Frozen Tie Rods, Need Urgent Help

[tcbaklash]

I’m attempting to replace my outer tie rods with my ball joints and every guide makes this look way easier than it has been, offering no advice when dealing with the problems. I cannot remove my outer tie rods at the jam nut, I’ve tried for three hours. So I went out and bought inner tie roads just to do the whole damn thing, but I can’t remove those either. Everything is stuck. I’m wary of using a torch on the inner tie rods.

My truck is halfway in the garage and I can’t close it until I get the thing working again. Any advice?

 

[LittleCaesar]

Pics?

It may be time for a BFH and a pipe wrench to remove both. The right puller will get the outer tie rod out of the knuckle....

Find a local parts store that rent such: https://www.amazon.com/AMPRO-T75934-Front-End-Service/dp/B00A4AKYRU

 

[tcbaklash]

I’m past using a tie rod puller. I’m talking about the part where the inner and outer tie rods connect. That jam nut is frozen and there’s nothing I can do. I removed the tie rod boot, bent back the washer, and cranked on the inner with a pipe wrench. No movement.

 

[2ndhandyotaman]

In my experience with these ( and many other vehicles) usually all it takes is some penetrating oil applied heavily at the jam nut/ threaded area then using a MAPP cylinder to heat the area that the threads are encased in. The heat will draw the penetrating oil into the threads and the building pressure will usually start to puke out by the jam nut. Once you get to that point I will hold the inner TRE ( close to the jam nut area ) with a vise grips then use a small pipe wrench /large vise grips to crack the 2 pieces loose.

Once I get them apart I can usually hold the OTR w/ vise grips, slip a box wrench onto the jam nut and crack it loose. This method works pretty well here in the rust belt. I use a mixture of ATF/Acetone for my penetrating oil, use whatever you fell works best for you.

 

[JZiggy]

This might be a good time to try the lighter and candle trick. Someone posted about this a month or so ago. Some ideas:

The Art of Removing Stuck Nuts and Bolts - DSPORT Magazine

Backup solution is to take a dremel cutoff and slide the nut on both sides.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Good penetrating oil, 27 and 28mm wrenches along with some heat for that jamb nut.

 

[Vansnxtweek]

I'm not going to lie I couldn't get my jam nuts loose at ALL. I did like you and got inners as well. To get those loose from the rack I had to use two pipe wrenches and they came loose pretty easily. Good luck.

 

[sakoluvr]

Get a pipe wrench and vice grips as was suggested. Try the candle approach OR try heat followed by canned air. The ice cold air after the heat treatment can work but make sure you are using a good wrench. I have used this pipe wrench with good results but a proper sized metric wrench works as long as you don't start rounding out the nut.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Crescent-12-in-Self-Adjusting-Pipe-Wrench-CPW12/205642153

 

[97FR_brad]

Get the longest leverage pipe that will fit under the truck to turn the inner tie rod out. Changed mine last year and had to use a car lift and 4foot bar. Someone put red locktite on it years ago. Dang it. Good luck.

 

[tcbaklash]

Thanks everyone for the help, I'll try your suggestions when I can.

I ended up just leaving it at new ball joints and figured I'll get to the tie rods when I can.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Thanks everyone for the help, I'll try your suggestions when I can.

I ended up just leaving it at new ball joints and figured I'll get to the tie rods when I can.

I was going to ask if the steering rack is aftermarket, given that the jamb nut is rusted together.

 

[thezentree]

I had to use a big ass pipe wrench to get my ITREs off the rack and then cut the OTREs in half with a cutoff wheel to get the boot and clamp off because they were frozen together.

 

[nobb]

Same thing happened to me. I just got new inners, outers, and a boot kit. Took a pipe wrench and removed the inner + outer together. Make sure to put antiseize on the threads so this doesn't happen next time!

 

[MStudt]

Use heat on the them. Worse case you can remove the inner ball joint with the outer ball joint still attached.

 

[Friday88]

solved

I changed out my inner/outer tie rods recently and mine were frozen as well. I went out and bought a pipe wrench just to get more grip on the inner tie rod, but I didn't have enough strength or space for a cheater bar.

What I ended up doing was attaching the pipe wrench firmly, then wrapping a ratchet strap around the handle. I wrapped the other end of the strap around part of the frame, connected the hooks to each other, and started tightening. The gradual pressure eventually breaks the bond between the parts enough that you can muscle it the rest of the way off with the wrench. If I ever do this job again I'll use this method for sure.

 

[HiLife]

Worse case you can remove the inner ball joint with the outer ball joint still attached.

Yup mines were stuck also. I wasn't going to spend time trying to get it unstuck. I removed the itr, otr and lbj as one piece.

 

[cccolin]

I’m attempting to replace my outer tie rods with my ball joints and every guide makes this look way easier than it has been, offering no advice when dealing with the problems. I cannot remove my outer tie rods at the jam nut, I’ve tried for three hours. So I went out and bought inner tie roads just to do the whole damn thing, but I can’t remove those either. Everything is stuck. I’m wary of using a torch on the inner tie rods.

My truck is halfway in the garage and I can’t close it until I get the thing working again. Any advice?

I had this exact same problem. it's much harder doing this on a truck that's on stands on the ground than it is with a truck on a lift. my advice is: heat them with a torch. it really works, you just have to be patient. heat it for longer than you think you should. also, leverage. use the longest wrench you can get your hands on. and use a long pipe wrench for the inner. if you heat it and use the pipe wrench it will go.

 

[flipty]

When I did my inner tie rods after 280,000 miles I actually , for the first time EVER working on cars (and it's been 6 or 7 years now) used a normal spanner (monkey wrench) wrench to get them off at last. It was the only thing that would work, and I have a LOT of tools, some specifically made for tie rods. I had the truck up on stands of course, and I got the spanner on there (and it had to be one thin enough to get into the flattened parts) and got underneath and basically bench-pressed the spanner with all of my might. Only leverage will do. Use a cheater pipe on the spanner if necessary, and prepare your knuckles for pain.

Get in there and BUST YOUR ASS. Otherwise you'll need to do a pipe wrench with some nasty teeth on the round parts. Don't forget that each side goes a different way.

Why anyone would do outers without the inners, or vice-verse, is beyond me. If you're down there, do both.

 

[nobb]

I removed my inners with a pipe wrench and one trick I used for more leverage was to position the wrench in such a way that I could use a floor jack to help with the leveraging.