Knucke steering arm, needing to be drilled out

[mattstoy]

I need to drill out my right steering arm. When It was removed, the tie rod end was simply cut off, leaving the shaft still jammed in the arm hole. My question is.... can it be drilled? ALmost looks to me as if the hole is larger on 1 side then other? If it can be drilled, anyone know what sie bit to use?

 

[e rock]

Why not just press/pound the remainder of the TRE out?

Yes it's a tapered hole.

 

[vtcruiser60]

If you pound it out, try a little penetrating oil like PB blaster over a day or two.

 

[antFJ]

exactly.. it is tapered from the bottom up so the larger side of the hole is on the top of the arm.

I bet if you put it in a vise, got some heat (not too hot) and a BFH you could get it out

 

[mattstoy]

OK thats what I was afraid of.... it being a tapered hole. I have tired to pound it out (Even used the BFH) with little luck. I have soaked it many times with Kroil, but the darn thing will just not budge. I havent tried a press (mainly b/c I dont have one, haha) But as I read this, I realized I never tried putting it in a vice. SO maybe that will work. Will try tonight!

 

[antFJ]

heat heat heat! the arm might expand just a tiny bit allowing the thing to be punched out worse comes to worse drill a small hole in the center... work your way up in drill bit size until you get to the diameter of the smaller end of the hole. you just might be able to take a punch and compress the remaining bits and get them out without causing any damage to the actual arm.

also - if you have a machine shop nearby I don't even know if they would charge you for having to punch that thing out.. just make sure they punch it the right way!

 

[igotta40]

Using your hammer, resting the arm on concrete, tap on the side (rounded end) of the steering arm, not the broken off tapered piece.

 

[arizona78]

You might try renting a tie rod end puller from Checker/Shucks/Kragen or Autozone or the like. Usually it's free and will work well. Cranking down the puller and using a few taps of a hammer is USUALLY all it'll take.

 

[MUDDYTOJO]

Use the vice as a press.....
Pack the wider end over, an off cut of rhs, as such..so the tre will go through the cut end of the rhs...use a rod or something else on the other side of the tre in the vice jaw...so it pressures the TRE through the opening of the rhs in the vice and there you have a home made press.....vwallahh

 

[mooker82]

What year FJ40? If it is has the early small pattern arms you can get a used one pretty easily on here for cheap or free.

 

[Pin_Head]

Center drill it the width of the arm with a 1/4 inch bit and then pound it out.

 

[dgangle]

Is not the remaining part of the TRE a hardened steel alloy? Possibly harder than the drill bit?

I say cherry red hot, a vice, punch and 5# hammer

 

[Mace]

I have a bunch of small pattern arms I'll give ya