I got a kit off ebay with the tie rod ends and ball joints. Im only changing the tie rod ends but one of the new ones has a flat end and my two old ones both have a "hump" end and the old right one also has that little screw

sticking out that also is on the bottom. The new ones dont have a side spotfor that screw. So is that ok and what are those screws for anyway?

 

Those "screws" are used to pump oil in with a grease gun.

 

Those are called zerk fittings for pumping in new grease.

 

The grease fittings may be on the side, on the bottom, or not be there at all. Those are factory sealed with grease inside. I don't like sealed joints because they tend to not last long.

I hope you took length measurements before you took those apart.

 

this says to me that a shop that knows what they are doing should be working on those front end parts.

 

Agree, had to read that twice to believe it.

 

Haha thanks for the vote of confidence guys. I changed the whole front end with my boyfriends help for muscle of course. I couldnt have done it alone. Im not some rookie but i dont know everything either. 45 yrs old and I never relied on a man to fix any car I ever owned �� Yes I measure/counted the threads before taking them apart. But I have a new problem. One of the ends is just flat out stuck. Its the one on driver side. I unscrewed the rod from it after no luck getting it out thinking it might make it easier with less wieght on it. No luck. Any ideas

on getting it out? Even a seperator wont help ��

 

usually if you smack it a few good times where i put the yellow with a 3 lbs. hammer they will pop apart. or you can use the proper fork on it.. you'll need a smaller fork to work properly on that tie rod end.

 

Omg... Measurements of old tie rod and drag link.... Totally messed up my alignment when I changed mine to all new moon parts and then tried to "eyeball it" for some reason .... I guess it's time to go measure the rods I've still got and fix this ****. Don't know what I was thinking...

OP, did you figure out what you wanted?

 

If i don't have a tool i usually go to Advanced or auto zone and rent it....it's free..you pay for the tool but get your money back after you return it or you could smack it with a hammer.

 

Agree, you can just buy one of these for like $14, and they are well worth it, no more smacking with hammers or pickle forks. A couple light taps and a couple turns of the screw and pop that baby out in no time and still reuse it if you can. A necessity in the toolbox. Also. would help to apply a little heat from a propane torch to the outside to make it expand, together with the tool. It has no chance of staying in then. But I think just the tool and maybe some penetrating oil will pop it.

 

Just a point of interest. A MAP gas torch is much hotter and you don't care about the rubber boot because it's getting replaced anyhow. That's the pitman arm, so maybe you can turn the steering wheel and get it out from under the body and wail on the TOP on it with a BMFH!

 

BMFH would ruin the pitman and steering box, ...you feeling ok there, Dave?

 

I got it out by calling in the muscle. I was trying to let him relax on a sunday. LOL We turned the wheel a bit and he gets it to pop right out. SMH lol

 

Sorry, I'm used to working on Chevys.