pin stuck in steering coupling

I had to brace mine as well, from underneath,,to make the coupler more solid as i hit it,,,the slop in the coupler, box and column absorb and soften the impact if the blow, and keep you from getting a good solid hard strike. Think of an autobody mans dolly that is used to back up sheet metal when using a body hammer. As soon as i braced the opposite side of the coupler,,i was able to get solid smacks on the punch, and it broke free. The exact size punch is critical. I used a cheapie punch,,and it mushroomed the end,,,i stopped to see a snap on truck,,bought the 5/16 punch,,it held a nice square, flat tip even after a dozen good hits,,and worked like a charm. Mind you, my car sat in a forest for 27 years,,so it was probably rustier than yours. It'll come out