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.  ! :)
>