Need steering rack Help!

I am trying to remove my old steering rack to put a new one in. And I am trying to get the tie rod ends removed from the pitman arm, I think its the pitman arm.
Anyway, I got one side out using brute force since all I had was a crowbar. And that worked. The other side however is impossible. I tried using a crowbar. I have tried a puller. Every time I use the puller it gets tight and then one fo the arms will pop out having me start over again. I have tried using the sprays to help loosen it. Even with the correct puller like I should have been using from the start, its still not coming undone.
I need some help because its making my blood boil with frustration.

A quick and easy method I just saw on Wheeler Dealers was to loosen but NOT the nut on the tie rod and hit the arm a few times with a hammer, not too hard as to damage the arm mind you. In the episode the tie rod popped up after 2-3 taps of the hammer. The reason for not removing the bolt is to ensure the tie rod won't shoot out causing injury or mechanical damage.

I can try it, but the puller keeps popping out. Any reason why the tie rod is on there so tight? I tried hitting it with hammers, and using a crow bar to pry it like on the other side which worked. This side just seems impossible

According to the factory manual you are supposed to use tool 18G 1063 to detach the tie rod ends from the steering levers (thats what they called them). That tool looks like the one attached to this message. It appears that it basically pressed the ball joint out of the steering levers. This tool is still in existence. Look for a Wilmar Ball Joint Separator W83022. I found one on ebay for a very reasonable $25.19 (specially since amazon lists this one for nearly double that.

Of course there is also the more common fork type which requires the use of a hammer of some kind.

Why wouldn't the puller I bought be working? Is there a reason it is on there to tight? The other side came out. Wasnt easy, but much easier then this side.

What kind of puller is it? A three jaw puller really isn't designed for this. BTW one other option is to just replace both the arm and the balljoint together. Thats what I did.

Its a two jaw puller. No matter how I do it, one jaw keeps popping out. Ive tried clamping the jaws tight together and everything but one side keeps popping it out making it useless. Im sooo frustrated by it because I have no idea why its on there so tight. With all that I have tried you would think it would slowly make progress, but its just as tight as it was when I started. In order to take the arm off with it, I would need to remove the entire spindle. Which at this point doesn't sound like a terrible idea.

Actually I see a diagram online and the arm is what, just 2 bolts holding it on? Maybe tomorrow I will try doing that instead and remove all at once like you did. Ill need to clean up alot of dirt to try to find the bolts.

Yep, even a two jaw puller is designed for hub work really. What you need is a ball joint separator. However unless you are really concerned with maintaining the present toe in settings (which you will want to check anyhow once the new rack is in) its just easier to remove the arms and unscrew the tierod ends. yes its just two bolts on each side with some locktabs to pry back (if memory serves me right). Just be sure to torque them up really good when you reassemble it. I know what its like to drive when one of those bolts falls out. Believe me, if that happes and a cop has been watchng you try to keep the car on the road, it will be hard to convince him that you aren't drunk and that the car should be given a DUI not you.

[url=http://www.wayfair.com/K-Tool-International-Ball-Joint-Separator-Pickle-Fork-KTI-71502-IJI1244.html?refid=GPA49-IJI1244&gclid=CIXbwveLkq4CFYXd4AodexSeJg]Pickle Fork.[/url] Be prepared to replace your tie rod end boots after you do this job.

Or do it this way: [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ428hwJn38]John Twist's tutorial on MG tie rod end removal.[/url]

Thanks for the tips. I have a new rack and new tie rods so the old ones are junk to me. And im not worried about toe right now, since it wont be driven for awhile.

I used the fork method, which I got for maybe 10 bucks from the local Autozone/NAPA/what-have-you. It's going to take some GOOD whapping with a hammer to get that tie-rod out. If you need to loosen it up some you can try jacking up the a-arm to give the steering arm/tie-rod some slack.

You can get a tie rod splitter from NAPA for $12 that works great. Looks like the factory tool shown in the previous posts.

The NAPA 775-9095 lever type splitter did the trick for me. Its the only way to go.
Picked up one from NAPA for $12. They are very heavy duty and look like they are designed to be used on even bigger tie rod ends. Worked great, what a relief to hear the pop when they finally break loose.

Ok, running into another problem here. I am trying to remove the two bolts for the steering arm. But the locktab ends are folded up and flush with the bolt, thus making impossible to turn the bolt unless the tab is folded away from the bolt.
The tab however like ti stated is flush with the bolt, so how can I fold this away from the bolt? Is there a trick to it?
Im pretty sure they are suppose to be bent up around the bolt to prevent it from coming loose but I cant seem to de-bend it

Use a junk screwdriver or a chisel and drive it in the (small) gap.

Get the scissors style ball-joint separator, you will use it over and over on lots of cars!

pickel forks never work for me.

One tip.

Put pressure on the joint with the separator and walk away. come back and tighten a little more then walk away. Three to four times and it will be magically loose the next time you visit it.

Screw the ball joint at this point. Ill just take the arms off, but even those are driving me nuts. One sides its jointed with the bolt and has become one solid piece of metal. The other side looks like its out far enough to unbolt it but its just slowly stripping the bolt head. Its driving me nuts I just might have to remove the entire spindle with everything on it or something. I have no idea why this thing is giving me so many problems. The other side of the car is brilliant, its just the one side.

Not unusual for a car around as long as these all have been for one side to have been completely replaced (or at least fully disassembled) at some point. Collision, dead bearing, shot shock, fractured a-arm, whatever.

Mine had a "somewhat" OK RF corner and a really shot LF corner. RF came apart OK and most of the stuff was worn but not too bad. LF did NOT want to come apart nice-like, the bushes were flat out gone and the a-arm was fractured. Further investigation (and a stock tag or two still in place!) indicated that the "little fender bender" for which the trunk area had been expertly repaired (old, will have to be re-done) also mangled the front. Radiator support is now a @#%$#%&%$ bugger due to it.

In any event, I suggest you try again on the tie-rod end.

If you are really going to rebuild this corner, then try removing the hub and applying HEAT to burn off/melt the grease/dirt residue and try the steering arm again.

Oh, a pitman arm is a lot like a bell-crank but with one arm, it pivots on a shaft at one end (bell-cranks have at least two ends and pivot in the "middle").

If you want a real bucket of yucks, try doing a brake job on any vehicle with tapered (not splined) axles!

I've used pickle forks forks for years & never had one fail when using the appropriate sized BFH & a little heat on the REAL stubborn ones.

Keep at it, you'll get it.

I'm sure it's getting frustrating right about now...

Another method I use all the time is heat from a MAPP gas torch to expand the knuckle-end hole a bit. Works every time without busting boots or bleeding knuckles..

Heat can surely be your friend when working with OLD & RUSTY joints, shafts, etc.

X(

I finally got it off. Issue is now resolved. Just need to get the arm off the other side and ill be good. What I had to do was break the middle of the lock tab and get the bolts to just spin with half a locktab with it :)