What's the best way to separate the tie rod end from the knuckle arm? My gear puller is too big. Will a pickle fork work or should I get a tie rod end puller?

 

Hit the knuckle a few times. Not the end of the tie-rod stud, the side of the knuckle. Don't be gentle. Should take one or two (maybe three or four) good whacks and the tie rod end will just fall right out.

 

yup, thats how i seperated 95% of the tie rod ends and balljoints in my 4 years as a susupension mechanic.

its much easier and safer than using a seperator IMO

 

Take the castle nut off of the tie rod stud, turn it upside down, and reinstall it, but only screw it on a few threads. That was step 1.. step 2 is to beat the F#CK out of it until it separates. Good luck!

 

this hitting the nut/ pin is not the thing to be doing.

you will usally destroy the part and when i does come loose the threads of the nut are all out of wack, so your left with a loose part thats still bolted up. and is just a pain in the butt!

i do recomend you leave the nut on the thread (loose) to protect it if the part is to be reused. then tap the housing to what the joint it attached to.

 

I think with the nut on a few threads he is saying that you can take it off to clean up any threads that have been boogered up by the hammer. Thats pretty sound general mechanic knowledge for your shade-tree jobs.

 

I used the pickle spoon to pull off my idler arm. It worked miracles! I tried this other thing, it just bet it, i tried hammers, they just bashed the bolt to shmitherines.

The pickle wench did the trick tho.

 

You assumed correctly. Also, you have a larger target to hit The bolt will probably not survive, though, so you'll have to replace it.

 

The pickle fork rules!!!!!!! Doesn't do a Hell of alot for the boots but I was replacing the tie rods anyway.