Stuck Tie rod Geometry Nut - trick

4 months ago
14

Releasing a tight tie rod nut to adjust the front wheel geometry
Alignment playlist https://rumble.com/playlists/UOPMM9DOVhM
If really stuck, use a pipe wrench from your hardware store (google up). A 16" one should have a good leverage and it's cheap.
Never do alignment or work on a car that has been through rain/car wash. Water on threads will rust and literally badly seize nuts/bolts next time.
May also ask a garage to weld a rod on the nut - then just cut the rod when finished.
Many garages tighten these nuts way too hard. Also, as a general rule never work on a car that just has been driven in rain. Water gets on bolt threads, when you tighten back a wet bolt, the water will rust inside the bolt threads and stuck it incredibly hard. Like it multiplies by 2 the removing torque.
If you are skilled with a grinder, you may try cutting the nut down to almost near the threads, then smack it to crack it in two - but work really carefully with the grinder in that tight space. Then unscrew the tie rods all the way and put a new nut and adjust the geometry. If you rather want to replace the inner and outer tie rods together: undo the outer tie rod at the wheel, then the inner tie rod at the steering rack.

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