What size is the nut that holds the pitman arm to the steering box? Got my new one but dont have a wrench or socket big enough.

 

I think its 32mm, but I'd have to check my sockets

 

not sure if all years are the same (I assume they are) but its 30mm on my 83's steering box.

Had to go out and buy one specifically for it, what a pain. Should come off easy enough, pulling the pitman arm itself off is a different story....

 

We used a pipe wrench on it. Getting the arm off the shaft is a bitch! I've heard about this, but this was my first time experiencing it for myself. We ended up breaking a pitman arm puller, then finally cut a slot down one side with an angle grinder to get it off...





.

 

Thanks guys. I'll pick up a socket this weekend. Good to know that getting the arm off is a pain. I had a bad feeling it would. I haven't been having much luck with anything the last couple weeks. lol. Things seem to be getting better though.

 

LOL glad I'm not the only one who resorted to cutting it. I broke two pullers trying to get that off, used a ton of heat and penetrating oil etc with no luck. Wish I had just cut/chiseled it in the first place and saved myself the hassle... live and learn

 

Good to know, I'll be tackling this soon.

 

^Yeah honestly I would not even bother with a puller, if you have a cutoff wheel just go that route...

 

the last one i did, i had to heat the pitman arm up with a map gas torch and work it with the puller...which was attached to a breaker bar...that had a several foot pipe slipped over the end..

 

After I broke my pitman arm puller, I just had the aliment shop deal with it while they did an alignment job when I replaced the entire front end.

 

Got the socket and the nut came right off. Now I'm fighting with the arm like everyone else. lol. Heated the arm with a torch for about 10 minutes after I soaked it repeatedly in penetrating oil, and I still broke my puller. Mazda sure knows how to machine some tight tolerances.

 

Yeah the nut is no problem to remove, the arm might as well be welded on there lol.

 

I'm at the point where I'm going to cut the arm off.

 

Me to. That thing is ridiculous.

 

I got it off.

Bought a pitman arm puller. Got a blow torch. Set up blow torch for ages on a few things to cook it. Went inside had a coffee, watched some tv went back outside used over 2 feet of bar and me fully leaning on it. Finally it came off. It made a very loud bang.

 

Hopfully you didn't ruin the seal on the steering shaft doing all that heating... Thats what I was afraid of and why I ended up cutting it off.

 

So why were you taking this thing off? I thought your car was ready to drive, just needed an exhaust?