Worked with my friend on his Hyundai Sonata this morning. The car is c. 2008 w/ 115,000 km (approximately 70,000 miles) on it. We're in moderate rust territory here, but the car looks really good underneath.
We replaced the front brake pads and stabilizer bar end links no problem.
We had a hard time loosening the nut that locks the position of the outer tie-rod end, but did get it backed off a few turns. That should have been a omen.
We had no problem removing the outer end from the steering knuckle. The cotter pin came out easily, and the castellated nut was also easy to remove. The pickle-fork tool worked well to pop that end out of the knuckle (although it did a number on the boot.) I figured we were home-free at that point.
What we were unable to do was to unthread the outer tie-rod end (female threads) from the inner tie-rod end's threaded shaft (male threads). We just couldn't budge it. Used lots of penetrating oil, and heated it up with a propane torch at one point. 24 mm wrench on the square flange of the outer, vice grips on the round inner. No go. We put it back together for another day.
This was weird - I've done a few of these, and have never previously had one of these seized or rusted in.
Afterwards I watched YouTube for a solution. One fellow did have this happen with an older Jeep, and used a torch and a couple of long pipe wrenches to break things free.
I was thinking I could take a grinder to it to cut a longitudinal slot (parallel to the threads) but it would be tricky to get in there and not damage the male threads on the inner tie-rod end.
Thoughts from anyone else?
Thanks in advance!
We replaced the front brake pads and stabilizer bar end links no problem.
We had a hard time loosening the nut that locks the position of the outer tie-rod end, but did get it backed off a few turns. That should have been a omen.
We had no problem removing the outer end from the steering knuckle. The cotter pin came out easily, and the castellated nut was also easy to remove. The pickle-fork tool worked well to pop that end out of the knuckle (although it did a number on the boot.) I figured we were home-free at that point.
What we were unable to do was to unthread the outer tie-rod end (female threads) from the inner tie-rod end's threaded shaft (male threads). We just couldn't budge it. Used lots of penetrating oil, and heated it up with a propane torch at one point. 24 mm wrench on the square flange of the outer, vice grips on the round inner. No go. We put it back together for another day.
This was weird - I've done a few of these, and have never previously had one of these seized or rusted in.
Afterwards I watched YouTube for a solution. One fellow did have this happen with an older Jeep, and used a torch and a couple of long pipe wrenches to break things free.
I was thinking I could take a grinder to it to cut a longitudinal slot (parallel to the threads) but it would be tricky to get in there and not damage the male threads on the inner tie-rod end.
Thoughts from anyone else?
Thanks in advance!