I considered rebuilding the box, but after further consultation, I figured I don't want to end up with a leaking box again, in the near future, (or distant future for that matter ) I sprang for the rebuilt 4 bolt capped Saginaw. Apparently the spline on the pitman arm is different so they threw the proper one in for this box.

After screwing around getting all the right tools lined up for the job, (half SAE, half metric, what's with that anyway? ) I got the PS lines off, the bolt holding the column connector, and loosened the mounting bolts. I then undid the nut on the joint that holds the pitman arm to the track bar. Easy so far....

Now comes the interesting part . The fellow at Cancraft steering told me to give the end of the Pitman arm a good whack with a hammer to loosen the ball-joint on the track bar. Not possible, the end of the pitman arm faces the cross member. I figured I needed a splitter, but he said that they would just wreck the seal on the joint, causing more problems. I thought I could beat the problem by taking off the nut that joins the pitman arm to the steering box spline, and wiggling it off, then turn the pitman arm, so I could hammer the end of it to loosen it off the joint. Sure No way that pitman arm would come off the spline, its on there tight. Plus its very hard to apply downward pressure, or hit it with a hammer, because of it's position. so much for a simple change over..

So whats the trick?? Help... Do I need to buy a ball joint splitter, and risk tearing the seal, or is there another secret thing I'm missing...??