• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Tie rod ends.

Share this page

vping

vping

Yoda
Silver
Country flag
Offline
I need the change the rack boots. What is the best way to remove the tire rod ends witout damaging the boots on them? I have a pickle fork but in all the TRE's I had to change they were already bad or I damaged the rubber.

Any tips?
 
I tried using a pickle fork too but I never had any luck pulling them without damaging the boots.

So I flipped the coinage for ball joint puller from Tripple-C. They ain't cheap but a whole lot less trouble & they work like a charm. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Here's the link: Tripple-C: ball joint puller
 
Or you can do as I do and remove the rack, only a few bolts, hang the end over something, a peice of railroad iron and one hit with a hammer with the bolt on pls.

Nocks em loose every time, and the kind of a job that is only done once per car. Good time to take care of the rack as well.
 
The pickle fork didn't work for me, but the bolt-type ball joint separator did. I can now appreciate how the 'hit it with the hammer' method works too, having got the bits apart once.
 
I didn't have much luck with the pickle fork, even though my boots were already shot. My original tie rod ends had become one with the steering arm and I actually pulled the ball out of the ball joint instead of pulling the tie rod end. When I rebuilt the suspension last year (having already replaced the ends and the steering arms), sticking one hammer on one side of the knuckle and whacking it with the other hammer popped them right out.
 
[ one hit with a hammer with the bolt on pls. ]

I also have to replace the rack boots. Jack can you elaborate on the last three words? And after its apart does it all slip fit back together again?
Thanks.
 
What Jack is saying is, if you unscrew the nut you should leave it on at the every end and hit IT with the hammer. The nut will protect the threads from distorting. I have used this method before bit it is a PITA if you have the rack in the car.

Everything should fit together perfectly. Doc had an interesting solution to marking their location to make sure they go back in the same amount of turns as before.

Use a compass to mark from center of TR to the shaft on the rack. He may want to relaborate.
 
Well it is not necessary to protect the threads at this point as they are going to be replaced with the new tie rod ends, however the nut makes a larger target.
 
True
 
Good deal, now don't forget to put some new oil in those boots while you have this lovely chance. 90 wt works just fine and a bit less than a quarter of a cup in each side works.
 
Two things. I had someone tell me that 90w might be a bit much up here in NY during the cold temps of winter. I don't plan on driving it in the snow but I see no problem driving it because it is "winter". Is this true?

Jack you mention putting new oil in the boots. After putting on the boots but before clamps, should you fill them, slide them into place & then tighten the clamps?

I don't plan on taking out the rack, so does this method even work?

Shouldn't I just fill from the rack?
 
If you have a pump filling from the rack is great, if not just slip a bit into the boot before you clame em. on the inside end.
 
NG on the Tie rods. I tried to not mess them up but it is close to impossible. There is a small retaining ring on them and another on the inside. I made a small plate that was to try and protect them but the pressure of the pickle fork does them in. Gotta order new. They were a littel loose anyway so I'd rather replace. Boots are on though but I still need to fill with 90w.
 
Vinnie, I know I come to this party a bit late but: putting grease on the tines of the fork can get a fifty-fifty shot at not rupturing the joint boots as you hammer 'em loose.
 
From what you said the boots were old and needed replaced in any case. Job well done. Hay, new boots come with the tie rods do they not?
 
Steering Rack boots is where I started and asked the question knowing I needed to remove the TRE's to get the new ones on. Not know the TRE's age, it's not a big deal if I need to replace
 
Yea, but don't new tie rod ends come with boots, I do know you can get them single as well though.
 
This is just me talking - but unless the Tie Rod Ends are new - for the amount of effort to pull them to replace the old steering rack boots - I'd go ahead & swap the old TRs for some new ones just to be safe and forget about it.

$0.02
 
No, I don't want to hear that we went through all this and are going to put the old ends back. No way.
 
Back
Top