Tierod seal
- Thread starter arkadillo
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Bird
Rest in Peace
Sure it can be replaced. I think Kubota just calls it a "dust cover". There is a special tool for separating the tie rod ends, although I know a lot of mechanics use a big hammer instead./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Bird
Bird
Bird
Rest in Peace
Boatman, I never heard 'em called a pickle fork before, but that's the reason I didn't give a name for the tool./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I've heard 'em called tuning fork, ball joint separator, tie rod spreader, pitman arm wedge, etc./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Bird
Bird
RichNJ
Silver Member
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2001
- Messages
- 111
- Location
- Clinton, New Jersey
- Tractor
- Kubota L4310 HST, GE ElekTrak, Cub Cadet 125
I just replaced the left tie rod on my L4310. It was easy. I have a ball joint removal tool. It is 3/4" thick steel bent into a "C" shape. First remove the ball joint nut and then use the tool. One side of the C slips under the dust boot and the other side of the C has a BIG fine threaded screw that pushes on the end of the threaded part of the ball joint.
Before I got the tool I would use a large pry bar (6 to 10 ft) on the tie rod near the end I was removing. Then with a large hand mallet hit the middle of the "circle" where the conical part of the ball joint slips into. By hitting it in the middle it defroms the area very, very slightly thus allowing the ball joint to pop out. AFter 2 or 3 good solid hits it will pop out.
Never ever hit the threaded part of the ball joint where the nut goes on. It will deform the threads and you will never get the nut back on.
Before I got the tool I would use a large pry bar (6 to 10 ft) on the tie rod near the end I was removing. Then with a large hand mallet hit the middle of the "circle" where the conical part of the ball joint slips into. By hitting it in the middle it defroms the area very, very slightly thus allowing the ball joint to pop out. AFter 2 or 3 good solid hits it will pop out.
Never ever hit the threaded part of the ball joint where the nut goes on. It will deform the threads and you will never get the nut back on.
Bird
Rest in Peace
<font color=blue>Never ever hit the threaded part of the ball joint where the nut goes on</font color=blue>
Rich, I'm still not sure I'd recommend it, but I watched mechanics in a shop that did a lot of front end work and they never used one of the tie rod separators; they just backed that castle nut to barely above the end of the threads, then hit it with a 2# hammer. I tried it once; didn't come loose, and the mechanic said, "No, no, no, you've got to HIT it." They definitely did not pull their punches with that hammer./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I was afraid of breaking something with their method, but in 4 months there, I never knew of one of them to break anything.
Bird
Rich, I'm still not sure I'd recommend it, but I watched mechanics in a shop that did a lot of front end work and they never used one of the tie rod separators; they just backed that castle nut to barely above the end of the threads, then hit it with a 2# hammer. I tried it once; didn't come loose, and the mechanic said, "No, no, no, you've got to HIT it." They definitely did not pull their punches with that hammer./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif I was afraid of breaking something with their method, but in 4 months there, I never knew of one of them to break anything.
Bird
