2wheeler]

I ended up taking the whole knuckle off so I could work on it in a vice with more room. I welded the nuts on with an arc welder and used a wrench to back the whole stud out. It worked like a charm but then I had to buy new hardware.

GM said they were discontinued and wanted $27/adapter and $18/stud. So I ordered mine off Ebay for a little over $20 shipped and in the meantime went to a bulk fastener place and they had the adapters and grade 8 bolts.

[special-K]

What`s all this WD-40 talk?No one heard of PB-Blaster?You`ll always have a can once you try it.And,only use WD to lube.
When whacking with a hammer,for those non-socket believers,it`s always helped to remove the tie-rod to allow hitting closer to the knuckle.
I've tryed talking to it,doesn`t help.I ended up yelling.
Another option is buy a whole new axle from DynaTrac,just bolt-in."ping"

[benoit454]

I got mine off rather easy after posting.

I took the nuts off and soaked it with wd40.

wd40 is common, most places don't carry pb blaster or anything only crc and wd40 or liquid wrench. Plus what I seen before wd40 is cheaper then pb blaster.

Anyways I tried hitting every which way with a ball peen hammer, no luck.

Finally I jacked the truck up, only under the axle enough to get the driver's side off the ground, put a jackstand right under the arm, let it down. So the weight of the truck was now on the arm itself. I then removed the driver's wheel and tires, and took my 10lb(I think) sledge and tapped on the arm, couldn't get a big swing due to the fender but after 10 whacks they were all out and loose. We hit it right where that link bolts in and right on top the jackstand just kind of jumping around, then kind of focused on the hole where the link bolts. Came right out.

I agree we were going to pull the axle out and hit it with a sledge which would have been easy since we were lifting it. Only had u bolt holding it in, and the day before nothing was holding it.