[tehdrizzle]

Well I got the pickle fork today and I still cannot get the steering arms disconnected from the tie rods. I have a 5lb sledge that I was beating on it with and it will not budge at all. It's not rusty at all and I soaked the joing in PB penetrator fluid and let it soak for about 1 hour and still will not budge. Any ideas on how to get these off of the tie rods?

 

[NOGO]

I use a ball joint puller- works smooth and no need for all the banging! Its a good investment IMO because you can use it for all your ball joints/ tie rods/ steering linkage.

 

[bowtie0069]

Dale has one at the shop...by the time you get the tool beaten into place, the parts are already separated!! It wouldn't fit most of the joints on the Mopar we're doing.
I have better luck with a BFH..just keep wailing until you can't lift your arm!

 

[surfdog]

What specific ball joint puller are you recommending? The free rental kit I used from my local auto parts store included a ball joint puller, but it was too large for my 64 .

Here's how I won... After separating the upper/lower a-arm and center link ball joints, I removed my spindle with the steering tie rod still attached. Used a pickle fork with the tie rod ball joint laid out between 2 2x6's. A few hard blows with the BFH did the trick. It's all about leverage. Of course the pickle fork destroyed the grease seals on the ball joints, didn't matter as they were being replaced.

 

[tehdrizzle]

I keep using the BFH technique and it just will not come off. I managed to get the ball joints on the control arms. I just have the steering rack, tie rods, and steering arms that will not seperate. I think that the pickle fork is to big for the other ball joints because the fork will bottom out on the ball joints and it doesn't even make them budge. I was able to give the fork 3 good hard smacks with my 5lb sledge and it popped the control arm joints out no problem.

 

[Jim W]

Well I got the pickle fork today and I still cannot get the steering arms disconnected from the tie rods. I have a 5lb sledge that I was beating on it with and it will not budge at all. It's not rusty at all and I soaked the joing in PB penetrator fluid and let it soak for about 1 hour and still will not budge. Any ideas on how to get these off of the tie rods?

OK, I can't take it any more.......

From what I am reading, you want to separate the tie rod ends from the spindle?????

Turn the spindle so you have a good hammer shot at the tie rod and get your best BFH and whack the spindle where it holds the tie rod about three times as hard as you can (protect the tie rod threads with a nut) and the tie rod will fall out. You need to hit it hard enough to distort the bore the tie rod goes into so, don't be shy.

Jim

 

[tehdrizzle]

OK, I can't take it any more.......

From what I am reading, you want to separate the tie rod ends from the spindle?????

Turn the spindle so you have a good hammer shot at the tie rod and get your best BFH and whack the spindle where it holds the tie rod about three times as hard as you can (protect the tie rod threads with a nut) and the tie rod will fall out. You need to hit it hard enough to distort the bore the tie rod goes into so, don't be shy.

Jim

Okay I can't take it anymore either. I just threw the entire rack to the side, steering arms and all. I cannot get them out. I took an 8lb sledge to the thing and beat the hell out of it. I gave it everything I had and got pissed because it wouldn't give so I gave it even more and still nothing. For those that think I'm tapping it or not strong enough I'm 5' 10" 230lbs and not fat so I had plenty of power behind it. It will just not give. I actually ended up chipping the pickle fork handle from hitting it so hard. I'm going to just post a wanted ad for some steering arms.

 

[Jim W]

Okay I can't take it anymore either. I just threw the entire rack to the side, steering arms and all. I cannot get them out. I took an 8lb sledge to the thing and beat the hell out of it. I gave it everything I had and got pissed because it wouldn't give so I gave it even more and still nothing. For those that think I'm tapping it or not strong enough I'm 5' 10" 230lbs and not fat so I had plenty of power behind it. It will just not give. I actually ended up chipping the pickle fork handle from hitting it so hard. I'm going to just post a wanted ad for some steering arms.

LOL Damn....... Someone must of torqued that nut down BIG time!!!!
Never seen my hammer trick not work.
Air hammer on top of the stud, again, protect the threads with a nut.
If that won't work, time for some heat.
You are hitting the spindle where the tie rod goes through right???? Not the tie rod itself?

Jim

 

[tehdrizzle]

LOL Damn....... Someone must of torqued that nut down BIG time!!!!
Never seen my hammer trick not work.
Air hammer on top of the stud, again, protect the threads with a nut.
If that won't work, time for some heat.
You are hitting the spindle where the tie rod goes through right???? Not the tie rod itself?

Jim

That's what I was thinking I tried again today after AGAIN soaking the portion where it's connected to the spindle in PB blaster and still nothing. I'm going to go with some heat tomorrow. I'm beat after degreasing my frame.