Tie Rod Removal
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 356
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Tie Rod Removal
I’m trying to remove some heavily rusted tie rods on my 78 F250 2WD but I can’t keep the wheels steady enough for the breaker bar to do some work. Any tricks you guys use?
For what it’s worth, I’ve already pulled the i-beams and radius arms loose.
Thanks!
For what it’s worth, I’ve already pulled the i-beams and radius arms loose.
Thanks!
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 356
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You said it! lol... I’m not using a tie rod removal tool, but if I can borrow one, I will.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 9,616
Likes: 1,185
From: San Jose, CA
Soak them in a good penetrating lube of course. Especially when visually rusted as well. Even without rust those things will take a liking to their current positions in life and not want to give it up!
A pickle fork is one tool, but will still need some keeping things steady to work. And will chew up any rubber boots pretty good usually too.
An actual puller with some way of grabbing the end and with a threaded rod to push on things would be the way to go. If they make such a thing?
Sounds like the wheels are off too, so you have a good angle of attack on the steering arms and rod ends?
If so, do you have two big hammers? And by that, I mean REALLY BEEG? If so you can lay one up the side of the knuckle/arm where the tapered stud is, then smack the opposite side of the arm with the other hammer.
You're basically trying to distort the casting momentarily with the shock wave passing through it to break the stud loose.
Obviously smacking the threads at this point is usually a lost cause and will damage the threads. If you must hit the stud, run the nut upside down a bit and mash that instead. But don't use that much energy on the stud. Just enough to send some shock loads down it for good measure. The real result is the hammer-up-side-of-the-head routine.
It does work pretty well.
Paul
A pickle fork is one tool, but will still need some keeping things steady to work. And will chew up any rubber boots pretty good usually too.
An actual puller with some way of grabbing the end and with a threaded rod to push on things would be the way to go. If they make such a thing?
Sounds like the wheels are off too, so you have a good angle of attack on the steering arms and rod ends?
If so, do you have two big hammers? And by that, I mean REALLY BEEG? If so you can lay one up the side of the knuckle/arm where the tapered stud is, then smack the opposite side of the arm with the other hammer.
You're basically trying to distort the casting momentarily with the shock wave passing through it to break the stud loose.
Obviously smacking the threads at this point is usually a lost cause and will damage the threads. If you must hit the stud, run the nut upside down a bit and mash that instead. But don't use that much energy on the stud. Just enough to send some shock loads down it for good measure. The real result is the hammer-up-side-of-the-head routine.
It does work pretty well.
Paul
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 855
Likes: 56
From: Des Moines, Washington
Since you mentioned a breaker bar, I'm thinking you can't get the nuts off. 
This is the perfect excuse to get an impact wrench. They are what you might call reactionless, meaning that they when they are impacting, they don't put as much rotating force on the nut as they do apply a "hammering" force. That's why you can break loose a 300 Lb/FT torqued nut without breaking your wrist. Lacking an impact wrench, smack a box wrench with a 3Lb engineers hammer. Or find a hammer wrench. Yes, a wrench meant to be hammered. Very satisfying!
If you meant you're having trouble with the pickle fork, just ignore me...
Michael
This is the perfect excuse to get an impact wrench. They are what you might call reactionless, meaning that they when they are impacting, they don't put as much rotating force on the nut as they do apply a "hammering" force. That's why you can break loose a 300 Lb/FT torqued nut without breaking your wrist. Lacking an impact wrench, smack a box wrench with a 3Lb engineers hammer. Or find a hammer wrench. Yes, a wrench meant to be hammered. Very satisfying!
If you meant you're having trouble with the pickle fork, just ignore me...
Michael
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2017
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The nut is so rusted on there that the cotter pin is barely visible and what was visible snapped off pretty easily. I have an IR impact wrench, but that hasn't managed to do a thing to it. I'm going to put a cheater bar on my breaker bar today and see if a longer moment arm will do the trick.
The other option is to separate the tie rod in the middle, I think. I'm replacing a radius arm, so if I just separate one end from the I-beam, I can slide it off the tie rod anywhere, right?
The other option is to separate the tie rod in the middle, I think. I'm replacing a radius arm, so if I just separate one end from the I-beam, I can slide it off the tie rod anywhere, right?
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 710
Likes: 3
From: Oregon
The nut is so rusted on there that the cotter pin is barely visible and what was visible snapped off pretty easily. I have an IR impact wrench, but that hasn't managed to do a thing to it. I'm going to put a cheater bar on my breaker bar today and see if a longer moment arm will do the trick.
The other option is to separate the tie rod in the middle, I think. I'm replacing a radius arm, so if I just separate one end from the I-beam, I can slide it off the tie rod anywhere, right?
The other option is to separate the tie rod in the middle, I think. I'm replacing a radius arm, so if I just separate one end from the I-beam, I can slide it off the tie rod anywhere, right?
Maybe just thrown down another $ and get all new tie rods/draglink and just cut the old ones off. They are pretty cheap except for inner tie rod is usually the most expensive part
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