Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hey guys
I'm in the process of replacing my radius arm bushes (GQ patrol) and i cant seem to find a ball joint removal tool big enough to fit on the tie rod
what have people used/bought that works (i live in sydney)
cars in pieces and i need to get it back on the road
Thanks Luke

A hammer, on the knuckle (not the tie rod end, where the tie rod end bolts to). Loosen the tie rod end, put the castellated nut on backwards to protect the thread and smack the shit out of the knuckle.

mkpatrol wrote:A hammer, on the knuckle (not the tie rod end, where the tie rod end bolts to). Loosen the tie rod end, put the castellated nut on backwards to protect the thread and smack the shit out of the knuckle.

Yep small sledgy and will need to give it several blows.

if you can support the other side aswell you will have better results. I actually use 2 hammers and strike both sides at the same time.

When you get it right the tierod pops straight out.

doesnt damage the boot either which is a definate plus over the other tools.

Or try something like this. approx $30



I've succesfully used the smacktheshitouttait method on many cars, but on my cruiser, no amount of pounding it with a hammer released tie rods.

I now have similar to above, takes seconds, no thumping steering coponents and stuff with a FBH

If you can jam a jimmy bar between the tie rod and the steering arm push down on it and then flog the steering arm around the the tie rod end it usually pops out pretty easy.

80's_delirious wrote:Or try something like this. approx $30



I've succesfully used the smacktheshitouttait method on many cars, but on my cruiser, no amount of pounding it with a hammer released tie rods.

I now have similar to above, takes seconds, no thumping steering coponents and stuff with a FBH

Does that destroy the tierod boot? I know the wedge tools you drive in between the TRE and steering arm totally fork the tierod boot which is annoying.

Thanks for the reply's i did give it some good loven with a hammer to no avail, but a mate come over last night with a 3 pronged puller and got them off with a few hits of a hammer

Where did you get that puller from i cant find one big enough to fit on the patrol?

Now i have to find a new radius arm as my passenger side one is rather bent (dont know how that happen)

2 hammers is the best way, always works. If it doesn't, get bigger hammers

dv8666 wrote:2 hammers is the best way, always works. If it doesn't, get bigger hammers

Hitting two hammers together? Yep works well but you need to put on some safety glasses for the shards of case hare ing that break off.

forkcy wrote: Where did you get that puller from i cant find one big enough to fit on the patrol?

Either from Repco, or through Total Tools, i cant remeber exactly. I bought a supercrap auto one and broke it first use.

I have used this tool and reused boots and tierod ends afterward without problems

Trust me, two hammers doesn't always work.

With my 80series, I used two 4lb lump hammers, striking opposite sides of the steering arm simultaneously, even with two solid blows and flogging shit out of it, they still didn't pop.

spend 1/2hr flogging shit out of them, skinning knuckles etc. or $30 and 30seconds with the right tool?

80's_delirious wrote:Trust me, two hammers doesn't always work.

With my 80series, I used two 4lb lump hammers, striking opposite sides of the steering arm simultaneously, even with two solid blows and flogging shit out of it, they still didn't pop.

spend 1/2hr flogging shit out of them, skinning knuckles etc. or $30 and 30seconds with the right tool?

The idea of the second hammer is for support on the opposite side you are hitting, you only hit with one hammer, no wonder it did not work.

I have never had a problem as long as the opposite side is supported.

A puller is recommended on the removal of a pitment arm.

Cheers
David

16yr old 80series, dubious maintenance history vs 120kg carpenter with plenty of practice swinging a hammer.

After flogging shIt out of it using one hammer with the other held behind the TRE, two hammers were used simultaneously.
Two hammers striking together is going to be more force than one being static.

I also tried a fork, and broke a cheap TRE separator before getting one like above.

My 105series also took a surprising amount of tension on the separator before a tap with a hammer would pop them free.

Either way, the effort and potential damage using hammers, vs a tool designed for the job is a bit of a no-brainer.

what you can also do is put a bottle jack under the thread and take the weight while using the "smack the sh@t out of it" method. this has worked for me