Hey again everybody.
I need to replace the front struts on my car to pass state inspection (front right is leaking). I bought new struts and have gotten to the point of removing the outer tie rod from the knuckle. I have been following along with this video:
I purchased a tie rod end separator from harbor freight in preparation, similar to the one in the video. But no matter what I do this thing will not budge.
To keep it brief and let you all use your imagination, while using the separator I damaged the hex engagement surface and the threads on the top of the stud, which means the tie rod nut will no longer thread onto the stud and I have no way of fitting a hex bit into the top of the stud. I have already acquired a replacement outer tie rod end.
I have applied liberal amounts of PB blaster to both the stud and underneath it (I have torn most of the boot off now since I got a new one anyway).
The fix I've seen far and wide for other cars is to "just use a bigger hammer" to hit the knuckle spindle while the separator is 90 degrees to the tie rod end, but these are aluminum knuckles. It just mars the knuckle like crazy.
Nevertheless, I did try this just once, with the separator also on and torqued up, and all it did was leave a nice dent in the knuckle spindle. Not doing that again.
I also bought a pickle fork, and have hammered it in so far that again, the spindle on the knuckle is losing the fight. It was starting to round off the sides of the spindle underneath.
And It seems to me that if I just keep wrenching on the separator, the stud is starting to bend, so I'm hesitant to go any further for fear of damaging the knuckle.
So I am at a loss on what I should do. My next idea is I'm going to go get a propane torch tomorrow and give that a try in combination with quenching the tie rod stud, but if that doesn't work, I think I'm going to give up and take it to my local shop. I've just about had it. It's been a week and I'm still stuck on this step.
Anything suggestions appreciated. Thanks.
Can you post a few pics. It might be helpful for us to see it from a couple angles.
I just did a full suspension refresh, and one of my front tie rods was a bugger. I didn't keep the nut on the stud like he's doing at about 10:20 in the video, but I don't think that makes any difference in your case. Here's what I can think of - You have the same tie rod/ball joint tool as he has, so turn your spindle outward a bit, put the bottom part of the tool above the boot, and hammer the tool until you get the top arm of it centered above the stud. You already PB Blaster'd the heck out of it, so just take an impact on the tool and go to town. You can try using some MAP gas heat first, just be careful heating the aluminum. When it finally gives way you'll get the most satisfying loud pop ever. If you don't already have a cordless impact a Harbor Freight version will do.
But, before you remove the tie rod, have you loosened the tie rod nut (the one in the picture)? I had a hell of a time getting that off on the driver side, and had to hold the tie rod with a pipe wrench. In fact, that whole driver side fought me tooth and nail. Once you get the strut out you'll want to soak the top nut in PB (or start now) and put the torch on it too before you try cranking it off. I snapped the Allen bit on my new strut removal kit (2nd picture). Good times...
You should have left the nut on when using the separator.
Get yourself a GOOD dead blow hammer with a nylon face for aluminum parts.
Are you sure you are using the separator correctly?
Do you have it ALL THE WAY in?
I did. Then I decided to "check if it threads still" and took it off, and now it won't go back on. Galaxy brain.
I had a feeling there was something like that for aluminum. Thank you for the suggestion.
Yes, it's all the way in, but it's not exactly made for this car. The one he uses in the video has a flat contact surface and the harbor freight one is curved, and it sits not quite in the middle of the rounded part of the lever, so combined with the hinge location I can tell it's exerting quite a bit of force laterally instead of directly straight down, which is what has me hesitant to break something.
I had gone to autozone because they happened to have one that was flat and had a bigger opening for the ball joint, but that one is slightly too thick to fit between the bottom of the knuckle and the outer tie rod.
Yes, I loosened the tie rod adjustment nut and the outer tie rod can pivot freely at the ball joint. I figured I would try and take any and all extra pressure on the thing.
Thank you for your insight. I'll consider trying again today.
I will take some pictures later this morning.
@domikoni
did you move the tool pivot point to the upper hole like what's in the picture?
Thank you everyone for the replies. I just got it out. I'm not exactly sure what did it, but I think it was mostly me just being a wuss and not going tight enough afraid I was going to break something.
It had been sitting in PB blaster for about a week at this point, I hit it from underneath with a hair dryer for about 5 minutes, and then also put the separator 90 degrees to the brake rotor (which I had already been doing). Then I really zipped it with my impact for quite a bit longer than I did before (it's broken already anyway, so whatever) and it went. I had put a jack stand with a hockey puck on it just below the tie rod so it wouldn't get hurt.
Got the strut out just now too, which was also not as easy as in the video but I wiggled it out. Will work on taking it apart tomorrow. Thanks again.
