73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 4 Wheel Drives => Topic started by: beastie_3 on December 29, 2009, 09:02:24 pm
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I am in the process of replacing my steering on my 79 K10 and I can not get the steering arm off. I took the 3 nuts off and soaked the studs in wd40 and PB and the thing just wont come off. I have even placed a jack under it to try to get it off and no luck. The only thing I havent tried is heat because I dont have a source. Any help???
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Did you remove the washers? IF you don't have a torch get a small MAP torch. Use a BFH (3lb) and shock the steering arm.
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Yep, exactly. Need lots of heat and hammering. ;)
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It is my understanding that there are cone shaped shims that slide down the studs to take up the space. My new steering arm holes are beveled. That is all i see when the nuts are off. Ill go back and try again. Ill see if I can round up a bigger hammer.
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If you did not remove the conical washers then that is your problem.
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They are almost flush with the top of the arm and I am almost positive it hasn't been touched since the factory. What would be the best way to get them out? Should I try to remove the studs?
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only way to do it is use heat and a lot of it, it took about an hour with air hammer and shops torch and finally rattled the washers out. I put the air hammer right beside the washers rattled the heck out of it and it finally started to move up.
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Clean the area around the studs and soak it with penetrating oil. Heat them up and try working them loose with a hammer and punch first. Shock the arm with a bfh, put the nuts on too to protect the threads. an air hammer will help too.
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Clean the area around the studs and soak it with penetrating oil. Heat them up and try working them loose with a hammer and punch first. Shock the arm with a bfh, put the nuts on too to protect the threads. an air hammer will help too.
Ditto, worked for me.
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I have taken an an angle grinder to the arm itself, where it meets the knuckle, and ground away at the arm untill I could get a punch in there. Then I whacked away with a hammer until eventually the cone washers popped up and the arm freed itself. The name of the whole game is just determination no matter what method you use.
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I had the same problem...
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=10786.0
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Ok thanks guys, Ill let you all know when I get it done. Do parts stores carry the conical washers and/or studs if/when I damage them? Or will I be needing to order them from a specialty store? I have lost the conical washers when I got the steering arm a few years back.....Doh
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I got mine from the local Chevy dealership, they were pretty cheap if I remember right.
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Is this any good for heating up the parts? http://www.lowes.com/pd_299446-717-2880088_0_?productId=3133747&Ntt=torch&Ntk=i_products&pl=1¤tURL=/pl__0__s?Ntk=i_products$No=60$Ntt=torch
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Would these work? http://www.partsmike.com/store/store.php?crn=204&rn=1314&action=show_detail
I know its for a D44 and I have 10 bolt, but externally they are similar.
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I went to the stealership today and they wanted 17 bucks each for those conical pieces. Plus GM states you must replace the 3 nuts so they said it would be about 60 bucks for 6 pieces. Maybe Ill try to be very careful taking them out. At the least I will replace the nuts.
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I got lucky when I took mine off. Soaked it every night for a week with seafoam deep creep. Took two hits with the four pound hammer. Once at the end where rod bolts on and once at the point where it bends aroundnear the studs. I did not have to heat it at all.
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My steering arm and the cones were just like welded on. Had to saw deep notches at the root of studs by angle grinder to get the friggin' cones punched out, piece by piece...I was happy not to burn the hole rig up.
Of course screwed up all of the parts pretty well.
I got a new complete cone, stud & nut set from ebay:
http://stores.ebay.com/HarshTerrain_Steering-Arms_W0QQ_fsubZ4QQ_sidZ208173428QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322 (http://stores.ebay.com/HarshTerrain_Steering-Arms_W0QQ_fsubZ4QQ_sidZ208173428QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322)
Pretty reasonable price, I think. Especially since the Finnish "GM dealership" would have really robbed me for those parts ($$$). (Or actually €€€.)
The old studs were pretty tight as well, needed a good set of sturdy pipe pliers to get them out.
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Antti, I saw that ad on ebay yesterday as I was looking at different sites for the parts. That is a great price comparing GM wants 17 bucks each per cone alone. Good to know it worked for you. Now I can order in confidence.
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OK I finally got my steering arm off this past weekend. I also replaced the drag link and tie rod. I had replaced the pitman arm a few weeks ago, and since I didnt adjust the drag link, it would turn sharper one way than the other. It was kinda funny. But now I got it all together, with everything centered and straight.
As for anyone else wanting to replace their steering arm, I got the hardware at Harsh Terrain directly. I believe the hardware kit was 25 bucks. 3 studs, 3 nuts and 3 conical washers.
As I was removing parts, I kept the steering arm soaked with PB blaster. I loosened the nuts until they were almost off, creating a bowl at the top. I filled that with PB and left it overnight. The next day, it only took a couple light whacks to get the arm off. No heat or grinding needed. Ill try to get some pics up.