Viva La GMC!

[tristessa]

.. harbor freight?

[Mike Boell]

1 3/8 will work with some shim stock stolen from your feeler blades. In a pinch. Been there.

Colin,
Exactly what I was thinking.

Tris,
I'm embarrassed to say, but yes, it a Harbor Freight wrench set.

Mike

[tristessa]

I actually meant that as a suggestion to Xelmon. :)

[Xelmon]

Hm, I'll have to check hazard tomorrow.

[Xelmon]

I checked Hazard a while ago and they only had kits for ~35-45. Bit excessive considering everything else is based around "normal" wrenches.

Getting off the bolt was actually very easy, surprisingly so!

However, after nudging, tapping, PB blasting, trying two 2 arm pullers that both flipped off, and wailing at the pitman arm for an hour with the biggest hammer I got, it still hasn't budged on the steering box end.

The control arm end actually let loose, which was a surprise in itself.

[Amskeptic]

However, after nudging, tapping, PB blasting, trying two 2 arm pullers that both flipped off, and wailing at the pitman arm for an hour with the biggest hammer I got, it still hasn't budged on the steering box end.

We don't do that to steering box bearings. They are in no way up to the challenge of being hammered with lateral loads that they would never ever never experience ever in the real world, not even a wipe-out off a gravel road (sorry, had to).

If the pitman arm is welded to the steering shaft, you need to yes, PB Blast a lot over the span of a week with lots of vibration-inducing tapping, but you need to search and hunt down and obtain a larger puller.
Colin

[Xelmon]

Mmm, so spray spray spray, leave it for 10, do a lot of light tapping, rinse repeat every day?

[Mike Boell]

I've got a smokey wrench that will take that off for ya.

[hambone]

Do you need these parts right now? PUNT revisit later. Task at hand.

[ruckman101]

Or maybe just a sweet early bay window bus.


neal.

[Amskeptic]

Or maybe just a sweet early bay window bus.
neal.

Not for our xelmon just yet . . . let him learn about pitman arm removal from steering boxes on American Iron.
Later . . . when he has graduated to German White Coat Journeyman Second Class, maybe a nice air-cooled VW will do, after his Bob Bondurant G-10 Dirt Track Driving School Certification has cleared . . .
(sorry xelmon, I had to, I just had to)
Colin

[Xelmon]

Hehe, no probs no probs! :D

[tristessa]

Stick with the Chevy .. or GMC as is the case of the replacement. I gave my opinion & thoughts on why at the Lab the other night, but I'll chime in here for everyone else's sake.

They're asking $1k for the GMC as it sits, and it's been parked for 25+ years. Figure that it's a shell to put all your good pieces in from the Chevy -- you've got a known-good running engine, a known-good working transmission (even if it *is* a 2-speed Powerglide), a freshly cleaned-and-lined gas tank, an essentially new rear end & rear brakes, new master cylinder, known-good radiator, etc. Aside from the actual purchase of the van, your financial outlay should be fairly minimal to get back on the road -- new motor mounts, some miscellaneous other things here & there. It's mostly labor, and I think if we put a crew together and had tools & supplies on-hand it could pretty much be done in a weekend.

As far as a Bus goes, honestly .. unless you get lucky, most anything you find in the Portland area much under $2k is probably going to need some decent money & work sunk into it to be reliable. There's that nice looking '74 in Happy Valley for $3k that sounds like it'll need an engine rebuilt, a '71 in Vernonia I found on TS for $1k that definitely needs an engine (plus it's got a horrid "pirate" paint job), and a few others in between. Found a '65 SO42 Westy in Salem for $1750.00 that's been completely gutted by fire...

There were some other points I made at the Lab but I'm not remembering them right now. Musta been too much beer...

[Mike Boell]

I owe you both for helping me on the Subaru tear down so count me in on whatever make or model you choose.
I will also offer up the shop for such a weekend of tear down / swapping parts, and include some good eats, and beverage.
Mike

[hambone]

Hal is right. You have to see this through until you are released from service.
Mike you also owe me $10,000.oo for that sale of stock. Remember?