I know this thread is ancient, but I just replaced inner and outer tie rods and wanted to add some tips that may help others.
The pickle fork did not get my tie rod out. I ended up using a universal tie rod puller (image that!), but it ended up pushing out the bearing out of the bottom still mounted on the tie rod. Remember when using the tie rod puller to leave a nut at the top of the threads to avoid bending the stud and distorting the threads. Then you have to grind out the damaged part. I was using PB Blaster and a light amount of heat from the grinding, but it didn't seem to help.
Once I got the outer tie rod off, still with the bushing, I put the bottom of the bushing on top of a adjustable wrench closed around the ball and socket as much as possible. Then I put that over a vice with the jaws open enough to let the tie rod hang in space. My idea was to support the bushing with the wrench as much as possible, and smack the stud with a sledge hammer, forcing the tie rod down through the gap in the vice. Don't know if that's the ideal way, but it worked and no damage was done to the bushing.
When it came time for the inner tie rod, I found it was totally loose!
The special locking washer that you bend around the nut was bent at one point, but it is no more. This was the cause of all my play on the driver's side.
My CTR outer rod was also a larger diameter stud. The conical portion was the same, just a fatter vertical threaded stud. So I embiggened the top bushing just a smidge, and all seems to be well.
The rest of the assembly and disassembly was uneventful.
I hope this helps,
The pickle fork did not get my tie rod out. I ended up using a universal tie rod puller (image that!), but it ended up pushing out the bearing out of the bottom still mounted on the tie rod. Remember when using the tie rod puller to leave a nut at the top of the threads to avoid bending the stud and distorting the threads. Then you have to grind out the damaged part. I was using PB Blaster and a light amount of heat from the grinding, but it didn't seem to help.
Once I got the outer tie rod off, still with the bushing, I put the bottom of the bushing on top of a adjustable wrench closed around the ball and socket as much as possible. Then I put that over a vice with the jaws open enough to let the tie rod hang in space. My idea was to support the bushing with the wrench as much as possible, and smack the stud with a sledge hammer, forcing the tie rod down through the gap in the vice. Don't know if that's the ideal way, but it worked and no damage was done to the bushing.
When it came time for the inner tie rod, I found it was totally loose!
The special locking washer that you bend around the nut was bent at one point, but it is no more. This was the cause of all my play on the driver's side.
My CTR outer rod was also a larger diameter stud. The conical portion was the same, just a fatter vertical threaded stud. So I embiggened the top bushing just a smidge, and all seems to be well.
The rest of the assembly and disassembly was uneventful.
I hope this helps,
