Anyone know where I can get an 'auxiliary pressing tool 5043'? To help remove the steering rod end from the upright? Or any ghetto ideas for another way round it?
I've just been sweating and swearing at stuck rusted fasteners for 4 hours. the bottom spring cup collapsed on my 'new' 3dr, so I've been replacing the whole strut with one from my scrapper.

Buy a balljoint splitter man, they aren't very expensive and can save money and time no end

I broke two sides without a splitter and the replacement cost was around 140 eur ... A splitter 25

Greetz from Spain !!

Yup a balljoint splitter is your friend here. Halfords used to sell good tools like this but I think they've slowly been slimming down their range. You want the one with a large lever and bolt, not either the one where you hammer on a triangular shaped wedge thing or the one where you screw a bolt direct onto the joint itself. These two types don't generate enough force, don't ask me how I know:oops: Its easy to see how the lever one works, you put the balljoint in the u-shaped piece and then you tighten the bolt which levers the joint off.

There is a ghetto method involving a large lump hammer, but that has to be demonstrated and I don't recommend it cos you have to hit the thing very hard and in the right spot and it does do some damage...admittedly not to a critical area, but meh.

Ghetto BFH methods are all I've ever used on other cars, so I've never had the proper tool
I can't really see how any of the popular types of separator will help, as the problem is the whole joint turning with the nut, meaning it can't be unscrewed If it comes to it, I'll cut the joint off and get a new track rod end, but I'd rather not have the expense.
Cheers lads.

It spins?! Never had that touch wood. I just lent on mine with the 2ft breaker bar, and it came undone luckily. I got the ikkle ball joint splitter, the nut on the rod end direct type, as it was a heck of a lot cheaper, and I've been lucky with it so far

filthyjohn wrote:Ghetto BFH methods are all I've ever used on other cars, so I've never had the proper tool
I can't really see how any of the popular types of separator will help, as the problem is the whole joint turning with the nut, meaning it can't be unscrewed If it comes to it, I'll cut the joint off and get a new track rod end, but I'd rather not have the expense.
Cheers lads.

Have you taken out the split pin that lives inside some types?

It was a plain old nut, which I thought was odd, expected a castle nut with split pin. I think there's just so much rust in the threads that it won't come undone. To get the 'new' strut off the parts car I had to dremel the joint.

It was a plain old nut, which I thought was odd, expected a castle nut with split pin. I think there's just so much rust in the threads that it won't come undone. To get the 'new' strut off the parts car I had to dremel the joint.

Don't tap it whack it!

Jack the car up and undo the nut. Take one big happer and slap the side or the strut where it goes through. A couple of whacks and it will shake loose.

cant you just use a jack to apply a little pressure to it from the bottom and the nut comes undone easy then use a balljoint splitter/2or3 arm puller to free it? or am I thinking of the wrong bit?

Jason B wrote:cant you just use a jack to apply a little pressure to it from the bottom and the nut comes undone easy then use a balljoint splitter/2or3 arm puller to free it? or am I thinking of the wrong bit?

im with this one! if you have not done it yet then put the jack under the balljoint and put loads of pressure on it.

dont lift the car up on it but just enough to stop the balljoint spinning.

i like the hammer way after that get the anger. but DONT use a balljoint splitter that needs the use os a hammer or it will split the boot on the balljoint. i know.


get the jack under the tracking arm and the nut will stop spinning