How do i get all the steering rods off?

[lx450landcruiser]

how do i take off all the steering linkage off my 71 fj40?
any pics or help would be great

mike

 

[cruiserman]

With a tie rod end puller and 19mm wrench IIRC.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

isnt that just like a pry bar only with a split end?

thanks mike

 

[Archengine]

I've seen two kinds that would work. One is a puller, like a mini gear puller. The other more common one is a two prong fork that is hammered into the joints to pry them. You could buy one of them, or if you have an Autozone, they will lend them for free with deposit.

 

[IDave]

They're called "pickle forks", and don't be surprised if you need a BFH or two as well some PB BLASTER.

 

[cruiserman]

[quote author=lx450landcruiser link=board=1;threadid=7315;start=msg61061#msg61061 date=1068435538]
isnt that just like a pry bar only with a split end?

thanks mike
[/quote]

No, that's a pickle fork, which is a good tool for destroying the tie rod ends. A tie rod end puller is the specific tool for the job. It's not a gear puller. Not cheap, but good for quick, easy, and pain free separation of ball joints.

 

[woody]

tie rod end puller is much better, and IIRC it's 17mm for the nut. I always had luck with the pickle fork tho, and never destroyed an end.

Either way, they can be stubborn.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

thanks guys ill prob use a barrowed pickle fork and just pry them off as i just bought new ones from cool cruisers. I was supprised at how cheap they were at cool cruisers compared to Spector but then again it is spector so nevermind.
new ends this weekend and all new wiring as well.

 

[cruiserman]

Take a look at what parts you are getting beforehand if possible. There are cheap and well made tie rod ends. Decent ones with a reasonable price are made by 555. They are often re-packaged by Moog.

 

[IDave]

[quote author=lx450landcruiser link=board=1;threadid=7315;start=msg61187#msg61187 date=1068481487]
thanks guys ill prob use a barrowed pickle fork and just pry them off as i just bought new ones from cool cruisers. I was supprised at how cheap they were at cool cruisers compared to Spector but then again it is spector so nevermind.
new ends this weekend and all new wiring as well.


[/quote]

I have found that with CCOT's items, when they are relatively inexpensive, the quality is proportional to the price.

 

[Degnol]

I got CCOT's tierod ends and they came with an extra set of boots, well they're always throwing in some extra free stuff with my orders so I think, cool. Well my cruiser lives in a garage, only because I can't get it in the bedroom. So no UV or chemical issues. Well, in about two months and about 1500 miles, the boots are all split. I called CCOT and they said to just put the other boots on....yeah.
So if yours came with an extra set of boots, swap them out BEFORE you install the tierod ends.
GL
Ed

 

[zetasig]

When I pulled mine I used a torch to heat them up. If you are replacing them heat them up and give them a good whack.

 

[ottende]

One thing I will warn you about redoing the entirety of the tie rod ends: MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHICH ONE GOES WHERE. I had a relatively green friend working with me on this project, and he pulled all of the parts out of their labeled bags, so we had no idea which one went where. In the end we got the center arm to pitman end mixed up with one of the relay rod ends, turns out one has a slightly longer (hard to notice) taper than the other, allowing for one to not fit all the way into the female section of the linkage. A real pain in the ace.

I'll have to agree with everyone's comments about getting the old tie-rod ends apart. Separating the tie rod ends from the female section of the linkage was alright, but removing the ends from the tie-rods for replacement took heat, WD-40, cold, a sledge hammer, 2 people, 2 vice-grips, 1/2 a pack of smokes and three beers to get apart. Good luck with it if you are salvaging the rods!

 

[lx450landcruiser]

alright good deal. I'll go out tonight and start soking them in wd40, and ill make sure the sledge hammers ready. As for the Cool Cruiser boots are you saying the extra boots are different from the ones on there already? Or are they the same boots just another set that will just split later on too?

thanks again mike

 

[theo]

[quote author=lx450landcruiser link=board=1;threadid=7315;start=msg61187#msg61187 date=1068481487]
thanks guys ill prob use a barrowed pickle fork and just pry them off[/quote]

You won't be able to pry them off. You have to drive the fork between the tie rod end and it's socket using a good-sized hammer. This usually works and usually destroys the boots. That's why you get new boots in the kit.

If it doesn't work you can heat the socket to expand it and try some more.

If it still doesn't work you may need a puller. If it STILL doesn't work you just aren't talking to it right.

 

[lx450landcruiser]

thanks again. Do you think a propane blow torch would work to heat it enough or will i need a torch?

mike

 

[IDave]

Propane torch prolly enuff.

 

[cruiserman]

FYI, OEM end comes with a rod.

 

[offcamber40]

Getting the tie rods and drag arm link off is the easy part. Getting the ends to spin off the rods is a pain if they are rusted up.. I backed off the cinch bolts, hammered a chisel bwtween the slot to break the rod free from the rust in the end, sprayed some liquid wrench, then put two vice-grips side by side on the rod, and one 15mm wrench on the rod end. I then stood on the vice grips and hammered on the 15mm wrench until the tie rod end broke free.. after doing this six times, I got the hang of it! Hopefully yours are not all bound up and come loose easily. good luck!

 

[Poser]

Air hammer, with pickle-fork attachment, works every time.


Good luck!