Inner tie rod puller

[pishta]

Are these weird crows foot type insert tools required to pull the inner tie rod or can you grab it with a pipe wrench?

I see a few more designs but I'm not sure I even need this on an SC400 as the rack is in front of the K, on the bottom. Looks like good access from internet pic.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I guess it all depends on whether you can fit a pipe wrench in there. Looks like maybe you can.

 

[Bodyperson]

A monkey wrench or something without teeth. You don’t want to mar the rack. The idea is to not damage the pinion when twisting on the rack.

 

[dano]

I've used them on racks that you can't access from below, mainly FWD and AWD where the rack is behind the engine. What I found poor to some of the inner tie rod designs for racks is the "crush" or deform lock rings you can't access when the new tie rods go in. I will say the tool makes taking them on and off easy.

 

[CFD244]

Are these weird crows foot type insert tools required to pull the inner tie rod or can you grab it with a pipe wrench?
View attachment 1716049126

I see a few more designs but I'm not sure I even need this on an SC400 as the rack is in front of the K, on the bottom. Looks like good access from internet pic.

View attachment 1716049127

Please excuse the ignorance, but how does this tool actually work?

 

[Dicer]

I have always used a "monkey wrench" to remove the ball end from the rack. But again the rack and pinions were out in the open for me to get to.

 

[Bobzilla]

Please excuse the ignorance, but how does this tool actually work?

The tool is basically a socket. It becomes more clear with the boot removed.
The u-shaped insert slips onto the body of the inner tierod like an open end wrench. The large part of the tool goes on over the threaded end of the inner tie rod (with the outer tie rod removed) and interlocks with the u-shaped insert. Then you just use a ratchet and turn that like a socket.
Adding a short video from youtube.

 

[CFD244]

The tool is basically a socket. It becomes more clear with the boot removed.
The u-shaped insert slips onto the body of the inner tierod like an open end wrench. The large part of the tool goes on over the threaded end of the inner tie rod (with the outer tie rod removed) and interlocks with the u-shaped insert. Then you just use a ratchet and turn that like a socket.
Adding a short video from youtube.

Thanks for taking the time to explain and post. After watching the video, I see what @Bodyperson was saying about twisting the rack. The video showed a machined area on the rack presumably to back the tool up with a wrench.

 

[pishta]

pipe wrench did it, no drama. I can see where this tool would be necessary but this one was easy, exposed. Taking off the passenger one opposite the valve was super easy: crank the wheel to the right (front rack) and the end will literally come you you. Tap off the bend in the lock washer and get a pipe wrench on the round ball end (the flats are too narrow for a Crescent, maybe a narrow 1 1/4 open end?) of the inner tie rod, NOT THE RACK! give it a bump with your hand or a 3 lb sledge and it should loosen easily as the lock washer will prevent it from backing off, not the torque. Put the new one back on and flatten the tabs against the flats of the ITR. Thread the tie rod end back on and mount up. I didnt even seperate the tie rod end, I just loosened the ITR until the OTR threaded off. Getting the new OTR threaded is a little more difficult as the adjuster is tight in the socket as it should be. I marked the tire position with a laser on a trash can before I removed the tire and adjusted the new one so the laser mark lined up again. Easy peasy. If you don't run into a hang up, you can do a side in 30 minutes easily. Boot was reused with original strap and clamp but the new ITR had a smaller diameter than the original and the outer boot clamp would not snug it on.

 

[pishta]

The tool is basically a socket. It becomes more clear with the boot removed.
The u-shaped insert slips onto the body of the inner tierod like an open end wrench. The large part of the tool goes on over the threaded end of the inner tie rod (with the outer tie rod removed) and interlocks with the u-shaped insert. Then you just use a ratchet and turn that like a socket.
Adding a short video from youtube.

My ITR was a different style with the flats on the large round portion, not a nut behind it. Plenty of meat to clamp onto with a pipe wrench. I was wondering what those smaller feet fit and now I know. Why they dont make the flats like a hex is probably a .50 cost issue as that woul dallow you to grab the flats with a standard ~1 3/16 open end and more importantly at the correct angle. My flats torqued were right across the top on both ITR's Not the best to get a wrench on but with a pipe wrench it doesnt matter.

 

[Bobzilla]

That would work on some applications, like it sounds like yours would. But a majority of rack and pinion setups were on front wheel drive cars where there is no room for regular wrenches or pipe wrenches. There was barely enough room for this style of tool on those.