ECGS Bushing Installation Issue and assistance request

2014 Tacoma Sport 4x4. My front diff is leaking. So i'm doing the ECGS bushing needle bearing replacement while i'm in there replacing the oil seal. The problem is I cannot get the tie rod end free. I got the axel nut off, thought I was home free. Broke the tie rod removal tool.

Question: any way to get the axel out without removing the tie rod?

 

you dont have to remove anything more than the two bolts that hold the lower ball joint to the spindle and maybe the swaybar end link off the knuckle. then you can swing everything out of the way plenty good to do the ECGS bushing and the seal.

 

Yea, leave the tie rod alone. Just get the cv started to move and after you get it moving you should be able to just move the hub outta the way if you take of the two bottom bolts. I did mine the was @nd4spdbh said and while it’s a pain it was probably less of a pain. Just not a whole lotta room to work. I used the pry bar and hammer on mine.
I used locktite on those 2 bottom bolts when I put it back together, the lower strength one, don’t remember if it was red or blue. Good luck!

 

OK. So I don't need to break the coilover loose? I'll give it it a go.

 

I replied to you without realizing it was you. You might still need to remove the sway bar to move the hub outta the way. If that’s stuck put the nut back on there backwards and hit it to pop it off, if that makes sense. To get the cv to pop out, depending what your using, try a few times then spin it a little, try again, spin and repeat.

 

Axel is free. Lunch break.

Thank guys.

 

I’ve never in my life needed a tie rod removal tool. You just take a 3lb hammer and smack here and it pops apart.

 

Its out

 

Give it a good hard slam to get it back in. After working forever with mine I realized I was being too easy with it. Orient the c-clip on the bottom and then give it a hard shove to slam it home

 

were you replacing the whole axle?

 

No. Leaky F_diff seal.