You need a special tool, the most common is a large tuning fork
looking tool, or you can heat it with a torch and hammer it out (not
my first choice,but I've seen many techs do this over the years).
The safest way is to use spring compressors. I've used exhaust "C"
clamps in a pinch. I've seen others use chain or huge "C" clamps
(again, not my first choices).
GM
-----Original Message-----
>Can someone help me with replacing ball joint and tie rods.
>I need to know what i have to do to get the tie rods off of the
car. After
>removing the cotter pin and the nut they still seem to be very very
tight and I
>can't get them off. Do I need a special tool to remove them.
>Secondly, I need to replace my ball joints but I am not sure how to
remove them
>with the spring tensioned. Is there a way of releasing the tension
on the
>spring without using a spring compressor or not?
>
> Thanks, Jamie
>
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