Removing tie rod

[Ben's Z]

How do you remove the tie rod from the steering rack?:mad: Or outer tie rod from the inner.:mad: Note this is with the tie attached to a floppy **** ball joint that is not attached to the spindle.:mad:

[240260280z]

I assume the tierod is attached to the knuckle arm?

If you plan to replace tie rod, do this:

Back off castellated nut so that the top of the nut is flush with the stud.

Secure the knuckle arm and hammer the top of the nut&stud to drive it out of the knuckle arm. (This usually messes up the threads unless you are careful, or use a brass hammer, or use a brass plate in between.

If you have problems because of "floppy", and hammering is difficult; then buy or borrow or rent the correct tool:

Ball Joint Separator of correct size. Here is a random example of what they look like:

Edited August 14, 2011 by Blue

[grungedude42]

I had a really stubborn tie rod when I disassembled my suspension. I unscrewed the rod from the rack, dropped out the strut, and took the whole assembly outside. Then I hit it with a torch, a pickle fork, and a big hammer. Felt satisfying when it finally came loose.

[ta240]

if you are removing the tie rod from the steering knuckle and it is really stuck, heat it a bit, spray some penetrating oil into it and then right on the outside edge of the steering knuckle where the tie rod goes through whack it really had with a big hammer. That will spring the opening slightly and allow it to drop out. It may take a couple whacks but it has always worked for me.

Years ago I spent several hours with heat and a pickle fork on an air impact hammer trying to get a tie rod end to release with no luck. Then a mechanic friend of mine just whacked it really hard on the outside edge and the tie rod dropped right out in half a second.