John Deere 3010 Tie rods...are impossible to remove

[kubotal4200]

I've got a JD 3010 from around the 60's its one of the first JD's with power steering.. and that power steering is going out so I need to replace it but to remove it I have to first remove the front end suspension/axle system.. as the power steering box sits directly above all this

I was goin to do this by simply removing the tie rods as their connected to the mainframe independent of the rest then unbolt the whole wheel assembly and use a jack to lower it down while the rest of the tractor is jacked up.. but then the nightmare begins I cannot believe tie rods can be this difficult to remove I have a propane torch a acetylene torch several jacks and some heavy pieces of steel all of which hasn't managed to budge the tie rods one 16th of an inch...
The yellow thing in the picture is part of a hydraulic jack for removing stuck duallies.. It has a 2' foot long jack arm that I was standing on to get it to pump anymore. still didn't work I couldn't take the torch to that one because its too greasy..

the other one is at an angle but I can take the torch to it and I've had it glowing red and just beating the **** out of it and it doesn't budge.... is there something im missing here??? because I'm about to cut it out as necessary and then weld it back together

 

[Oldtink]

I've always just given her a good smack with a 3 lb hammer while applying a down pressure on the tie rod by hand and the darn things just fall out. Looks like you'll have to take the tire off in order to hit in the right direction. Don't smack it sideways......just right on the end of the cast arm.

 

[RickB]

Leave the tie rods alone and take the center steering arm down from the motor. 4 bolts. Done. 8 bolts total and the complete front axle is off. Done.
BTW Deere had been building tractors with power steering since the early 1950's.

 

[Leejohn]

Have you tried a pickle fork tool? There is one other tie rod puller that is made, but I have never used one. I think it's auto zone that rents tools.

 

[kubotal4200]

I think I can get in there without removing the tire at that angle, I've ruined the nut from beating on it directly overhead while standing on the tie rod but the bolts still good.. I've also been smacking it sideways but haven't tried that angle yet.

 

[RickB]

I've always just given her a good smack with a 3 lb hammer while applying a down pressure on the tie rod by hand and the darn things just fall out. Don't smack it sideways......just right on the end of the cast arm.
View attachment 476198

Always worked for me. No heat required. But not the way to do this job.

 

[kubotal4200]

I've looked at those 4 bolts and tried to get em out but 2 of them can't be accessed with a socket until you've removed the wheel assembly and their on their so hard that I've bent my old williams wrench trying to get em off... I might be able to do it if I were to buy or find a modern wrench that was stronger...

 

[ch1ch2]

Looks like you put the heat on the arm. The bolt should be heated to glowing red. It expands, when it cools down it shrinks. Heating the arms makes it tighter.
Some will say it does not matter, and in some cases they are right. But from my experience heat the part you want to get smaller. It will expand with heat and if it has no where to go when it cools, it gets smaller and loose.

 

[kubotal4200]

Thanks guys.. I think I'll try RickB's suggestion after I find a modern wrench and see if I can get those nuts to move.. if i can't I'll be back to the tie rods... and I've got a last resort pickle at my disposal to get me out of this pickle

 

[Tx Jim]

Leave the tie rods alone and take the center steering arm down from the motor. 4 bolts. Done. 8 bolts total and the complete front axle is off. Done.
BTW Deere had been building tractors with power steering since the early 1950's.

Ditto what Rick stated. I've R&R many wide frt axles on 10 & 20 series JD rowcrop tractors doing just a Rick stated.