OK fellas, tell me how you do this without having to replace the tie rods.

In the recent and not so recent past I have bent the tie rod, stripped the threads out and had the rod split where the slit ended. Pipe wrenches and a vise are my best friends.

I've soaked them in solvent/penetrant, heated them up with the torch and sworn at them (a lot :flipoff2: ).

Tell me your secrets to this perlexing problem-dammit.

I'm gettin' tired of havin' to have tie rods over-nighted to me to finish a truck.

There is a tool!

It is an impact thingy that slips over the end of the ball joint.

It never works, well, it works ok some of the time, and that is with an IR2135Ti set on 4 at 150psi.

The other trick I use is to stick a large screw driver in the slot to wedge it open and then spray shit in there.

DO NOT heat them. To much a safety issue in my mind to use heat.

After that, I have a spare axle housing that I have bolted to the floor. I have a big (36in? 32in?) pipe wrench and a six foot 3in ID pipe to use as a cheater. I am LARGE. Either the end snaps off or it starts to spin.

Now, it all honesty the best thing to do is just sell the whole assembly and if it is your truck pack the ends with anti-sieze before installing to allow for easy adjustment in the future.

Ron

>> Tell me your secrets to this perlexing problem-dammit.

order a new one, works every time. :flipoff2: which reminds me - I need to order another one

I just replaced the original set of rusty tie rod ends on my rover recently. I removed the old units without any damage. I got a good hold on the track rod with a pipe wrench and put the pipe handle for my bottle jack over the threaded end and put some torque on it. It broke loose and didn’t do any damage to the tie rod or the track rod. This was a yooper hoopty operation but it worked well. :grinpimp:

Tim

>> Tell me your secrets to this perlexing problem-dammit.

order a new one, works every time. :flipoff2: which reminds me - I need to order another one

I think this is the best response. I'll start padding my quotations to include new arms.

Yesterday, I broke the tapered end of a tie rod. While trying to remove the rest of the joint, the rod began to bend right past where the threads ended. Several years ago, I borke the threaded stud that goes into the end of the arm-and I'm not that big of a person (and cetainly not as big as some appear on the internet :flipoff2: ) :D

Damned things seize up and there's Hell to pay.

Time to stock up.

Oh yeah, Trevor or Clive decided it would be fun to put a right-hand thread end into a bag labeled as left-hand-ARGH!

Move out west. :flipoff2:

knock on wood, my rust belt rover hasn't had that problem. Came loose very easily.
I suppose you work on enough of them, some are bound to be uncooperative.

Move out west. :flipoff2:

Damn you!!!

A guy like Paul consideres that an invitation. Thaere goes the neighborhood. :flipoff2:

-Jeff

speaking of removal, i think it may be time to reinvestigate that chebby upgrade. last tie-rod end i removed the threaded stud bent after beating it out. they seem really soft to me, compared to other makes. i've heard that this is supposed to be another safety feature like the weak FF axle shafts but don't know if it's true. i'm about ready to convert over to the chevy style tie-rod ends.

If I understand you right you have trouble getting the TRE out of the steering rod?
We always remove the steering rod
blast favoutite anti-rust penetrant (for morale if nothing else)
remove clips securing against rotation
mount rod in vice
with chisel open the slits up
mount TRE in vice and try to turn rod with pipe wrench
desn't turn
open slits up more with chisel
try to turn and now it works.
Repeat for other end.

100% success, even on really big and stubborn volvo portal axle steering rods.
And we use a lot of salt on our roads!

HTH
Tobias

After adding penetrant to loosen it I get 2 lump hammers (or a hammer and a dolly) and give the track rod some good taps all the way around (with the 2nd dolly/hammer on the other side).

This loosens up any seized threads and the TRE usually screws straight out (sometimes have to use a bit of force).

I have never damaged a TRE or tie rod using this method, and I have lost count of how many I have done (usually old, rusty series LR).

Of coarse if they are very rusty you know you should replace them anyway. There have been a few cases in the UK where old, rusty drag links/track rods have stripped the threads while driving on the road.

I was wondering the same thing when adjusting my toe last summer. I just used the old heat & beat method. I used a propane torch so as not to get it too hot. Now they both have about 13 gallons of anti-seize on them. That's for the threads.

As for how to get the tapered stud out of the eye... I hit the eye with a 2lb hammer, momentarily deforming it on a microscopic scale. The TRE usually just falls out after several whacks and some heat applied to the eye (not the stud).

i'm about ready to convert over to the chevy style tie-rod ends.

Tell me more about these Chevy tie rod ends. I was of the understanding that Fords used the same threaded end, but the taper was/is different.

The thread is 11/16-16, right and left-hand thread.

I have had absolutely no luck finding a CB alternative that didn't require reaming the knuckle (that ought to provide plenty of fodder for Merv :flipoff2: ).

Peace,
PT

anyone have a favored place to get replacement tie-rod ends?

thnx,

NSG

Roversdownsouth has knock offs for $20 a pop which I used and were ok.

I buy genuine though.

Roversdownsouth has knock offs for $20 a pop which I used and were ok.

I buy genuine though.

Make sure that when you order left-hand thread, they are really left-hand thread. Rovers North got a batch of randomly labeled tie rod ends :eek:

to get tie rod ends off w/o boogering them up:
I use a puller that is probably made to pull off a pitman or small pulley. the ones that look like a square horse shoe w/ a bolt running thru the middle... usually w/ a centering nipple on the end of the bolt. I just take the castle nut off and screw it on upside down a couple of turns. Place the puller over the steering arm where it will be pressing on the end of the bolt and castle nut. Tighten it down and hammer on the end of the puller every so often. It should pop right off.
As for chevy tie rod ends:
I bought the 3/4 ton tie rod ends. I then bought a reamer from Speedway. I can't rememebr the specs on the reamer but can find out if you want. The reamer is not cheap. like $70. You will have to ream out the steering arms. go slow and check often, use lots of cutting oil. I then used 1 1/2" DOM tubing for the tie rod. Bought threaded inserts from Speedway. Welded those in the ends and used some LH and RH jam nuts that I also bought from Speedway.

to get tie rod ends off w/o boogering them up:
I use a puller that is probably made to pull off a pitman or small pulley.


That isn't the part that gives me fits. Removing them from the tie rod itself is the difficult part.

Pickle fork and BFH works wonders for removing the tie rod ends from the knuckles.

I take of the factory steering rods and throw them away...

I replace them with bling Bling Rovertracks stuff....

Gotta pimp my junk once in a while

Move out west. :flipoff2:

+1! :D

I was talking to the Fresno Dealer when I picked up the parts to replace rear spindle. they said they don't do jubs like this much anymore...send it out! :eek: since the guy who used to do all the heavy serious work got paralyzed a year or more ago...WIERD! but think Fresno is in need of an independant rover shop! you did nmention an interest in moving out west a fw months ago!

Paul(than I can lave my rovers at your shop and work for you too! :D
hmm! maybe not a good idea after all....)