I have a giant pickle fork that fits Chevy Truck, Fiat and now Vanagon ball
joints - its usually just 2 whacks with a 2 1/2 lb ball pein hammer...  =)

On Tue, Jun 9, 2009 at 2:32 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> upper control arm bushings ?
> just grind off the spot welds, and press them out on a press. Easy to do.
>
> I use the hammer method on upper ball joints.  It's a larger tapered part ,
> than the tie rod is, so you'd need  a pretty wide/large pickle fork for the
> upper ball joints , if you wanted to pickle fork them.  Hammer method for
> me
> on those. Sometimes I have to back up what I'm whacking on with a sledge
> hammer held behind it .
>
> 'careful' brute force, let's say.
> Scott
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Troy" <colorworks@gci.net>
> To: "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>
> Cc: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 11:16 PM
> Subject: Re: Tie Rod end removal/Control arm bushings
>
>
>  I'm replacing both, and own a pickle fork (don't you love these names?) so
>> think I'll go that route. Works on upper ball joints too I suppose? I love
>> the wisdom of an experienced mechanic-- be on the damn thing until it
>> gives! Any wisdom on control arm bushings? One person simply said to
>> hacksaw the thing into two, and then use a cold chisel to punch it out,
>> apparently works great. Brute force wins again!
>>
>> Troy
>>
>>
>>  hi.
>>> I specialize in removing tie rod ends ......
>>> that tapered thing.
>>> 'the way' is to give the end of the steering arm that it sits in ( after
>>> the nut is loosened but not removed ) ....
>>> wahck the hell out of that mother , with a good medium size ball been
>>> hammer ......
>>> sharp whacks, not dull thuds . On the 5th to 20th sharp hard whack, the
>>> tie rod will jump out of the steering arm.
>>> Loosen the nut pretty well, but leave it on to protect the threads while
>>> you hammer nearby.
>>> check it once in a while to see if it hasn't jumped out.
>>>
>>> other methods -
>>> if you know you're just going to toss the tie rod end ...........pickle
>>> fork.  Wedged fork thing - it destroys the boot though.
>>> Pullers - sure .....but pulling on a taperd thing ..........or pushing .I
>>> mean ......
>>> just isn't the same as the hammer method.  The few times I've tired it
>>> .....well, ..the hammer method is fast and easy.
>>> Huge affect - shocking that hole dimension in the steerying arm.  Makes
>>> it just jump right out.
>>>
>>> Related - -   same for screws and bolts  ......a sharp whack on the end
>>> of those  ( like CV joint screws ) (  with a hammer and drift )
>>> ........makes them a lot easier to unscrew.  Major affect. I've had CV
>>> screws that felt like they'd strip for sure after pulling hard on them,
>>> after the first go around of whacking. So whack on that screw some more.
>>> Try it again, Stil no, whack on it five more sharp hard times......and
>>> eventually, it'll unscrew.
>>> And so will a tie rod end pop out.  If it's an extreme case, and the nut
>>> is downward, so the tie rod end goes out upward, I might jack on it with
>>> a bottle jack ....but still ......sharp hard whacks with a nice medium
>>> hammer.
>>>
>>> I shortened the handle of my favorite ball been hammer just a litle to
>>> get better control of it.......of a medium ball been hammer ........about
>>> 30 years ago.  I carved grip notches in it by holding it up to a grinder
>>> ....in a grippy spiral pattern.  Your own custom tools are really nice
>>> aren't they ! ?
>>> That hammer has undone one helleva lot of tie rod ends.  ! :)
>>>
>>>
>>

--
Jake

1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"

Crescent Beach, BC

www.thebassspa.com
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27