so it's a nice 80 degree January day, perfect for a front suspension refresh right? I go out to my garage and start following the instructions for changing the ball joint, tie-rod end, and struts...

remove the tension adjuster and adjuster arm... no problem, they were only hand tight...

I go to remove the tie-rod end... removed the pin and nut, no problem... wow, this is going good so far...

I try removing the tie-rod from the strut arm... no go
pry with chisel... not a budge...
go get a ball-joint seperator from autozone... hit it with a hammer as far as it would go... nothing...
stand on it with a cheater bar... nope




now what?!

get two big hammers - like 5 lb big. put one on one side of the Pittman arm - like a backstop. hit the other side of the arm with the other big hammer. the tie rod end is conical, and if you can deform the tapered seat - even a little, even got a millisecond, it "should" pop the tie rod end right out. i've had it work a couple of times...

since you've decided the end is junk (which it is, after you've used a pickle fork on it...) you can use heat on the Pittman arm socket area. again - you're trying to make the hole just a little bit bigger and break the bond.

i had one so stuck i needed to remove the upright and use the BIG press to force it out - that's an option...

Yeap 2 BFH and heat.

judging your description, you got a "pickle fork"
go back to your FLAPS and get the right tool
then it'll pop right off...

QUOTE (Jeroen @ Jan 1 2006, 05:32 PM)

judging your description, you got a "pickle fork" go back to your FLAPS and get the right tool then it'll pop right off...

what is the other tool? this thing looks like a big-ass tuning fork... I'll go for the sledges and heat method, thanks!

Other tool look a bit like this.. there are other similars tools which do the same thing.