75 BBC Stingray

I'm disassembling the fron suspension this weekend, and on the passenger side, I can't get the tie rod off. I pulled the cotter pin, and started to turn the castle nut, but the whole thing spins! (threaded shaft and nut together). This was not the case on the driver's side. What do you grip for anti-rotation to get that off? I will cut it if that is my only option, but I'd rather not...

Thanks in advance!

Twin_Turbo

that ball joint is severely shot if the bal rotates in the pocket. What you can do is grind a slot in the pin (on the top) and use a screwdriver to hold the shaft.

theandies

Hammer your pickle fork in there and give the nut a turn. Keep taping the fork in to keep the ball joint from turning. You may be just caught up on a bad thread. You definitely need to change the ball joint so rip it a new one. :smash: :smash: :smash: :smash:

Richard Cooper

I just went through the same thing on my 81 this weekend. Do as said above, hammer the pickle fork in and then try and turn the nut it worked for me. If the nut is turning the stud then the ball joint is shot anyway so you will not hurt it at all. Good luck. :seeya

BSeery

I use a press / seperator instead of a pickle fork.

Go to http://www.harborfrieght.com and look for this - http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=36861




I also use a similar tool for ball joints. -- A couple of turns and "POP !" all done. No mess, no stress and it doesn't destroy the dust boots.

bigvette1

All good ways to do it. Do you know how lucky you are to be doing this job instead of seeing the results of the ball coming out of the socket. Somebody watched over you today.

MikeM

I'm assuming a tie rod here. Put a pry bar in there and pull to the side against the tapered stud. It should lock it tight enough to get the nut off. You can also put a jack under it and the weight will lock the tapered stud in the steering arm. The jack and the prybar will also work for a lower ball joint.

Mike :)

Kevin_73

Since the tie rod end is shot, do yourself a favor and go purchase a nut splitter.
As the name implies, it will split the nut into two neat little peices and you will not have to worry about securing the tie rod end from spinning while you are trying to turn it.
The new tie rod end should come with a new nut anyway.

75 BBC Stingray

Thanks for all the responses.
In the end, to maintain my work momentumn, I just undid the spindle from the upper A-arm, then disconnected the lower A-arm from the frame. This allowed a better positioning of the tie rod end to work on. By dropping the spindle to the ground, the angle of the tie rod was much sharper. This ended up "binding" the shaft of the tie rod in the spindle steering arm allowing me to loosen the nut. Oh yeah, I used lots of liquid wrench too!!!

So, the front suspension is completely off, the rear has the spring out, and passenger side shock mount off. (The driver's side won't budge...yet!!!) Once I complete the rear suspension, I have the steering setup, the gas tank, and the misc. tubes to remove and the frame is ready for dipping!!!

:hurray: