Tie-rod end tool

[pmbrunelle]

I'm looking to get a tool to separate tie-rod ends from knuckles (Fiero knuckles, but also on other vehicles).

I like to apply some sort of tension on the tapered stud, and then while the joint is under tension, I smack the knuckle (distorting the tapered hole) with a hammer to jolt the tapered stud free.

Currently, I use a crowbar (wedged as required) to apply the tension, which is pretty crude.

Princess Auto has these two types of tools:

Gear puller style

Gear-puller style.jpg (12.25 KiB) Viewed 1453 times

Looks like it won't slip, pulls straight.
Screw may cause clearance issues in some cases? Probably not, wheelwells are big.
Fingers may damage the paint on the knuckle.

See-saw style

See-saw style.jpg (9.24 KiB) Viewed 1453 times

Bulk of the tool is off to the side, not above the castellated nut.
Risk of interference with tie-rod end rubber boot?
No sharp surfaces biting into the knuckle.
Will the slope of the arm touching the tapered stud cause the tool to be pushed off?

Opinions / suggestions?

[The Dark Side of Will]

I've had the see-saw style a couple of years now. Separating ball joints and tie rod ends went from barbaric to surgical. No hammers necessary; just tighten the bolt until the taper fit pops. You can have your face right next to it with ZERO expectation of injury or discomfort. It is THAT cut and dried. The tool mostly stays in place after the taper pops, so recovery is even drama free.

I have not used the gear puller style, but I can imagine that while it could just pop the taper by tightening the screw, I also suspect that the tool might go flying when the taper pops... similar to the way my puller went flying when the van's rear brake rotor came loose. You also have to hold the legs while tightening the screw, while the see-saw tool can be operated with one hand once in place.

[pmbrunelle]

I ordered the gear puller style tool, mainly because for those two specific tools from Princess Auto, the gear puller style tool had good user reviews.

The see-saw tool had bad reviews, though they were related to the quality/robustness of the specific tool, and not relating to the see-saw concept in general.