Morris Minor Owners Club

What is the easiest method of removing a steering arm from a swivel pin without damaging the arm and without access to the village forge or any welding kit? I do have a selection of big hammers!

you have answered it yourself

A press is the best option and although I do not use it very often the purchase of a 10 ton press from Machine Mart was a good investment.
If you do use a large hammer or press make sure that you have the nut on before you hit or press on the end of the arm.
Sometimes placing the steering arm boss of the upright on its side on the vice head (with the jaws tightly closed) and giving the boss a smart smack with the hammer can start to loosen the steering arm.

Plusgas, cup of tea, whack with hammer, more plus gas, cup of tea, heat up with blow torch, whack with hammer, cup of tea and relax!

You could improvise a press from a 2 legged puller, put some pressure on it, then sneak up and whack it with a large hammer

Definitely a combination of Plusgas and heat. Thereafter, ensure that the leg is supported both side of the arm. With the nut on the arm, but not done up tight, whack it with a 4lb clump hammer. Although I have a press, I have always found that the hammer works better - the shock produces a better reaction than steady pressure. If the leg is scrap, then carefully cutting slots either side of the arm, front and back rather than above and below, (being careful to not go into the arm itself) will help to release the arm.

Thank you for all your suggestions, I shall work my way through them and let you know which method worked for me. It was much easier when new swivels came with arms attached. At least I have an old swivel I can work on before I strip the car

MarkyB wrote:You could improvise a press from a 2 legged puller, put some pressure on it, then sneak up and whack it with a large hammer

You've got to do it when it's not expecting it though.

Spent most of the afternoon digging my way through my box of suspension parts. Removed an assortment of Series MM and M1000 brake drums and other parts before getting down to the swivel pins, most of which had already lost their steering arms, I found two right swivels, I was looking for left, then eventually found one left swivel with arm attached. A final root in the box produced two detached arms checked, both right hand arms . To be continued

Mike - set it in the vice and get the blowlamp on it, then a smart whack with the hammer will sort it out for sure. Heat and Plusgas - and cups of tea!

You need a press really...

but you can do it with a suitably large hammer. Before I got my press I used a sledge with the swivel well supported in a vice!

Took it down to my local garage that had a ten tonne press and blow torch.

It cost a tenner that was agreed before I left the whole leg with them..


They said on collection with a laugh and a smile.... If they'd known it was going to be such a $%**** "whistle" for two of them to remove, they would have sent me on my merry way when they first saw me.. lol!

[frame][/frame]
I have not managed to get the blow torch to work

Thats nowhere near hot enough, oxygen or at least air needs to be forced into the torch and the flame adjusted to burn right.

That said you shouldn't really heat any steering component to much and should be avoided really. It's an MoT fail for a steering component to show signs of exessive heat

Success - Took it to a friend who put it on his 10 tonne press.
philthehill and Dean, you win!!