Bilal928S4

Is your wheel dangling? In other words is your wheel off the ground and not on a ramp? The tie rod will not come out if you have the weight of the vehicle on it. At least that was true for the other cars I have tried.

Kevin in Atlanta

Up on jacks, wheels off and steering rack still bolted in place.

G8RB8

Try the ATF and acetone solution.

Vilhuer

Sometimes cuting joint into pieces and drilling remaining part to hollow is only way to get it out. In friends '81 S we tried several forks, hitting, heat etc. In the end this is last piece what finally came out. That metal is damn hard to drill.

dcrasta

Thats my go to tool for this job, although if you put the anti-seize on your parts (ball joints -tie rod ends etc) when you assemble them you wont have this issue. Sounds like someone didnt.

Ya the harbor freight tool is one of their better ones.

Have you tried the picklefork with the car supported (on the jack point) and the front arm hanging ? If thats not working put the jack under the spindle / control arm and slightly load the suspension (just a touch).
then try hitting with the pickle fork.

Landseer

Pickle fork and 5 lb sledge if all else fails.
You gotta really hit it hard.

upstate bob

When using the hammer shock method you don't need to swing both hammers. Use a BIG one as an anvil and a smaller ball pien for a shocker.

Kevin in Atlanta

Well, I rented a kit from Advance Auto parts with all that. I used the tool that you reference above. All it did was score the part the tie end goes through. I felt anymore and I'd brake the tool.

I will soak the joint with a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF tonight, but I have little hope that will change anything. Looks like it goes to my front end shop after Thanksgiving.

-Kevin

G8RB8

Hit it several times with the Acetone/ ATF if you can. Also you can use a heat gun to heat everything up a little without destroying anything, then use a can of the compressed gas duster stuff from Radio Shack or Office Depot held upside down so you get liquid directed at the inside part to cool it down. Dry ice is even better if you can get it, but be careful handling it.

Kevin in Atlanta

Decided to move on and replace the power steering pressure hose. The bolt holding the sway bar snapped.

Not my day...


Edit: This was my fault. Under all the grease I lost sight of the nut holding the slave line on the way bar mount.

G8RB8

Soak everything, enjoy Thanksgiving, come back on Saturday (I assume you will sleep all day Friday while everyone else is being mugged at the malls).

Kevin in Atlanta

...

Lizard928

Uhm,

You are writing that you are trying to undo the tie rod "at the rack end", this is a simple bolt that is torqued down pretty good.
so two wrenches, one on the rack shaft, the other on the inner tie rod, 22mm and 32 iirc.

If you are talking about the outer tie rod to hub tapered shaft, then put the tool on and tighten it down as much as possible. I have one and can put an impact on it. I only had one that didnt pop easy. And that one I put tons of tension on it then smacked it from the side with a ball peen hammer and it popped right apart. Make sure to leave the nut on right around flush with the top so that it doesnt launch anything....

Kevin in Atlanta

My english ain't so good sometimes. I want to drop a leaky rack and replace it with a not leaky one. I have been hobbled by the tie rod end where it attaches to the wheel. It won't separate. I am leaving that alone for now.

I have now dropped the sway bar to get to the steering rack pressure hose connection. Tomorrow I will disconnect the fitting, the clamp at the fender before dropping the alternator to get at the steering pump connection.

Kevin in Atlanta

Well, the power steering hose is replaced as is the reservoir and the reservoir to rack hose along with all new hose clamps. The reservoir to cooling tube was seeping at the reservoir so I cut the hose back an inch and used a brass joiner from Home Depot and a couple of inches of 1/2" ID oil cooler hose. I'll test for leaks shortly.

The tie rod end at the wheel still alludes me. Bought the tie rod tool @ Harbor Freight. Tightened as far as I dared and it still won't pop. The tie rod end is visible crooked. I think this is a big part of the problem.