D44 flat top knuckle questions

[TheZenTree]

Two questions:
1) Steering arm on driver side F-250 D44 knuckle won't come off. It laughed at a BFH and a torch (to heat it). I'd rather not just cut most of it off with the torch and leave it, that's kinda (really) ghetto. Suggestions?

2) I need to get my passenger side knuckle drilled and tapped for a crossover steering arm. Where should I go? Do I need to get it drilled and tapped according to the steering arm I get, or is it a universal pattern?

Thanks

 

[smithit]

steering arm

I would heat it up but not cut it and beet down on it but i half to ask did you take the shims out . On the drill and tapping i would carry to machine shop with the new arm so they can machine it flat and drill and tap

 

[TheZenTree]

The shims/studs/steering arm have kind of rusted together (it's a 30 year old axle), and there's not a whole lot of shim to grab onto with anything. If you have any idea of how I can get them out, that'd be real helpful. They drowned in WD-40 a long while ago, and it hasn't budged a hair.

 

[smithit]

steering arm

take a sharp chizle and try tapping it around the studs will stay in the knuckle this might take a while and a few words but they will come out

 

[HardTaco]

Soak in coke. not cocaine, but coke, the soft drink. That may help eat away some of the rust. When wd-40, PB-blaster or kroil wouldnt work on my pitman arm, i tried the ol-timer method of using coke, and it popped right off after soaking for a day or two. Could have had nothing to do with the coke, but damnit it worked! Ive started using it on all things rusty instead of wd.....


Josh


and ps....get angry with your big hammer!

 

[jdubb]

heat trick

I have seen people heat parts up then throw water on them to separate stuff. It makes the metal change quickly and if one part contracts more than the other they will separate. I would try this if you're not using the arm again, but keep most the heat out of the kncuukle I guess.

 

[Josh C]

I have seen people heat parts up then throw water on them to separate stuff. It makes the metal change quickly and if one part contracts more than the other they will separate. I would try this if you're not using the arm again, but keep most the heat out of the kncuukle I guess.

I'd try fleetpride out on 421 to see if they can machine it. If they can't I have a friend who can

 

[CapeFear4x4]

Try not to wedge a chisel between the knuckle and steering arm until you remove the cones on top first. When these knuckles are well rusted you can make matters worse trying to beat them apart first the cones only get tighter. We can drill the other knuckle for you.

 

[grapehead]

after taking off many steering arms many different ways, my preferred method is to weld the nuts to the studs and then pull the studs out with an impact.
there is a universal diagram, but youd wanna make sure it matches your steer arm.