Aaargh! Track Rod End

shoryuken · May 21, 2017

Ok so I hit the track rod end with the hammer...hard...really hard...then with the persuader...REALLY hard on the side and it still wasn't budging.

So I cut it off with an angle grinder. Now I'm left with this (see images). Tried heat but only got a blowtorch and I don't think it got hot enough. What's left of it doesn't wanna come out!

Any advice?

neilly · May 21, 2017

Originally, Did you use two hammers?

One as anvil on one side and the other as the hammer on the other side?

Cheers

shoryuken · May 21, 2017

neilly said:
Originally, Did you use two hammers?

One as anvil on one side and the other as the hammer on the other side?

Cheers

Safe to assume no otherwise that may have worked!

neilly · May 21, 2017

Try it now, see if it works for you with what is left.

Cheers

Nodge68 · May 21, 2017

Strike a club hammer in the direction of the arrow. A couple of decent blows will have it out.

You could also apply some heat. Even a butane flame will get it up to several hundred degrees.

A good tip next time is, don't cut the threaded end off

neilly · May 21, 2017

Nodge68 said:
Strike a club hammer in the direction of the arrow. A couple of decent blows will have it out.

What arrow??????......................

Cheers

Nodge68 · May 21, 2017

neilly said:
What arrow??????......................

Cheers

It's there now. My connection was slow at downing the image.

shoryuken · May 21, 2017

Tried it with the two hammers and it still won't budge unfortunately. I probably made it worse when I was grinding it I think and now it's really stuck. Too tired and fed up to continue fighting with it now so given up for the time being. I wonder if it could be pressed out?

Nodge68 · May 21, 2017

Ok.
Next attempt is applying as much heat as possible with your flame. Then use a parallel punch and club hammer to strike it out. Make sure you hit it in the upward direction

I have had to use a bottle jack to apply some weight to the thread before now. Doing it this way means hitting the steering arm in a downward direction.

teddywood1 · May 21, 2017

you need to support the end or you will never knock it out it will just keep bouncing around

guineafowl21 · May 21, 2017

I find they sometimes need some pressure against them and then a shock to the outer part.

Can you get hold of a two-leg puller and screw it upwards against the stub? Then shock as Nodge directs with the biggest hammer you can find. Don't be afraid. Or, hold a heavy lump hammer one side and shock from the other.

If all else fails you can always remove the hub assembly and take it to someone with a press/oxy torch/air hammer. If it's as bad as you describe, this might be the quickest way overall.

Oh, and give youself a little slap for limiting your options by cutting bits off!

shoryuken · May 21, 2017

guineafowl21 said:
Oh, and give youself a little slap for limiting your options by cutting bits off!

Slap administered!
I've not got a two leg puller, on only a three legger...that third leg might get in the way of hammer blows. I'll have a go with it tomorrow.

Thanks for all the replies.

jamesmartin · May 21, 2017

Nodge68 said:
Strike a club hammer in the direction of the arrow. A couple of decent blows will have it out.
View attachment 124067
You could also apply some heat. Even a butane flame will get it up to several hundred degrees.

A good tip next time is, don't cut the threaded end off

ive never seen a track rod end that wont pop out with a decent few hits

guineafowl21 · May 21, 2017

shoryuken said:
Slap administered!
I've not got a two leg puller, on only a three legger...that third leg might get in the way of hammer blows. I'll have a go with it tomorrow.

Thanks for all the replies.

*ahem* my third leg often gets in the way of hammer blows...

teddywood1 · May 22, 2017

that must hurt LOL

shoryuken · May 22, 2017

EUREKA!

In the end I heated it up with a blowtorch for about 10 minutes then tightened on the puller and it popped off like a bullet!

Thanks again for the replies.

teddywood1 · May 22, 2017

well done I know another person who did similar to this but kept on belting it with a lump hammer and punch but kept on hitting it from underneath he would have never got it out until I told him to hit it from the top as it is a chamfered and will only come out one way

Colthebrummie · May 23, 2017

Next time, buy an extractor, they are not expensive and do the job without much drama.

Col

shoryuken · May 23, 2017

Right next problem. I don't make things easy for myself. Obviously grinding the track rod end off initially is now hindering me unscrewing it from the track rod as I don't have anything I can grab hold of and lever. So far I've had the adjustable spanner and pliers on there. The pinch bolt head wasn't there so I can only assume someone has previously over tightened it and it snapped off. I've cut through the pinch bolt thread carefully with a cutting disc and sprayed wd40 generously plus wire brushed the visible bits of thread. It's still too tight and believe me we've used plenty of force. If I heat up what's left of the track rod end will that help?

Getting a bit worried now as need to get car back to garage on Friday for partial retest on MOT and at the minute it's going nowhere.

Dippypud · May 23, 2017

shoryuken said:
Right next problem. I don't make things easy for myself. Obviously grinding the track rod end off initially is now hindering me unscrewing it from the track rod as I don't have anything I can grab hold of and lever. So far I've had the adjustable spanner and pliers on there. The pinch bolt head wasn't there so I can only assume someone has previously over tightened it and it snapped off. I've cut through the pinch bolt thread carefully with a cutting disc and sprayed wd40 generously plus wire brushed the visible bits of thread. It's still too tight and believe me we've used plenty of force. If I heat up what's left of the track rod end will that help?

Getting a bit worried now as need to get car back to garage on Friday for partial retest on MOT and at the minute it's going nowhere.

Start looking for a replacement ... after all do you really want to do this again ...

Aaargh! Track Rod End

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