Lift 1st attempt: Unsuccessful, best way to deal with tierod ends?

[Tlowe]

Well i gave it my first shot installing my spacer lift, but got hung up right at the end (frustrating as all get out). I had everything working in my favor, KDSS disconnected, LCA unbolted, I even had the whole coil-over assembly unbolted from top and bottom and half way out...
but it decided to fight me. with almost all of the coil-over out there was just no way this thing was going to slide out and I quickly realized that all i needed to do was disconnect the steering tie rod and it could come out and back in with ample room.
BUT... that would be too easy. I undid the castle nut but that Damn ball joint would just not come out. I hammered on the end, hammered on the side of the joint, hammered on the side of the spindle, hammered on the end of the nut with a punch type thing and not even a budge.
SO, my question is, how in gods green earth do I get that tie rod end disconnected???

would a dead blow hammer be better? I am going to run out tomorrow to grab a better hammer (and get my new wheels mounted, YIPPEE!) so if you guys have any suggestions, fire away.

 

[3wbdriver]

My suggestion would be to leave the tie rod in place and buy about a 3 or 4' pry bar. Get it in there where you can push down on the lower control arm and you should have the room you need to remove the assembly. Barring that get a tie rod fork to hammer on instead of the tie rod itself.

 

[Brian3676]

https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-27022-Tie-Pitman-Puller/dp/B004FEPCFA

I use this, works great.

 

[Stangboy]

I had to shoot a little penetrating oil around the shank, then whack the spindle with a big hammer a few times. Try to set up a vibration so the oil will migrate along the shanft through the spindle.

 

[jbstrd]

https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-27022-Tie-Pitman-Puller/dp/B004FEPCFA

I use this, works great.

This is what you need. Don't get a crappy Harbor Freight though because it will break. Ask me how I know.

 

[JSparky]

Something doesn't seem right, I've installed coilovers on a kdss 4Runner and had plenty of room without touching the tie rod ends. Is your truck up on jack stands? Did You remove your upper control arm or just unbolt it from the spindle?

 

[Antman]

My suggestion would be to leave the tie rod in place and buy about a 3 or 4' pry bar. Get it in there where you can push down on the lower control arm and you should have the room you need to remove the assembly.

^^^This, or

Mark the location of your LCA cams with a paint marker, loosen the LCA bolts and the arm will swing out of the way easily. Line your marks back up and good to go.

 

[RioRunner]

I think you're working too hard. Disconnect the sway bar, then loosen the lower control arm bolts about one rotation (don't even have to touch the cam bolts) and the lca should move relatively freely, allowing you to drop the whole strut assembly right out of the bottom. It worked for me anyway. I did it this way twice. Once when I did my spacer lift, then again when I switched to Bilsteins. Then again I don't have KDSS, so it's possible yours could be a bit more complicated than mine.

 

[Tlowe]

Something doesn't seem right, I've installed coilovers on a kdss 4Runner and had plenty of room without touching the tie rod ends. Is your truck up on jack stands? Did You remove your upper control arm or just unbolt it from the spindle?

Yup up on jackstands, both sides, and I was originally going to take the UCA off the spindle but had basically the same issue with that ball joint bolt (granted, without giving it as much effort) so I put that nut back on and tried tackling it from the LCA side.

^^^This, or

Mark the location of your LCA cams with a paint marker, loosen the LCA bolts and the arm will swing out of the way easily. Line your marks back up and good to go.

This was my next thought but it just didn't seem right, the LCA didn't seem to want to budge all that much. The main reason I didn't try this was manly because I was hoping not to mess with any of the UCA or LCA bolts. if given enough pressure and leverage will they swing down without loosening those bolts? I think this is the method I with try though.

Other than preference not wanting to mess with those bolts, i felt more than comfortable cranking on the LCA because I felt confident my CV joint and spindle were well tied up so not to ruin my CV's.

I had to shoot a little penetrating oil around the shank, then whack the spindle with a big hammer a few times. Try to set up a vibration so the oil will migrate along the shanft through the spindle.

Tried that to no avail. hammered, oiled, then hammered again. nothing.


Thank you guys for the advice, If swinging the LCA down doesn't work I will give those spindle tools a shot.

 

[Antman]

This was my next thought but it just didn't seem right, the LCA didn't seem to want to budge all that much. The main reason I didn't try this was manly because I was hoping not to mess with any of the UCA or LCA bolts. if given enough pressure and leverage will they swing down without loosening those bolts? I think this is the method I with try though.

I didn't want to mess with them at first either, but I wish i would have. Loosen them and the arm just falls down. You can use a crowbar, but I literally had to sit on the damn thing and bounce it up and down to get the strut out. 2 people it's easy with the crowbar.

Reason is you are twisting that rubber bushing when it's all tight.

Don't be skeered- mark and loosen the bolts. It'll make your life much much easier.

 

[Tlowe]

I think you're working too hard. Disconnect the sway bar, then loosen the lower control arm bolts about one rotation (don't even have to touch the cam bolts) and the lca should move relatively freely, allowing you to drop the whole strut assembly right out of the bottom. It worked for me anyway. I did it this way twice. Once when I did my spacer lift, then again when I switched to Bilsteins. Then again I don't have KDSS, so it's possible yours could be a bit more complicated than mine.

Well yes the KDSS is somewhat of a pain, but it really isn't all that bad. like I said a second ago, I do think loosening the LCA bolts is what I'm going to do.

Where your sway bar attaches to the spindle, i just have a hole. and there is a spot just forward of the lower shock mount on the LCA, that is where the KDSS sway bar attaches so it has virtually nothing to do with it ALTHOUGH I did forget to mention that when I was trying to get the assembly out, the bottom mount of the shock was hitting the now disconnected sway bar end which caused it not to come out.
It's crazy how misconceiving the "flexible" parts of our suspension is. you watch the springs and the sway bar in videos with vehicle weight on them they bend like a wet noodle, but the second you get it in your hands its hard to imagine it moving at all.
Anyways, learning as I go, thanks guys!

 

[Tlowe]

I didn't want to mess with them at first either, but I wish i would have. Loosen them and the arm just falls down. You can use a crowbar, but I literally had to sit on the damn thing and bounce it up and down to get the strut out. 2 people it's easy with the crowbar.

Reason is you are twisting that rubber bushing when it's all tight.

Don't be skeered- mark and loosen the bolts. It'll make your life much much easier.

Figured I wouldn't be the first one to not want to mess with those. And yes now that I realize those are rubber bushings it makes sense that they will be hard to move when tightened down on like that.
Dang Antman I wish I would have had my lift when I was in Maryland six months ago I could have stopped by and have you walk me through my first big mod!

 

[Antman]

Figured I wouldn't be the first one to not want to mess with those. And yes now that I realize those are rubber bushings it makes sense that they will be hard to move when tightened down on like that.
Dang Antman I wish I would have had my lift when I was in Maryland six months ago I could have stopped by and have you walk me through my first big mod!

Lol- you wouldn't be the first!

 

[honda250xtitan]

I didn't want to mess with them at first either, but I wish i would have. Loosen them and the arm just falls down. You can use a crowbar, but I literally had to sit on the damn thing and bounce it up and down to get the strut out. 2 people it's easy with the crowbar.

Reason is you are twisting that rubber bushing when it's all tight.

Don't be skeered- mark and loosen the bolts. It'll make your life much much easier.

it'd probably be wise to not torque those cam bolts down until the weight of the truck is back on the tires to avoid preloading the bushings too.

Has anyone removed the OEM bushings and replaced with Delrin bushings and a crush sleeve? No deflection, freer range of motion:hungry:

 

[Antman]

it'd probably be wise to not torque those cam bolts down until the weight of the truck is back on the tires to avoid preloading the bushings too.

Yes- I would make note of their natural position before loosening and put 'em back the same way.

 

[Aussiedogs]

Air hammer. A little pressure and zap it with the air hammer. Tie rods, ball joints pop right out without any damage. Pickle forks damage the rubber boots. But looks like ya got it figured anyways.:thumb3:

 

[wfo9]

This is easy... You are not beating on it hard enough.. or the suspension is at too much of an angle. You need a big hammer( not the typical household type).. and you need a jack under the LCA to take some of the bind out. Then hammer away.

There is a flat spot on the spindle near the castle nut designed for this. Just beat on it for a while and it will drop right out. Done this many times and it has never failed me.... It seems like it won't budge.. but just keep beating. Air hammers make it much easier, but you don't need one. Just simulate it.

Sometimes I also smack the TRE a little near the lock nut, but not hard at all.. this will hurt the TRE. The spindle is where you need to use force and rattle it loose.+-

 

[fbksurferjoe]

This is easy... You are not beating on it hard enough.. or the suspension is at too much of an angle. You need a big hammer( not the typical household type).. and you need a jack under the LCA to take some of the bind out. Then hammer away.

There is a flat spot on the spindle near the castle nut designed for this. Just beat on it for a while and it will drop right out. Done this many times and it has never failed me.... It seems like it won't budge.. but just keep beating. Air hammers make it much easier, but you don't need one. Just simulate it.

Sometimes I also smack the TRE a little near the lock nut, but not hard at all.. this will hurt the TRE. The spindle is where you need to use force and rattle it loose.+-

this, I agree I always think damn it's not going to budge then one more hit, bam it's free.

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[wfo9]

this, I agree I always think damn it's not going to budge then one more hit, bam it's free.

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Yep, it's like magic. I remember the first time someone showed me the technique I thought they were crazy. I was thinking... that will never work and it's not helping... then it just dropped out. Since then I've done it too many times to count. They really get stuck good on solid axle trucks....

 

[SalsaRed]

I 100% agree on loosening the LCA bolts. I was afraid to loosen mine for the first 3 times I switched up my front lift. I struggled for the better part of a day all three of those times. It also caused me to tear my lower ball joint boots on both sides from prying so hard.

When I replaced my LCA's (due to my tearing the BJ boots) I realized that it is seriously a piece of cake to change out the shocks once the LCA is loose. You're going to have to get an alignment either way, so its not going to hurt.

As far as getting the upper BJ out of the spindle, a heat gun and a small 1 handed sledge hammer will get you there.