tie rod is winning. pickle fork worked on tie rod #1, but #2 refuses to pop out. I'm frustrated. I've tried liquid wrench, didnt work. Ii] dont have access to a torch nor can I cut anything. AHHHHHHh.

What can I do?

 

Hit the knuckle with a big freaking hammer and hold a big freaking hammer behind backing up the knuckle. 2 good hits max and it will be done.

 

yea man I know, you told me that once, I tried that already. no such luck

 

You should only use a pickle fork on a gm car if you have power steering you will mess it up.Read this http://www.mustangsplus.com/tech/sho...shockfall1.htm

 

The best and quickest pickle fork in the world is a BFH. The tie rod stud and the hole it fits in are tapered. Strike the end of the TIE ROD END, not the end of the stud. Strike it from the end so as to collapse the tapered hole which will shoot the stud out sometimes with such great force it will hurt something or somebody on the way out. That's why you should leave the nut in place by a few threads so that when it shoots out, it doesn't turn into a bullet.

Most of the time one good well placed loose wrist swing of my hammer frees a tie rod end. VERY rarely more than two swings. Three strikes and your out. I haven't struck out on the third strike in years.

Try it, you'll like it!

 

I NEVER use "fork" tools. Too much permanent damage can result. I use proper tools, and never have a problem.

 

Yes, one of the PROPER tool is a BFH. Used properly you will NEVER do any damage. I've probably changed a couple of hundred tie rod ends over the years, with ZERO damage.

The nice thing about the BFH is that almost everyone has one.

 

Metal expands when heated. Heat up the drag link with a propane torch . Try to keep the heat on the link and not on the threads of the tie rod. Don't overdo it, we're not talking red hot. Once it's heated, it should pop right off with a tap on the fork.

 

The tool I showed works much quicker, doesn't fry the rubber seal or your fingers. Really. At most, one tap with a brass hammer finishes the job. Why is everybody so obsessed with using fork tools? I hate to think of all the stuff I've seen permanently damaged by forks, especially power steering.

Get the tool I pictured. If you don't want to buy or rent it, borrow it.

 

if you can't use the hammer. the danger with that is that you hit the thread. get another pair of hands. have someone seperate it with a crowbar and pop it out with one single good whack of a hammer. the hammer not from bottom or top. to the side. just under the thread. works everytime, even on trucks which can be waaaay worse ... and don't hit the thread