[cheaprover]

I have found two easy way to get these out as it is common to break them on Jeeps.

#1 Lube up the joint with PB Blaster, let soak for 20 minutes or so and bang the knuckle ( ie the casting) with a large hammer to loosen it and and often it will "snap" loose. I would suggest leaving the nut on so it doesn't "fly away"

#2 put the nut back on , hit the side of the knuckle portion a few times to loosen the tension the bang away on the nut at the top. since you are going to replace the whole unit it won't matter that the nut and bolt are buggered up. Worst case it comes loose (if it's too bent to remove thru the hole) then you take a cut off wheel and cut the nut and bolt off releasing the taper bolt. Hope this helps.

One of these two methods always frees the stuck tapered bolt.

 

[Claude]

I just think its so much easier to use the proper tool, its hassle free and you avoid mechanical stress on other components by banging about with the hammer. I've just removed all four balljoints and didnt take more than a couple of minutes on each one.

 

[bkenny]

I got the part that connects to the steering off, but I am still wondering how to get the other end off(the end that screws in to the drag link rod). I saw in other post to heat it (I assume the outer part, not the actual bolt part) but that hasn't exactly worked and its like 10 degrees farenheit outside.

I have gotten about 4-5 rotations out of it which took about an hour and im tired and thinking there has to be an easier way.

Everything I see online has people turning a jam nut which loosens it and it comes off a lot easier, but no one on here mentioned that at all. Can someone refer back to my "diagram" and tell me if I am doing something wrong.

Right now I have the two clamps(A,C) loose and I have been gripping "B" and trying to turn "D" but like I said I have turned it about 4-5 rotations and its no more loose than it was when I began.

 

[diff]

Leave bolt A tight for now. Remove bolt C and you should be able to move the clamp out of the way. Double check that rotation is correct ie. it is coming apart and not tightening. The threads should not be damaged and the clamp holds a split thread so when released it should be easy to turn. I assume you want to do just the one end. Good luck.

 

[Claude]

If you are holding B then you need to turn D in a CLOCKWISE direction to undo it, the opposite of what you would normally expect. Alternatively if you wanted to remove the whole assembly from the tie rod you would hold the tie rod firmly and turn B in a normal anti-clockwise direction.

 

[bkenny]

If you are holding B then you need to turn D in a CLOCKWISE direction to undo it, the opposite of what you would normally expect. Alternatively if you wanted to remove the whole assembly from the tie rod you would hold the tie rod firmly and turn B in a normal anti-clockwise direction.

That is exactly right.....I went about 5 turns the wrong way in about 2 hours with make shift tools when it was about 0 degrees F outside! The last time I removed a tie rod end, it was backwards then too. I guess it depends on which way your looking at it or something, but when I figured it out, I had a moment to myself with the torch pointed at the RR.....good thing it was snowy and windy cuz I couldnt get it to light!

For future ref if anyone else is searching this thread, remember to turn it the right way. In my case it was opposite of what I thought :/