I was wondering if anyone has any good advice on getting tie rod ends off that are really stuck on there. I am removing my steering rack to depower it but am having trouble even getting it off. Everything else is off i just need to get the tie rod ends to slide out of the steering knuckle.

The car is an 89 gtu. Anything pnuematic is out of the question as i am working on the car in a storage unit and do not have a compressor. I am going to try heating up the knuckle tomorrow but this almost certainly means ruining the rubber boot that is on the tie rod end. I have tried beating on it and prying on it in just about everyway imaginable. Any advice would be greatly appriciated. Thanks. Daniel

 

Pickle fork and a 3lb sledge should fix it right up. Never had one that wouldn't come off this way. It will ruin the tie rod ends, but it sounds like they may be done for already.

 

Take a 3 pound sledge(or good hammer) and give it a good smack,right on the rounded part of the knuckle.It will shake the tie rod loose.It will just sort of "pop" out.
Another way I have done it is to Get another nut that FITS the thread if the Tie rod(NOT The Castle nut,you will wreck that nut!)..Put the nut on the Threads BUT not all the way,as you will will round the top of the threaded part of the toe rod..Hit the Nut and it should pop the tie rod out.Undo the Nut.Drop the tie rod.

 

What has worked for me (on other cars) before I had an air chisel and pickel fork.......
Remove the castle nut and turn it upside down. Screw it back on the tie-rod until it's flush with the top of the threaded shaft. Heat the knuckle a little, but don't go crazy. Take a hammer (preferably a big brass one) and beat on the nuit like it's a rented mule.

 

Yeah I deffinitely need a bigger hammer, looks like I am going to be replacing the tie rod ends either way so I will prolly go with heat and a bigger hammer, I have tried turning the nut upside down and hitting that, but I think with a little heat and a little more force this will do the trick... Going back out to work on it tomorrow so we will see... Thanks for the help

 

A pitman arm puller is what you need. No hammering required if you have one just the right size.

The jaws fit hold the body of the tie rod end and the threaded foot pushes against the threaded stud of the tie rod end.

 

Well??how'd ya get it off??

 

I realized that any way I got it off was going to result in ruining/replacing the tie rod ends and since they are still good and I am short on money I depowered the rack temporarily.by looping the lines and I'm going to go back and do it right when I have more more tools available and a better place to work

Tie rod ends 1 ...... Me 0