Best way to remove tie rod at pitman

[texcl]

well all the other tie rods cam off easy, but the one on the Pittman is kicking my butt. I cant get a good whack from the top have hit it hard from the side with a mini sledge, which usually works hammered an 1 1/8" open end in there and tried to wedge it apart, then hammered the open end, then heated it. Tried a gear puller then tried the gear puller and a whack to the side. It hasn't budged, I have a pickling fork coming Monday but would like to get her done by tomorrow. Sometimes it sucks living in the boondocks away from tool stores open on Sunday.

 

[dgr]

Did you try 2 hammers along with the gear puller? One to act as the anvil while you swing the other one.

 

[texcl]

i'll try that tomorrow

 

[kc0stp]

Wheels off the ground? Mine was the same way (but I only tried a hammer and pickle fork) then I lifted it up and it literally fell out.

 

[texcl]

yeah it's on stands off the ground and all the other tie rods are detached.

 

[texcl]

well, nothing worked, I'm afraid to hit it any harder, I think I'll just wait for the fork (comes in tomorrow) I'll just proceed taking the hubs and everything down to replace the ball joints.

 

[gonecrazyi]

Put some tension on it with the puller and tap the end of the puller that the socket goes on. Tigthen a bit more them smack it and repeat. It has always walked its way off for me

 

[redneckaggie]

I always soked them in aerokroil and then used the tension, heat, tap, more tension, heat tap, I never used a oxy-acet, just propane

 

[texcl]

Got her soaking in pb blaster hopefully that will help when I get the fork tomorrow.

 

[wildman7798]

Got her soaking in pb blaster hopefully that will help when I get the fork tomorrow.

Someone correct me if I am wrong. I have not done much F250/F350 front end work in my day but have been working on Ford cars for decades. It is bad news and never do using a pickle fork with tie rods, pitmans, ball joints, ect. The standard Ford Auto method is tap or hit the female sides of said unit the male basically falls out. GM and Mopar seem fine with the fork but I tore up a few good Ford parts until I learned how to do it correctly. My experience, the trucks may be whole different set of rules.

 

[79jasper]

The pickle forks attachments for air hammers work pretty damned good.

 

[riotwarrior]

In all honesty I've basically only used a two hammer system.

At least 3-4 lbs each. One held tight against the pitman arm and smack the opposite side as hard as you can, this always has proven effective for me. I'm not saying it always works, I am saying that I dunno let me throw out an example and say 300+ TE's and associated steering hardware and not ever has that technique failed me.

I've never heated, I've never soaked pickle forks have caused me more grief than anything...

JM2CW

Al

 

[wildman7798]

In all honesty I've basically only used a two hammer system.

At least 3-4 lbs each. One held tight against the pitman arm and smack the opposite side as hard as you can, this always has proven effective for me. I'm not saying it always works, I am saying that I dunno let me throw out an example and say 300+ TE's and associated steering hardware and not ever has that technique failed me.

I've never heated, I've never soaked pickle forks have caused me more grief than anything...

JM2CW

Al

That is the only technique I have ever seen published in a Ford Shop or Service manual. I agree with Riot, the fork can cause some grief.

 

[texcl]

I'm replacing all the tie rods so if they get damaged it is of no concern to me. Now if it damages the pitman that is something else. I'll give her another whack today after sitting in solvent for 2 days and see what happens but I think the fork is going to be my last resort.

 

[texcl]

mistakenly posted