I am trying to replace the idler arm on a 2002 f150 5.4 4x4 and the darn thing in impossible to remove, I have gotten a ball joint removal tool, the tuning fork looking thing, but I could not get it to work then when I had it pushed in as far as it could go I tried prying it up but the darn thing bent, so for now I am letting it sit over night with some pb blaster but I was wondering if anyone else had any recommendations on what to do.

 

You had the pickle fork all the way in and the arm never popped off yet? maybe the fork your using is to thin. try one that gets fatter. did you try the idler arm puller?

 

well I am pretty sure it was not all the way it but I hammer it as far as I could get it to go but that was probably mistake number one as for the idler arm puller oreillys did not have one but I am going to check a different one and harbor freight tomorrow.

I am going to try one of these

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-qua...tor-99849.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/15-16-i...tor-66315.html

 

The one in the second link will do. Thats what i thought you used the first time. Just get that with a bfh (big f*cking hammer) and whale on it till it pops off. You may not even need the puller.

 

One other thing when you get the pickle fork there are two sizes you need the smaller fork size for the idler arm.

 

oh ok I bought the bigger one, also do you think using a pneumatic hammer will help or just wail on it with a mini sledgehammer

 

Seriously? You can't get it off? Hit it harder then. I have never had one I couldn't get off.

 

Im not sure about a pneumatic hammer. Maybe someone else has used that method and could chime in. But a big *** hammer has always done the job for me.