Tie Rod Ends – Part 2

I tried various techniques for freeing up the TRE on my 1970 MGB but to no avail. However his article prompted me to come up with the following method that proved easy and simple for me.

1) Remove the tie rod end lock nut and replace it with a standard hex. nut to protect the male threads and not mess up the locking end of the lock nut. Screw the standard nut up to almost its full thickness so that there are no male threads showing on top of t he bolt and that there is some distance between the bottom of the nut and the bottom of the tie rod end.

2) Using a square cold chisel about six inches long, and a three inch “C” clamp, hold the chisel under the steering arm with the tapered end close to the king pin, and the square end under the nut you have just placed on the tie rod end bolt. While holding the chisel in place, put the opened “C” clamp (screw end up) on the steering arm as close to the tie rod end as possible, and under the chisel. Tighten the “C” clamp carefully until the tie rod end pops loose.

Note that putting the tapered end of the chisel under the steering arm and close to the king pin, and the square end of the chisel under the nut on the tie rod end bolt resulted in the top of the tie rod and the bottom of the chisel being essentially parallel. Thus when the “C” clamp was tightened there was a greatly reduced chance of the “C” clamp/chisel slipping and flying around.

3) Remove the nut from the tie rod end bolt, and separate the tie rod from the bolt.

Click here to read “Tie-Rod Ends—Part 1.”