Drag Link won't unthread

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NME

Member
Hey everyone, so I am having some issues trying to get the nut off the bolt on the pitman arm. The nut is spinning without threading off. I am not sure what to do here and wondering if anyone has any advice. It took forever and a lot of PB to finally get it to break loose, but now it just spins. Steering wheel is latched down and the draglink isnt shifting or moving.
 
NME said:
Hey everyone, so I am having some issues trying to get the nut off the bolt on the pitman arm. The nut is spinning without threading off. I am not sure what to do here and wondering if anyone has any advice. It took forever and a lot of PB to finally get it to break loose, but now it just spins. Steering wheel is latched down and the draglink isnt shifting or moving.
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You need to use an Allen wrench to hold the top of the stud in place.
 
NME said:
Hey everyone, so I am having some issues trying to get the nut off the bolt on the pitman arm. The nut is spinning without threading off. I am not sure what to do here and wondering if anyone has any advice. It took forever and a lot of PB to finally get it to break loose, but now it just spins. Steering wheel is latched down and the draglink isnt shifting or moving.
Click to expand...
The stud on the drag link (that goes through the pitman arm bore) has a hex fitting on it. It's either external so you can hold it with a wrench. Or it's internal and you can hold it with an Allen Wrench.
 
If the stud is spinning there should be an Allen socket in the end of the stud to hold it while turning the nut with a wrench.
 
wayoflife said:
You need to use an Allen wrench to hold the top of the stud in place.
Click to expand...
I watched the video of you replacing yours like a thousand times, I don't remember seeing you use one. The nut will thread off it I keep an Allen wrench in the center of the bolt?
 
NME said:
I watched the video of you replacing yours like a thousand times, I don't remember seeing you use one. The nut will thread off it I keep an Allen wrench in the center of the bolt?
Click to expand...
Sometimes you get lucky.
 
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NME said:
I watched the video of you replacing yours like a thousand times, I don't remember seeing you use one. The nut will thread off it I keep an Allen wrench in the center of the bolt?
Click to expand...
The drag link end is a ball and socket type of joint. So basically, that ball/stud is spinning inside the socket which is normal. You have to hold it stationary while loosening the nut.

If truly the nut is spinning but the stud isn't, just beat the shit out of it and make it conform. You're replacing it anyways.
 
WJCO said:
The drag link end is a ball and socket type of joint. So basically, that ball/stud is spinning inside the socket which is normal. You have to hold it stationary while loosening the nut.

If truly the nut is spinning but the stud isn't, just beat the shit out of it and make it conform. You're replacing it anyways.
Click to expand...
Where would you recommend I beat it? Not a lot of area for momentum up there. I can bang the bottom of the drag link end and maybe the front of the pitman arm but the rest is pretty tight. And maybe I am just tired from the long ass day and the heat, but what would beating the shit out of it do for a stripped nut?
 
NME said:
Where would you recommend I beat it? Not a lot of area for momentum up there. I can bang the bottom of the drag link end and maybe the front of the pitman arm but the rest is pretty tight. And maybe I am just tired from the long ass day and the heat, but what would beating the shit out of it do for a stripped nut?
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If the nut is really stripped then the threads are already damaged. I would put a flat punch in between the nut and pitman arm and hit that with a hammer to force the nut off the rest of the way. My gut feeling is that the stud is spinning with the nut though. I've encountered that many times.
 
WJCO said:
If the nut is really stripped then the threads are already damaged. I would put a flat punch in between the nut and pitman arm and hit that with a hammer to force the nut off the rest of the way. My gut feeling is that the stud is spinning with the nut though. I've encountered that many times.
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I'll definitely go and grab some Allen wrenches tomorrow and give it a shot before I beat the hell out of it. Thanks again man.
 
Got the Allen wrenches and plugged it in. Nut is still spinning without loosening. So I ordered some bite sockets to see if that will work. If nothing else I will have to call someone over to cut it off.
 
You can try and use a C clamp to clamp the Pitman arm tight to the drag link end. Some times it will lock the stud up enough so you can brake it free but judging by all the trouble it has been giving you it maybe to far gone for that.

Edit: I just realized the nut is striped. Chop it off!
 
Spazbyt said:
You can try and use a C clamp to clamp the Pitman arm tight to the drag link end. Some times it will lock the stud up enough so you can brake it free but judging by all the trouble it has been giving you it maybe to far gone for that.

Edit: I just realized the nut is striped. Chop it off!
Click to expand...
I've seen some people have some pretty good luck with bite bolts. So I have some coming tomorrow and I will try that first. I don't personally own a cutting tool and not sure it's in my budget at the moment. So hopefully I won't have to go that route.
 
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