Steering Rack Inner Tie rods

[MCS]

Hello,

I am trying to take apart the inner tie rod ball joints on my 66 sprite rack I have them unscrewed from the rack main pinion bar, but cannot get the cup off of the threaded cup back. It is obvious a million years ago there was a couple of special wrenches.
Any idea how to undo the ball cap. Yes I have the lock tabs up, I looked in the Moss cat the whole assembly is expensive, 144.00 per side. The ball end joints are a little loose, really not to bad, just wanted everything tight and new.
When I do get them a part I wonder if I can tighten the ball/cap, the shims are not available
Thanks Phil

 

[spritenut]

Pry out the tabs and the inner rod unscrews.
Kind of tough to do without the special wrench but a pair of channel locks or a pipe wrench will do the trick. Just make sure the tabs are clear and mark each side and their relation to the rod, cap, and tabs.

 

[MCS]

I tried a pipe wrench, can not budge cap.
Anybody have a link to the special tools needed to take the ball cap off.
Phil

 

[alsmith]

Hello, not sure how much difference there is between my 74 and the 66 but I put my rack in a vice and unscrewed it. this worked better then when I tried to use two wrenches, hope that helps.

 

[MCS]

thanks,

I think your car has a different inner tie rod.
Phil

 

[Colin8]

The special tools are pictured in the shop manual: https://www.spritespot.com/Downloads/Workshop%20Manual/S%20Service%20Tools.pdf. I think the one you're looking for is 18G313.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Someone recently sold one of those. The guy apparently had several made a few years ago and sold the last one about 4-5 months ago.

Anyway, I got mine off with a pipe wrench and some pinging with a hammer. Try a little heat too.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

https://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/tools/18G312.htm

 

[MCS]

I am on the road until Friday night, will try again Saturday. I found a MGA thread that talks about ball caps that refuse to come off. Took several attempts with pipe wrench and heat, the stock wrenches were not strong enough.
Will post outcome this weekend.
Phil

 

[MCS]

Well it was a tough job. I heated up the ball cap, cherry red, still would not come off. Lost some finger skin, invented some new words. I used my dremel and cut a slot in the cap. Removed it and ordered two new caps. Normally my torch fixes all my problems this time only the grinder could do it. Now I must wait for a week to get parts.
Thanks for the help.

Phil