What's REALLY the best tool for separating a tie rod end from the steering knuckle?

[jonathan909]

I've tried a lot of 'em, but none don't suck.  Pickle forks (whether bang-with-a-hammer or air hammer) never quite fit and always tear up the ball joint boot.  I've got a hydraulic spreader, but there are rarely parallel surfaces across from each other to use it in.  I'm always happy to go with brute force and ignorance (i.e. just beat on it), but that's not good either.

Does someone have the right answer?  Is there a screw-type puller that fits in there and just works perfectly?

[edit]

I'm looking at this one, but just don't know whether the arms are too thick to fit between the knuckle and the brake dust shield.

https://www.princessauto.com/en/tie-rod-end-pitman-arm-puller/product/PA0009065079

Could just go get one to try, of course, but that's an hour or two wasted if it doesn't fit.

 

Edited Wednesday at 07:34 PM by jonathan909

[ronemus]

That style works very well, but there are 2 sizes: large (for Pitman arm) and small (for tie rod end).  Be sure to get the right one for the job at hand (or have both in your toolbox).

[jonathan909]

This is the smaller one, with jaw gap 1.125".  That appears to correspond to the size of the tie rod end.  They have a larger one with a 1.625" gap.

But I'm really uncertain about that leg fitting between the knuckle and the brake shield.

I just bought an old Bridgeport J-head I can use to cut it down to fit if necessary, but I'd also be concerned about making it too thin and fragile.  Also, the mill is going to need work, starting with figuring out how to spin a 600V 3-phase motor when all we have on-site is 220 single-phase.  (Note:  I know what all the options are, so no suggestions needed, thanks.)  Point is I need to get this car back on the road long before I expect the mill to be up and running.

 

[ronemus]

The dust shield is only held on by 3 bolts, so it's easy to remove if it's in the way.  I just did mine, but I stripped off the shield before I used the puller.

[Lightning Racer]

I rented (for free) this tool from autozone last summer and it worked well. I replaced both the ball joints and tie rod ends, and I'm pretty sure it was the tie rod ends I was having trouble with (hammer not big enough?), so I went out and rented this as well as a pickle fork that I didn't end up using. 

https://www.autozone.com/p/oemtools-ball-joint-separator-57308/787834

[jonathan909]

17 hours ago, ronemus said:

The dust shield is only held on by 3 bolts, so it's easy to remove if it's in the way.  I just did mine, but I stripped off the shield before I used the puller.

Forgive any errors here, because I'm working from memory.  So I'm now unbolting the caliper in order to take the rotor off in order to get at those dust shield screws.  And I think that there's an opening in the shield that will then allow me to slide it off (and not unstake the hub nut and pull the hub) - but that's the part I can't remember for sure.  Regardless, that's a lot of stuff that's working just fine and doesn't need to be disturbed in the interest of simply getting a puller around that tie rod end.  Not a lot of work by any means, but completely unnecessary.

I just got the two pullers that Princess has, and neither fits.

 

[jonathan909]

1 hour ago, Lightning Racer said:

I rented (for free) this tool from autozone last summer and it worked well. I replaced both the ball joints and tie rod ends, and I'm pretty sure it was the tie rod ends I was having trouble with (hammer not big enough?), so I went out and rented this as well as a pickle fork that I didn't end up using. 

https://www.autozone.com/p/oemtools-ball-joint-separator-57308/787834

That may be the style I need to find.