I know about the pickel fork method, but, I don't want to risk damaging a set of nearly new turbo tie rods.

Which of these two tie rod tools work best?
This one:
or this one:


Thanks,
Kevin

This should be a interesting thread.

I havent had any luck with either one.. they both slipped off before actually popping the tie rod loose.

Maybe I was using them incorrectly.

I went back to the method taught in school (hit the arm just right and they squeeze out) just dont hit the boot for the tie rod end.


B

I had great luck with the lower one. Poped them right off with no damage

Bernie

Me too! For the money, try one, then move on! I think it comes down to how long it has been since they were last replaced. If they have been replaced It might not be too bad!

Jeff

The top one worked great for me. I don't like hammering on a car. (Major trauma and bad karma.) Unless it really pisses me off then.......

I'm not a big fan of using a hammer.. but 30 years worth of stuck tie rods will make you want to beat something. LOL

The suspension pieces are very very tough. If you look at the end of the steering arm.. there is a flat rectangle at the end. Hit it on this pad and the tie rod pops out. I leave the nut on the tie rod so it doesnt actually pop out and flip up.


B

I like the top one. Leave the crown bolt on loose and zip it down with an impact gun. Quick and easy if you've got access to the tools.

duh...I mean, castellated nut, not crown bolt.

I've used the second one. It slipped off the first time I tried, but it worked just fine.
Ofcourse I tried to first, but that usually don't work for me.
Partly because I'm affraid to damage parts (which I'm very good at) and partly because I'm just a weakling

cheers,

Jeroen

I have used that method also, but I hate to my 914. So, in 914 I use quite similar tool in the second pic.

The tie rod separator I have looks more like a two arm bearing puller. If the rod end doesn't come loose I warm the steering arm a little with a torch & it pops free.

Does anyone here use antisieze when putting tie-rods ends on?

-Rusty

I always use the method Brad uses - smack the steering arm real good perpendicular to the hole. Has always worked for me and relieves stress (your own). Nothing damaged and quick, too. Just don't miss and hit the tie-rod end!

An old mechanic taught me that trick. It (usually) works great. When the hammer hits the arm, it temporarily changes the shape fo the hole. That's the theory anyway.

i do...

i had one stuck so bad i had to unscrew the end from the tie rod and take that and the upright to a press. even with heat it took huge effort in the press to pop out.

i've replaced uprights in the paddock at autocross, you don't need anything stuck so tight you can't get it loose with your track-box tools...

Thanks, Rich. I admit I have a love affair with antisieze, but I'd hate to put it on something that would cause catastrophic failure.

-Rusty

I will never again install a tie rod without anti-seize. I really can't see it causing a failure. And the alternative...

I ended up cutting the tie rod in half on the parts car when stripping it. That damn tie rod end wasn't coming out no matter what. Probably the factory original part at 166k miles.

Well, I attacked the suspension this evening. Those dang tie rod ends wouldn't come off to save my life. I was using the smack it with a hammer method. After I looked them over closer and realized that the boots were cracked after being on the car for less than 9 months I went ahead and used the pickle fork.

I got a bone to pick with GPR on this one though. 8 months and the boots are already cracked! Somehow I don't think these were good german tie rod end boots.

Have fun,
Kevin