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Surf Bus Driver Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2006 Posts: 33
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 10:51 am Post subject: Tie rod stuck |
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Hi all. I'm struggling to get one of my tie rods out. I tried the hammer and Jack method, as well as using this puller, but the pullers tightening bar gave before the tie rod did. I'm thinking i need a stronger puller like this one
https://www.harborfreight.com/tie-rod-and-pitman-arm-puller-63684.html
But Figured i should leverage the collective wisdom on here first. I'm finding it hard to get a good whack on the top of the nut given the interference from the shifter linkage
Thanks in advance
Surf bus mechanic (née driver) |
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sgmalt46 Samba Member
Joined: April 20, 2005 Posts: 1296 Location: south san francisco
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 11:03 am Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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now with tension on it give her a wack sideway's . may pop it.
turn the castle nut upside down if you try to wack it from the top.
you will mushroom the nut and will have a hard time removing it.
or yes a better puller like the horrible fright one. most auto
parts places carry those. or a pickle fork.
Steve. _________________ 55 deluxe 23 window bus
64 crew cab
55 rag top beetle
66 beetle
71 square back (sold) ! good luck with it Henry!
46 beetle 552nd royal army service corps CCG |
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germansupplyscott Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2004 Posts: 7093 Location: toronto
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 11:06 am Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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That puller in your link is OK for taking the drop arm off the steering box but it's not a good tool for what you're trying to do. The lever action type is much better.
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-quarter-inch-forged-ball-joint-separator-99849.html
A little heat with a torch and a sharp blow with a hammer will help, while to tool is applying pressure to the joint. Be careful! If it's that tight it's going to explode when it lets go and stuff will fly everywhere. _________________ SL |
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SGKent Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007 Posts: 41031 Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 11:16 am Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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put as much pressure on it with a puller that you can without it popping loose. Leave the nut on. Hit the eye with two hammers 180 degrees apart simultaneously.
_________________ “Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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sgmalt46 Samba Member
Joined: April 20, 2005 Posts: 1296 Location: south san francisco
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 11:27 am Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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the one I am pointing to is the correct one . the other one is for a pitman
arm. i stand corrected. you can never have too may pullers.
_________________ 55 deluxe 23 window bus
64 crew cab
55 rag top beetle
66 beetle
71 square back (sold) ! good luck with it Henry!
46 beetle 552nd royal army service corps CCG |
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germansupplyscott Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2004 Posts: 7093 Location: toronto
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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The one you are pointing to above will work fine as long as it's big enough, but the lever one has a lot more uses and is much more flexible for what size joints it can tackle. _________________ SL |
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sgmalt46 Samba Member
Joined: April 20, 2005 Posts: 1296 Location: south san francisco
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 12:36 pm Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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yes that is the one I use on all my vw's . small and good in tight places .
made me crawl under my bus Steve. lever one's work good too.
_________________ 55 deluxe 23 window bus
64 crew cab
55 rag top beetle
66 beetle
71 square back (sold) ! good luck with it Henry!
46 beetle 552nd royal army service corps CCG |
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SGKent Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007 Posts: 41031 Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 12:43 pm Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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I did it for a living like Scott does. I've had some that will not budge then two hammers and it is like instantly solved in one blow and 1/4 second. it takes two hammers, not one. the tie rod eye has to be between the two adult hammers. Two wood working hammers will work if one does not have machinist hammers. The eye deforms just enough during the shock to let loose, and it will with the puller going flying. Make sure the nut is still on or parts are coming at you. _________________ “Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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Starbucket Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2007 Posts: 4025 Location: WA
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 2:40 pm Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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Smacking the side of the tie rod with a hammer where the taper go's through while applying pressure with the puller pop's them out. |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22648 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 2:47 pm Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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If you go the pickle fork route be prepared to replace the boot or the end _________________ .ssS! |
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sgmalt46 Samba Member
Joined: April 20, 2005 Posts: 1296 Location: south san francisco
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 3:24 pm Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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his boot is gone . yes if the boot is good and your not changing the
tie rod yes you will ruin it. looks like he is not keeping it. hope not.
pickle fork is only if your going to replace it. caveman way of popping it off.
_________________ 55 deluxe 23 window bus
64 crew cab
55 rag top beetle
66 beetle
71 square back (sold) ! good luck with it Henry!
46 beetle 552nd royal army service corps CCG |
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raygreenwood Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008 Posts: 21513 Location: Oklahoma City
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 3:48 pm Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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sgmalt46 wrote: |
his boot is gone . yes if the boot is good and your not changing the
tie rod yes you will ruin it. looks like he is not keeping it. hope not.
pickle fork is only if your going to replace it. caveman way of popping it off.
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Mmmm...not really caveman at all. While I agree in principle that in a perfect world one should only use it if the joint is being replaced.....too many times the "two-hammer" method does not work and in enough cases the proper proper press/puller can mushroom or damage the end of the ball stud.
The pickle fork is the easiest and least risk to the arm you are not going to replace. Maximum leverage. And.....too many people do not use it correctly....or use the fork of the correct size and slot width.
If the boot is still pliable and you have the proper slot width, snap the ring off the boot and collapse the boot into the slot.
Then make sure the flat or non-ramped side of the fork is against the tie rod end. This is the mistake many people make. The ramped side creates two different types of sliding/grinding force compared to one on the flat side. Lube the joint side of the fork.
Typically two whacks and it's off. I have not damaged a tie-rod or boot yet.....but I'm lucky....I had someone show me how to properly use a fork....and we had a fork "set" with three sizes....and...not a store bought one! He had bought three basic tie rod forks and ground two of them slightly wider in the slot as needed.
Ray |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50338
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 5:12 pm Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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A 3 or 4 pound hammer as a back up and a #2 pound hammer as the beater works well. Not living in an area that uses road salts, that is all I typically need, one hit and its free.
The tool Scott mentions works well. |
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Surf Bus Driver Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2006 Posts: 33
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 6:53 pm Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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Harbor freight puller was too wide but Napa had this winning puller. The rod is free!
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raygreenwood Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008 Posts: 21513 Location: Oklahoma City
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Posted: Sat May 28, 2022 7:24 pm Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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Wildthings wrote: |
A 3 or 4 pound hammer as a back up and a #2 pound hammer as the beater works well. Not living in an area that uses road salts, that is all I typically need, one hit and its free.
The tool Scott mentions works well. |
Yep...thats probably a portion of it...that and even if you assemble a swaged. taper pin like these dry (not lightly oiled and then wiped off) in a humid environment ....it can get just enough corrosion to make it a beast to unlock.
Ray |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22648 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 4:55 am Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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You definitely need shock to break these free, brute pressure will usually deform the tool of fastener before success. Put some tension on with the puller, then rattle them a bit.
Great tips on pickle forks and seals above from Ray _________________ .ssS! |
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raygreenwood Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008 Posts: 21513 Location: Oklahoma City
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 7:15 am Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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Abscate wrote: |
You definitely need shock to break these free, brute pressure will usually deform the tool of fastener before success. Put some tension on with the puller, then rattle them a bit.
Great tips on pickle forks and seals above from Ray |
Yes....the pullers like the pitman arm style (for sure) and I would bet....the small tie rod puller has similar instructions...at least the ones NAPA sells even have instructions printed on the package about using shock. They are flat out "striking" tools.
Put as much tension on it as you can and strike it hard and square. This is on their pitman arm puller package.
Ray |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22648 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 10:46 am Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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It’s also not the “heavy blow” thst pops them out but the sharpness of the strike. There’s cool physics in this _________________ .ssS! |
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SGKent Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007 Posts: 41031 Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 10:51 am Post subject: Re: Tie rod stuck |
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Abscate wrote: |
It’s also not the “heavy blow” that pops them out but the sharpness of the strike. There’s cool physics in this |
this^^^^^
And yes, I have a pickle fork, and have used it many times. I prefer trying a puller and two hammers before getting the pickle fork out and pounding on things, or using one in an airgun. _________________ “Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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