So I am in the process of taking my steering arm assembly apart for restoring. The ball arm is on very tight and will not budge with puller. I found a ton of threads on the forum to remove it so I think I will be okay there.
My question is the little levers on the spark rod and gas rods. The Ford manual says "drive out the pin" but I don't see a pin. It looks like a solid forged lever but it is fixed in place for sure.
I've scratch all the rust and grease off but again cannot see a pin.
Anyone remove those little things recently?
I just found a ton of pictures online...my pin must be peened over or something. I don't see a spot to place a punch to drive out the pin.
It's a pain most of the times for sure - especially if you try to do it in place in the car.. Hand file on both sides, you'll notice the thin circle showing where the pin is. Drill a slightly smaller hole from both sides, if you're really good at aiming you can drill one further a bit and try to punch it out. A heavy metal object on the other side to hold against the punching is needed.
If it won't budge, try a slightly larger drill. Eventually you'll get it out - or drill through with a large enough drill so the pin is split and the lever can be removed - hopefully unharmed.
Yes, they both have a pin (Ford part #3529). Sometimes it's mighty hard to locate. A small grinder with a wire brush wheel might help.
Thank you guys...I'll try a file or my Dremel. There is a small boss there but I just can't see the pin.
I can't believe how tight the pitman arm is...then I saw on the forum it is a taper fit. Hopefully a little heat will do the trick.
Christopher
First thing on stuck parts is quality penetrating oil. Kano brand Kroil is the better, comes in aerosol cans with tiny spray tube, best way to get into rusted joints.
The for me, a good small tooth file, and lightly go over that boss on the levers, till its shiny. Then with more Kroil, it will seep and you can then see the circular outline of that rivet.
Center punch in the middle, and use a small dia. drill and go into the lever at that spot. From there a small drift can drive the rivet out. The factory rivet has a thicker head on one side than the other. Drill into the smaller of the rivet ends.
Small drift driving out the rivet.
For the upper rod springs and cups, for me a small needle nose vice grip plier, pushed up the cup and spring and locks it above the pin.
Then use a punch and drive out the retaining pin.
Thank you Dan. I did not know it was a rivet. The upper rod spring cup pins came right out...actually they almost fell out!
A puller, liquid wrench, and lots and lots of heat and the pitman arm came off with several whacks...it was not easy.
The little spark rod pin was a b_tch.
I filed it on both sides and saw the faintest little circle but I could not punch it out. I ended up drilling it out completely.
Do you think Henry Ford would mind if I replaced that with a Spirol Pin?
Thanks for all your help guys! This forum is great.
Chris, once you get things cleaned up, those little pins won't be so bad if you need to remove them again. Mine come out real nice.
I need to get a pair of those needle nose vice grips though for the pin by those God-awful springs! Man, they are the b---tch for sure!!!
Attached are the pictures I took of the removal process. Piece by piece the T is coming apart! I did have to sawcut the hood rod off though...the nut was rusted solid into the Firewall.
Chris, I see your torch. It is on the small size. The bigger type used by welders with a rose bud will do a great job of heating the pitman arm before the shaft get to hot. The same on the little arms. It will expand things and the pins come out much easier. Scott
Thank you Scott.
I have a small Oxy/Acetylene torch but I was afraid of melting something. My next problem is getting the spur gear bracket (looks like a triangle) out of the internal gear housing. I'm gonna check around the forum to see how that comes out!
The spur gear bracket and steering shaft pull out from the top as a unit:
Those little pins can often be found very easily by heating the area with a oxy-acet. torch. Clean the area nice and shiny and then apply a little heat with a small(0 or 00 size)welding tip and a parting line(circle) will show up almost immediately. Dave
Thank you again guys. I have to take the other little bracket off so I'll try heating it up a little. I would rather not drill them out.
Chris, if you think the oxy-acet. might melt things, try MAPP gas instead. You can get the small tanks at most hardware places. It's hotter than LP, but not as bad as the acetelyne. (sp?).
Wonder why everything's so rusted up? Was this car in a flood or something?
I'm not sure why there is so much rust. Some spots look untouched and the paint still looks amazing and in other spots rust has covered things completely.
The hood rod hex nut was just a ball of rust. You could almost not tell there was a hex there.
So far the biggest problem I've had with my restoration has been fighting rust.
I finally got it apart...and added a picture of my coils rebuilt by the Coil Doctor. Now that I have the steering column taken apart I'm going to tackle the Radiator.