Stupid question: what size socket?

So, need to pull the nut off a steering box to replace the pitman arm. Its bugger than 1 1/8, smaller than 1 1/2, bugger than 31mm....

Anyway, is there a way to measure the nut to determine what socket to buy? I usually have any tool i beed like this, or can justify buying an assortment, however this time i just need it once. 

Is it in a place you can measure from flat to flat with a tape?

Yes. Or calipers.  Ive never actually trued this before, so spell it out in moron, please....

Sounds like 1 1/4" or 32mm

If it is 1 1/4", shoot me a PM & you can borrow mine. USPS should get it there in a day since you're pretty close

Just measure from one flat to the opposite one and that is the size you need. The socket size of a nut (or bolt) is often listed as width across flats. 

1 5/16"  nut.  Big box stores may have the socket.

34 mm, not sure if it would slip

In reply to EastCoastMojo :

Thats my guess, but guessing wrong can get expensive quick. 

EvanB said:

Just measure from one flat to the opposite one and that is the size you need. The socket size of a nut (or bolt) is often listed as width across flats. 

Awesome.  Never knew that!

I'll have to measure in the morning and buy a socket 

Dirtydog said:

1 5/16"  nut.  Big box stores may have the socket.

From yours on your Silverado? 

Hopefully harbor freight has what i need cheaply. 

Dusterbd13 said:

EvanB said:

Just measure from one flat to the opposite one and that is the size you need. The socket size of a nut (or bolt) is often listed as width across flats. 

Awesome.  Never knew that!

I'll have to measure in the morning and buy a socket 

I'm sorry, but... what did you think those numbers like "1-1/4", "34mm", etc. meant?

In reply to Dr. Hess :

Never knew if it was corner to corner (like a tv), flat to flat (like apparently it is), or what.

And 1 5/16 is correct! Had to go down and measure. 

In 25 years of being a GM dealer mechanic, a GM fleet mechanic (Post Office) and now a hobbyist, I have never seen a Pitman arm nut that couldn't be removed with a Crescent wrench and a moderate tug. I have changed a bunch of them and never used a socket yet. It's a little skinny nut, much like a jam nut. They aren't that tight.

In reply to Cousin_Eddie :

I don't have a big enough crescent wrench or i probably would have tried it. I looked at the channel locks and thought better of it. 

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

Checked several GM sites to cross reference. Maybe a borrow deal from A Zone, or like it, will get it done.

In the past, I borrowed the socket from a friend. 

I will also lend if needed for the promise that you'll ship it back when done.

Should be able to borrow from autovance, I know they have 34mm-ish for gm fwd axle nuts.  I have one out in the garage that never got returned but has been used plenty since, willing to loan out if needed.

Ooooo. Hadn't thought about the loaner tool programs. Thats genius!

34mm axle socjet here i come! Orielleys has that one in stock. Rented it a few times for cv axles. 

Dusterbd13 said:

Ooooo. Hadn't thought about the loaner tool programs. Thats genius!

34mm axle socjet here i come! Orielleys has that one in stock. Rented it a few times for cv axles. 

I did the tool loaner program when I couldnt get the heating elements out of my electric hot water heater. The tool from Lowes didnt have enough meat and would just bend and slip around the head, didnt want to buy a whole set of Harbor Freight sockets, when to Advance Auto and just rented the single socket needed.

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

While your borrowing tools get a Pittman arm puller also. They can be pretty stuck sometimes. Fun story, I was removing the Pitman arm on my jeep once. It was really, really stuck. The steering box on those is right up behind the bumper at the very front of the jeep. I was sitting on the floor with my legs under the jeep. I had the puller on with a ton of torque on the puller bolt, it's not budging. So I give the puller bolt a couple good whacks with a big hammer. The Pitman frees itself, and SHOOTS off the gear box with the velocity of a small cannon. It hit the floor hard enough to chip the concrete, directly between my legs. Inches from my jiggly bits. I sat there a minute and thought about the situation. How things could have been if it's trajectory would have been a little off. Moral of the story; Leave the nut threaded on when breaking the arm free.

I actually own a pitman arm puller. Just not a socket this big or a crescent wrench for that matter

I don't think I've ever looked at a set of channellocks and "thought better of it"

Good on ya!

In reply to Robbie :

Its a rare occurrence for me 

I've used a pipe wrench to break stubborn nuts.  Goobers up the nut, but it's off.  I guess that falls under "thought better of it"