i had the worm gear snap off of the shaft once. that was exciting! about one third of the factory weld was a void. i guess i got lucky getting my pitman arm off. i just took off the bolt, smacked the side with a hammer, and it fell right off. i thought i'd have to go crazy on it with gear puller and a balljoint fork. when i put everything back to gether, i replaced the bushing under the signal selector with a sealed bearing. it really made it easier to crank the wheel around. i know what you're thinking, "what a wuss!" but i have a 13" grant steering wheel and 31" tires. kind of makes for a good work out. especially when i'm off road. don't be afraid to take the steering box apart though. its not as complicated as one might think.