Outer tie rod end stuck - should I drill it?

[wahoofan]

I've searched the archives and I'm still stumped. I've tried heat, PBlaster, banging on the "bolt", banging almost everywhere on the steering knuckle, and using a gear puller (which did remove one side!). The puller keeps slipping off of this one, and I'm having to torque it much harder.

If I run a drill through the center of the bolt, getting progressively larger, would that make the "pres"(gear puller) that I'm using more effective?

[911Mac]

Tried a tie rod removal tool? It's a U shaped wedge with a handle you can whack with a really big hammer. It will come out.

The drill will probably work eventually.

[Walt Fricke]

What Mac is referring to is also often called a "pickle fork." The better tool generally for removing the tie rod is a special purpose gear puller made for the purpose (and the 911). It won't slip, I think, and it won't rip/damage the rubber boot.

But if you are replacing the bearing, who cares. And a pickle fork is less expensive.

Walt

[gunlover05]

I had a similar problem, but what i did was put a solid brace very close to the nuckle, and heated it with a torch, then beat the @%# out of the bolt, and mine popped loose..

[toddu]

Is the a-arm supported at all? If not, try jacking it up a little bit to take a little pressure off the tie rod. It will be apparent when you do it. Use the pickle fork if you have it, but I think if you take the pressure off hitting the top will work. If you're reusing it (assuming you're not), put the nut back on and before you smake it and smack the nut, or you'll never get it back on.

[toddu]

Is the a-arm supported at all? If not, try jacking it up a little bit to take a little pressure off the tie rod. It will be apparent when you do it. Use the pickle fork if you have it, but I think if you take the pressure off hitting the top will work. If you're reusing it (assuming you're not), put the nut back on and before you smake it and smack the nut, or you'll never get it back on.

[bkreigsr]

Even my Porsche-specific tie rod popper-outer started to slip off on a frozen end. I think I rigged up a temporary fixture to hold it in place.
Bill K

[Superman]

I've seen all the various methods and tools, and the method that seems most reliably effective is smacking the steering knuckle with a hammer. A steel hammer. FIRMly. The steering knuckle is more robust than it looks.

[cgarr]

This one you may have to remove the strut so you can get the knuckle on something solid to jar it loose, unless you can support the knuckle with a jack somehow and smack it?

[kplackmeyer]

A guy I used to work for would have said "Just HIT it, Nancy!"

Just kidding ;-)

Yeah..hit the knuckle. Hit it hard, with a dead-blow or ball peen.

[Tim K]

+1 on smacking the knuckle. Hit the side at the tie rod stud. Hit it hard! But hit IN LINE with the strut (it's axis of rotation) so you're not trying to turn it (thereby pounding on the steering rack etc.).

I saw my buddy (a mechanic) do this and I was appalled. But after a few stubborn rod ends, I'm a believer

[DCinVA]

+1 on using the hammer. I use a 4 pound shop hammer. It never fails, and it saves the rubber boot as well.

[safe]

+1 on BFH on the knuckle.

[ZOA NOM]

Try some heat.

[kplackmeyer]

Careful with heat. . You could distort the tapered hole the tie rod end goes in when you hit it, if it's too hot. You could also cook the grease in the ball joint or the inner tie rod end.

Just beat the ever lovin' hell outta it, squarely on the knuckle. It'll pop

[tmalaret]

Use a mini sledge and hit the outer diamater of the knuckle where the tie rod fits in.

[racing97]

If you have an air supply, Install the nut back on about 4 turns then using a (chatter gun) with the rivet setting flat tool give it a little shot and it will come right off. Most mechanics Domestic or Foreign will have one in the bottom drawer of their tool box.

regards

[dfink]

Only tool to use is pickle fork and a BFH to hit the pickle fork. The tie rod end will not be reusable but I assume you are removing to replace anyhow.
Because of the way the tie rod end is made for the 911 it does not have a flat base so the pullers don't work well. There is a special one for the porsche tie rod that kind of wraps around the whole thing but if you just want it off use the pickle fork.

[wahoofan]

BTW - I finally did get the rod end out, and it was a BEAR!! Pickle fork was useless, heat did nothing, BFH nada............so, I ended up carefully drilling out the center until I ran out if material at the top, then cut the end off with a sawzall and used a grinding stone on my dremel to drill out the taper until it finally fell out. Took forever, but the new rod fits snugly, so no harm done.