ok well my ball joint is shot on my outer tie rod arm. im trying to remove the arm but i cant get the locking nut to get lose? any tricks or anything...... i turn the locking nut clockwise right? to get it away from the arm? anywho i cant get this thing to budge. please help

 

Front trailing arm, wtf mate? I assume you mean the front lower control arm, and what exactly is problematic with the bolt? When you try to unfasten it does the bolt spin as well, or is it a case where you just can't get it free?

*All statements made with the assumption that you were talking about the nut on the lower most balljoint that connects the lower control arm to the knuckle.

 

ugh im sorry i was dropped as a child i mean tie rod. wow i dont know what i was thinking. i'll edit myself =P

 

Yes, turn the locknut clockwise as you sit at the wheel well. I disconnected the ball joint first, for more maneuverability (and for those who need to retain the original ball joint, so the BJ taper does not get destroyed by the forces used to free the locknut/outer tie rod). Two tricks:

1. Three treatments of the penetrating oil "PB Blaster" over about a week. Spray or drip on both sides of the locknut. I think driving after the PB Blaster is applied helps it to penetrate. I had no luck without PB Blaster. I do not like applying massive force to these parts, since if they are distorted, count on having alignment problems. Use the PB Blaster.

2.
I found it easier to free everything by putting a 22 mm (or 7/8-inch; not sure it is the same size on the 88-91 Civic/CRX) wrench on the locknut, brace this wrench against the lower control arm, then use an adjustable wrench on the square part of the outer tie rod, about 2 inches from the inboard end, sometimes with a pipe over the end to add a longer torque arm. Turn the outer tie rod counter-clockwise.

I just changed the outer tie rod ball joint boots and the inner tie rod dust boots in the last few days on my 93 Civic DX.

 

a good kick does the trick.

PB blaster helps in all situations.

it helps to lock the tie rod itself with a properly sized wrench and lock it against hte axle or something.

 

ya i actually replace my buddys whole rack and pinion and his tie rods but everything was new when i put it on and it was awhile ago. ya i put the 22mm on the lock nut and a 19mm(i believe) on the tie rod and tried turning the arm counter clockwise and the lock nut clockwise and it wont even budge. i just put some pb blaster on it and am letting it sit for a sec. man this is ridiculous


also.... i wont hurt the inner tie rod will i? can i even hurt it?

 

no, the inner tie rod will just rotate. its just another balljoint. but rotating the tie rod excessively and forcefully will hurt the outer tie rod balljoint. so thats why its good to lock the tie rod.

 

ok new problem....

i finally got that lock nut off and i cant geet the tie rod off.... everything just keeps spinning...... what the crap do i do?

 

youre supposed to lock the inner tie rod. just before the boot.

its a 14mm i believe.

 

oh dang i didnt even see that. i'll take a look in a bit. i can only handle so much frustration an hour =P