To remove the taper pins from the center tierod, as well as the ball
joints, etc., you need to use the "bigger hammer" approach:
First make sure that the retaining nut on the taper pin has been loosened,
then get a heavy weight, such as one-pound mechanic's hammer. Next, with
a second hammer, such as a 12-oz ballpeen hammer, do the following: hold
the heavier hammer securely against the exterior ring (female part, such
as the end of the idler or Pitman arm) of the joint, then strongly strike
the opposite side of this ring with the lighter hammer. You may need to
do this a couple of times, but generally one good blow will do it. If you
have the special tool for putting some force on the end of the pin (this
is about $25) it will work even better.
With this technique, only a minimum amount of impact will be transmitted
to the other part of the joint, such as the idler or the steering levers.
I'm not real keene on the "pickle forks." Never had much success with
them, and I don't like the way it stresses other components. However, for
ball joints that are to be replaced, this does not matter.
James A. Ruffner
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