2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Tie Rod End Removal

[BDeBoer]

Okay, so with 80K miles on my truck, it's time to freshen up the front end with a new track bar and tie rod end at the pitman arm. One minor problem. After 4 winters of traveling New England and Quebec's (read salty) roads, the tie rod end is frozen into the pitman arm. I've beat it about as hard as I can with a tie rod end separator, applied penetrating oil, heated it with a (propane) torch, all to no avail.



Have any of you out there ever removed the pitman arm from the steering box? I have access to a press at work, so I'm thinking that might be an option. Aside from that, the only other thing I can think of is rounding up an oxy-acetylene torch and getting the pitman arm very warm.



Thanks in advance for any insights.



Brad

 

[Kalaehina]

The whole past week has been tie rod h*ll for me, tie rod ends were no problem, actually had fun, 1 or 2 hits with a BFH and they just jump out (put castle nut back on treads, just in case you're a toilet seat wetter, can't aim ). The left inner tie rod was a little more challenging, the pitman tie rod was even harder, both I used a air hammer with a pickle fork adapter. After doing the track bar by hand I said "h*ll no" and bought an air hammer, did Lukes links so wasn't worried about the boots, because the fork will detroy it. After doing all 5 Lukes rebuilds, found that track bar still clunked and left inner tie rod hit, and I mean HIT the passenger side sway bar mount, so as of yesterday, brand new Moog track bar and left inner tie rod. But as for the pitman tie rod, I just air hammered and hand banged it with a pickle fork, while going through the obscenities in 4 different languages , eventually came off, that one has a Lukes that works fine.

 

[rkressg]

You are going to need a Snap-On pitman arm puller. It is a complete ******* to get off. Put the puller on and use the biggest impact gun you can find. Just keep hammering on the puller and hitting the puller with a big hammer. It will eventually come loose. You might break a few pullers getting this loose though :-{} . To safely pull your tie rods, get a tie-rod puller. The process is about the same. Good luck. Be glad it is only a pickup and not a big truck.

Hope this helps,

-Rich

 

[dseabaugh]

I 've worked on big trucks, construction equipment and farm equipment for over 25 years and I've found the easiest way on the tough ones is either put on a puller or use the tuning fork and drive it in as tight as you can get it, then hit the end of the eye the the tapered shank of the ball joint goes through. Watch out the tuning fork will fly through the air if you don't have hold of it. In your case the end or side if that is all you can get to of the pitman arm. sometimes it helps to hold one 5 lb hammer against the eye part and then beat the other side with a similar hammer. that will make the hammer on the back side bounce on it like the clacker balls you've seen in peoples offices. that often loosens things up so that you can get it apart with the tuning fork. I think the first part of my signature says it. Good luck. Been there , you have my sympathy. , But I look at it like this: If some highschool dropout drug adict can put it together in some factory then I can take it apart!Oo.