Putting on new steering links, need some simple help

[BigKriss]

Hi guys, after 5 months of having the parts lying around, I'm finally doing my steering links, There are the two tie rods, center tie rod and an idler arm. I cannot get center tie rod off the pitman arm. Argh. I've tried working on this particlular joint for a few hours and i've already put in about 6 hours total. Bruno's site make's it look like it's easy. Im not finding it so. To make matters worse there no much room underneath there to manourve tools around to get to the joint. Its all spanner stuff when I'm tying to take out the joint with the tie rod puller. I cannot get the tie rod puller directly in line to take it out, and the pickle fork and hammer won't budge it. Maybe I'm too weak and I need to wack wack wack some more. Help please guys.

http://img314.imageshack.us/img314/8153/pict0190small8sa.jpg
The left side off, the tie rod is still attached to the center tie rod, oh well.

http://img309.imageshack.us/img309/5106/pict0194small0jn.jpg
This is what I cannot undo.

http://img350.imageshack.us/img350/7518/toolssmall6kv.jpg

Tools of the trade, 4lb hammer, pickle fork, 2 tie rod pullers.

[niall]

Kriss you have to crack that mother****er as hard as you can with the hammer
you can hit it light all day and it wont do jack, it needs one sharp crack,
two handed on your biggest hammer

[632 Regal]

removed and replaced all mine as one unit, took about 30 minutes total. Have to get a good angle for the center links.

[DueyT]

Kriss, find a big-arsed sledge hammer and hit the b*stard for all it's worth from the side...that or do Like I did and heated them up some.

See this thread for some of the fun we had... http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=6195

And, true to form, I found my pitman arm puller right after I finished the last link! >:-(

Cheers,
Duey

[MBXB]

I popped mine off by using a tie rod puller and cranking down on it, while my buddy heat a heat gun up close. Wear gloves and eye protection.

[liquidtiger720]

tie rod puller got them both off in about 10 minutes for me. Took the tie rods and center rod off and one peice.

[632 Regal]

whats the issue Kris??? you slackin over there?


tie rod puller got them both off in about 10 minutes for me. Took the tie rods and center rod off and one peice.

[liquidtiger720]

Yea, seriously...if I can do it...then pretty much anybody who graduated 4th grade should be able to.

[genphreak]

Working on the floor is always a PITA. Perhaps you need a slimmer puller to get in the space you have. Check out some automtove suppliers-

Perhaps some of these snap-on pullers (http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/catalog1.asp?tool=all&Cat_ID=124110&Cat_NAME=Pullers&store=australia) or snap-on prybars (http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/catalog2.asp?tool=all&Cat_ID=122618&Cat_NAME=Prybars&Sub_Cat_ID=122619&Sub_Cat_NAME=Prying&store=australia) these might help. A good search of the board and web finds US sourced ones for much less, but they might take too long for you to wait with it all in pieces like that.

Good luck- don't get frustrated if you can't get in there to hit it, just use the right tool (I hope there is one...). If however you end up having to hit make sure you setup right and go for it. Best to use head plus brawn, not head+frustration+brawn as that breaks things...

Like me and the beatuiful BMW floor jack- that loves to bend the door when I stupidly open it when the car is on the jack and the mobile goes inside... :) GP

[632 Regal]

Kris is an exception even though I know he graduated 5th grade....:D

[Kalevera]

Hey Kristian --

The other guys have said pretty much everything there is to say on doing this without an air hammer. I've done it with a sledge hammer and a pickle fork...Plus LOTS of PB Blaster.

Another thing...


Redneck Mechanic's Lesson #56:

A good way to loosen up cranky ball joints (and you practically have to have an air hammer in your possession to work on anything GM/Ford that's more than a year old) is to whack a hammer against the sides of the joint where the two parts make contact. The idea is to break any tension (rust, pressure...whatever), which will help separate the two pieces.

Today I was attempting to remove two front wheels from an E12 that had probably been on there for 8 or 9 years. The lugs were fused into the hubs, and the hubs were fused to the wheels. No good. I started off with a 1/2" drive impact and a snapon 1
7mm deep impact + PB blaster and a few whacks to the tire with a ball peene, then a dead blow. Four bolts wouldn't move, in fact I broke the socket. So I put the car back on the ground, got out the 5' 3/4" drive breaker...things still wouldn't move. After letting the PB soak some more, I used the 3/4" impact and it took them out in a few seconds. After a few more minutes of saturating the hub through the lug holes and slamming away on the tire with a dead blow, each wheel popped off.

That's why it's a good idea to use antiseize (in the right places, of course ;) )

best, whit

[632 Regal]

what a sucky day you had.

[mattyb]

u want some help. ill come down if u needa hand.

[632 Regal]

Kris is using a 4lb hammer on his side, thats way too much to swing with any impact under a car and sideways. I have him on chat and he is trying it again.

[DueyT]

OT alert: Hey Jeff, did you photoshop your car into a nice stance? Last time I saw it, it looked like a redneck Ford Bronco with several inches of air between tires and wheel wells? :p

Cheers
Duey

[BigKriss]

thanks guys for everyones help. i managed to get the joint off, my flat mate held the pickle fork, while I started smashing away, 2 handed. a few more minutes, grunts and silent swearing delivered the required results. I'll post some pics soon.

[BigKriss]

Kris is using a 4lb hammer on his side, thats way too much to swing with any impact under a car and sideways. I have him on chat and he is trying it again.

yes, i swung the 4lb hammer on it's side, the pickle fork was facing in the way of the center tie rod (paralllel to it). here they are
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/4839/pict0209small1tw.jpg

[pundit]

thanks guys for everyones help. i managed to get the joint off, my flat mate held the pickle fork, while I started smashing away, 2 handed. a few more minutes, grunts and silent swearing delivered the required results. I'll post some pics soon.
Stuff the pics, we want to hear the audio! :D