----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe Foley" <redmenaced@yahoo.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 03, 2001 7:17 PM
Subject: [MV] Tie rod ends
> > Of paramount importance never, ever, ever, try to
> > drive the taper pin out by
> > hitting the screwed end, without a nut on it you
> > will surely swell the
> > threaded portion and the nut will never fit again,
> > with a nut flush to the
> > end you will swell the taper shaft like a rivet and
> > its now never coming
> > out.
> ++++++++
> Don't forget to put the castelated nut on backwards.
>
Or better still get a plain nut from the come-in-handy-nut-box that we all
have and been throwing the odd nut into for the last 20 yrs.
Easy-peasy for you Yanks as it only has unified in it, ours has UNF, UNC,
Metric fine, Metric coarse, BSF, Whitworth and the odd BSA cycle thread just
for interest.
>
>
> >
> > On smaller vehicles a helper with a big pry-bar can
> > be used but a specific
> > bolt-up ball joint puller is preferred, there are
> > drive-in forked wedge
> > tools available too.
> ++++++++
> Tending to be lazy, I use the screw-puller type
> seperator and a propane torch. It takes some time for
> the little torch to heat it enough but I like to hear
> the satisfying "bonk" when it comes loose. If you
> direct the flame carefully you won't even burn the
> rubber parts.
>
Ah yes, FV623 ball joint nuts are 1 1/2" AF with proportionately big and
straight eye castings affording a good target area to clout, conveniently
all the joints come in from above and you can jack the joint against the
suspension very close to the joint itself, needing almost 2 tons to deflect
any wheel I back the nut little more than 1/16" or the truly satisfying bonk
as it parts becomes exceedingly over exciting.
> BIG CAUTION HERE: Don't hit the ball joint with a
> hammer if you've heated it!! The grease will have
> turned to thick hot oil and will fly everywhere.
>
Done that. . . . . . . .No fun at all.
> SAFETY GLASSES ALWAYS REQUIRED!
>
Very wise.
I bet we're all guilty of cutting this corner. Somewhen around 1964 I was
using a small milling cutter in the electric drill to relieve a BMC A series
cylinder head for competition use, a tiny shard of cast iron flew into one
eye such that it hooked the eye lid from opening unless the lid was
"un-hooked from it, I never want to have the hospital to remove (dig)
another bit of metal from the eye, absolutely no fun at all.
> I find that one doesn't need a heavy hammer as much as
> a good solid hit, anything to disturb the joint. The
> toughest one was on my Nissan PU, the M-135 came apart
> easily, as did the 3/4 ton Chevy. The hard part is
> getting room to swing.
>
I don't know the terminology of if you even have these, we use a lump
hammer. A short 6" shaft with a huge, double square head of some 8lb.
>
> >
> > Obviously belting it anywhere else has no effect as
> > the shock load makes the
> > eye casting spring away, the effect is to swell the
> > eye a fraction of a thou
> > or less and this releases the pin.
> ++++++++
> Also helps to back the arm up with a heavy hammer,
> just held in contact with it to oppose the blow.
>
This is a good technique for anything springy, like driving nails in fence
posts, have someone hold an anvil of something very heavy and solid on the
other side.
> This is why three-handed mechanics are in such demand,
> competent jugglers urged to apply, too.
>
Absolutely.
> > Don't get your biggest Snap-On breaker bar, snug
> > socket, brace your feet on
> > the chassis and pull until your eyes pop; even my
> > Stalwart joints with inch
> > and something AF nuts aren't more than snug, you can
> > rattle your thumb in
> > the taper holes, such is the size of the taper
> > bearing area.
> ++++++++++
> Oh, I don't use that method anymore, I just pull 'til
> my wrist pops. Kinda like one of those click/snap
> torque wrenches.
>
How stunningly useful, a personal in-built torque wrench, I must get one
too.
Richard
Southampton - England
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