Customer Reviews

OTC 7315A Universal Tie Rod End Remover

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is one of the better press tools for tie rod ends to be pressed out of the steering arm since the tool is the most steady & stable for the job. The seesaw/lever tools can sometimes be scary. This press tool itself, despite it's stability, is not what does all of the work. I tighten the tool as much as feels comfortably possible without damaging the tool. More often than not, the rod end does not pop out. Therefore you apply sharp blows with a hammer on the knuckle/steering arm to "shock" the rod end and make it pop out of it's stuck position. Works like a charm.

I've worked on cars since I was about 14 (30+ years). I've always used a pickle fork to remove rod ends; beating and banging on things, tearing up parts and knuckles. For whatever reason I decided to buy this OTC rod end remover to use on a Jeep my son recently purchased. I think the title of the review says it all-snug that baby up, put a turn or two on it, and POP, the rod end is off-no drama. The quality of the tool is outstanding and it's a pleasure to use.

I can honestly say that this is the best tool of this type out there, made it look easy cos it was easy. It has fit a lot of Mercedes, Bmw, Volkswagen and Alfa Romeo. I am sure it fits other brands too. Worth it.

The tie rod end remover seems weel built and does the job it is built for. As with any good tool that is all I want.

I had bought it from different place, marketed there specifically as ball joint remover (not tie rod remover), but it's the same tool, that never worked for me - worse, it almost destroyed the threads on ball joint's bolt, and never removed the ball joint, anyway.
1 - the part that is supposed to push on the bolt is shaped to fit the bolt end, inviting user to put it over the bolt with the nut removed - wrong! This little pusher has freedom to move, so if (or, rather when) tool moves around, it'll skew to one side and smash bolt threads there.
2 - the tool starts rotating and generally moving around when used - it'll try to rotate when its bolt is being tightened hard, moving itself off center, causing issue #1 and not being efficient due to pushing off the bolt's center. The shape of the tool makes it nearly impossible to prevent rotation.
3 - not sure if that was just particular tool that I got, but either mating surface is not perpendicular to the bolt axis, or it starts bending under pressure - when tightened hard, it'll just start slipping off the control arm, requiring user to control one more direction...
Returned, and swore to never use this type of tool. It may or may not work on lighter applications - however, that'd be a wild guess, as design flaws still apply.