tie rod end removal

[Brian Devlin]

This is what I have had to do on my 4000, but the problem was the 
adjuster itself, not the lock nuts.
a. Liquid wrench, lots of it.
b. Unbolt the tie rod end from the hub and turn it by any means 
necessary until one end of the adjuster comes loose (once I actually 
removed the entire strut/hub and used it as a lever).
c. Unscrew the tie rod end completely and use a socket to remove the 
adjuster from wherever it is stuck.
Good luck, and make sure no children can hear you.
-Brian


>My left tie rod end is in need of replacement.  Other than hiring someone to
>do it, what is the easiest way of doing this?
>
>So far (without using a torch) I have not been able to loosen the locking
>nut on the adjuster. I'm afraid of applying huge amounts of torque for fear
>of transfering this torque to the tie rod coupling/rack (see Bentley 48.19).
>Is it easier to take off the whole tie rod, then remove the tie rod end from
>the tie rod while it's on a bench.  If so, what's the trick in getting the
>inboard side of the tie rod end off the "tie rod coupling" (there isn't room
>to back out the bolts holding the tie rod to the coupling) -- does the
>coupling itself have to come off, presumably by loosening the coupling nuts
>from underneath?
>
>Thanks.
>
>Peter