Tie Rod Troubles

[JustROLLIN]

I am trying to put my axles back into the car now that I have the tranny all back in place. (Thanks to everyone who gave out advice on that) But, I cannot get the tie rod to drop out. I do not have a puller and I am a little nervous about just smashing the top of the stud with a hammer. Any other suggestions or ideas. Thanks!

[LightningGSX]

Thread the nut on %90 of the way and pound on that.

[JustROLLIN]

I am gonna disagree with you on this one. I have seen that cause some major thread issues. I have seen it work and seen it fuck up threads very badly. I dont have time or money for an alignment if I had to replace one of those tie rod ends.

[john]

Get a fork or rent the puller set at checker. I used both on ghettostyle's car. The pullers work awsome. The fork is OK but you can damage the parts if you are not carefull.

[jd1828]

if you not planning on replacing them then just rent a puller. if your are then use a torch to heat it up and give it a little tap. it will fall right out, but it will melt the boot off.

[LightningGSX]

Originally posted by JustROLLIN@Aug 7 2004, 11:45 PM
I am gonna disagree with you on this one. I have seen that cause some major thread issues. I have seen it work and seen it fuck up threads very badly. I dont have time or money for an alignment if I had to replace one of those tie rod ends.
I've done it a million times, never fucked up a single thread.You don't have to pound hard, with the nut on there, all the force is centered downward on the stud(so long as you hit it flat).Use the flat side of a pall pein hammer it works perfect.

[LightningGSX]

Worst case if you did screw up the threads, just count the turns taking the tie-rod end off, and then put the new one on the same number of turns.No alignment needed.

[91 tuner]

Use a hammer and hit the end of the knuckle where the tie rod goes into that should do the trick.

[jd1828]

ive never messed up the treads and ive beat on them with a 10lb hammer. as long as the nut is on. tie rod ends are cheap anyway. i think mine were $12 from bumper to bumper.

[Raptor]

None of you are ever working on my tie rods :razz2:

Go rent a tie rod press. It will be the safest, least amount of headache, less chance for damage, and not very expensive way to go. Pickle forks work but are a major PITA unless they are attatched to an air hammer and then you still do damage to the joint usually. Heat should always be saved as a last resort due to the collateral damage it can cause. I have seen all your methods mentioned work and fail as well, when they fail it is expensive and happens often enough to not make it worth the risk. The other method sort of mentioned was to hit the knuckle with a hammer, I have only seen that work when there was another hammer on the opposite side in effect pinching the tapered shaft out, it works so so but not as easily as a press.

Hope that helps.