Rusted cotter pins......

[Buckgnarly]

...are one of my pet peeves. I can't say how many times I have had to replace a ball joint/tie rod end because of the damn things. They always break, leaving the two pieces in the hole, and even small punches don't work to get what's left in out.

Throw out some ides/tools of how to get the damn things out.....and people who do not live in the rust belt need not apply!

 

[tatra]

if replacing the part, torch , or drill them out.........and i have dealt with my share of rusted **** here....... i feel your pain bro......

 

[ptschram]

I just put an impact on them and bust the nuts off and replace.

Given the rust, in most cases, I don't even bother trying to remove ball joints from the rods they're in.

You can pay me four hours to remove your tie rod ends and hope the threads are intact, or you can pay me a coupla hundred to replace the tie rods as well.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I just put an impact on them and bust the nuts off and replace.

Given the rust, in most cases, I don't even bother trying to remove ball joints from the rods they're in.

You can pay me four hours to remove your tie rod ends and hope the threads are intact, or you can pay me a coupla hundred to replace the tie rods as well.

That's usually the results I get. The IR2135 runs the nuts off, but leaves the damn body of the pin in.

 

[Brad54]

I always straighten the tabs first, then put one jaw of a needle nose pliers into the open head, and use a hammer on the side of the pliers to drive the head out.

It's always worked about 8 or 9 out of 10 times. If it rips through the head, now I have two pieces of the pin in there... I try to break them off as close to the stud as possible, on both sides of the ball joint stud, and then just run the nut down off them... usually if there's a little tab or bit of the cotter pin sticking out, the nut requires a little more *** behind it.

After that, if I'm not replacing the ball joint or tie rod, I now have better access to everything and can drive the remainders out with the properly sized drift pin.

I grew up in the rust belt, and play with antique cars--even southern cars will have rusted bits after 50 years.
-Brad

 

[NUTTSGT]

Like Brad, I have used some needle nose vise grips on them. Generally smacking, well lightly tapping with a hammer, to draw them out.

 

[tcsalvage]

i take out a lot of cotter pins and the best way i've found is with a pair of side cutters, straighten out the pin or cut it flush then take the nose of the cutters and gently but firmly grab the pin and pry it out by using the nut as a folcrum moving it about a 1/16 at a time then regrabbing and moving it again. i very rarely spin the nut over them because it costs me money.

 

[joecon]

I have broken off lots of coterpins.I have gust spun the nut off then
ether used a small punch ether a drift with a flat end or one i ground a
point on to knock it out or drilled it out with a small bit. The stud is harder
than the pin so this workes better than it sounds.gust dont brake off the bit.

 

[srmofo]

I usually use side dykes to get them out, but when they are stubborn and freeze up, I just cut them as short as possible and run the nut off.

Follow it up with a punch and hope it taps out easily. (do this BEFORE knocking the stud out of the taper, it helps to hold it solid ). Dont waste too much time on here.

If that doesn work, center punch it. Then I just grab the drill and finish it off. Cotter keys are SOFT and drill very very easily. The hardened shaft you're going through helps to guide the bit. I've NEVER had to replace a part because the cotter key was stuck.

 

[darkzero]

I do the same, I use cutters on them, then pull the rest out with some pliers. I serviced mostly Hondas & I'm in SoCal so rust is really not an issue but I use stainless steel cotter pins on my truck anyway.

 

[klarmie]

before you cut the pin use your air impact hammer with a wide faced hammer head and vibrate against a flat of the nut, at the same time shoot a little Marvel or other penetrant oil on the pin. Usually works the oil down in and loosens the rust.

 

[4EyedTurd]

I tried pulling a cotter pin out with a pair of vise grips locked on, when the pin finally came out I wasn't expecting it and busted my lip with the handle. I've learned better ways to pull them

 

[Slowboat]

It's a bummer too, because SS or Bronze cotter pins are really cheap, and used all the time on Sailboats.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I tried pulling a cotter pin out with a pair of vise grips locked on, when the pin finally came out I wasn't expecting it and busted my lip with the handle. I've learned better ways to pull them

Thats why I tap on them with a ballpeen.

 

[rockchucker]

Straighten the ends then I take a pair of Needle Nose and stick one of the Needles into the round end on the Cotter Pin. Tap with a Hammer on the edge of the Pliers. If the Cotter Pin breaks then I use the Dykes with a leverage against the Nut method mentioned above.

If you want to save the Pins though I always use the one Needle of Needle Nosed Pliers in the Loop part of the Cotter Pin. This way they are not compromised by the Dykes cutting into the Pin. If you can't get to the Loop then straighten the ends and tap with a Hammer until you can get the Needle Nose in there.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Impact the nut off shearing the pin in the process. Then a small pin punch (same diameter as the offending cotter pin) that is broken off or shortened to about half an inch at the tip. In a punch/chisel holder, good swift smack with the deadblow hammer. Viola! Cotter pin out the backside! 30 years in Chicago/Milwaukee talking here!

 

[Mikefromcny]

I deal with this on a daily basis. Heat up nut/threaded shaft as much as you can without harming any, and gingerly try to pull it out. If it doesnt come out, try again. 95% percent of the time they come out, I use side dykes usually. If you can safely heat it "cherry red", grab it quick and yank it out. I'm done with small punches and trying to drill them out.

 

[Dmaxman]

I usually use side dykes to get them out, but when they are stubborn and freeze up, I just cut them as short as possible and run the nut off.

Follow it up with a punch and hope it taps out easily. (do this BEFORE knocking the stud out of the taper, it helps to hold it solid ). Dont waste too much time on here.

If that doesn work, center punch it. Then I just grab the drill and finish it off. Cotter keys are SOFT and drill very very easily. The hardened shaft you're going through helps to guide the bit. I've NEVER had to replace a part because the cotter key was stuck.

Same here. Its just a bonus when really do come out.

 

[jamesc]

A guy at my work uses an automatic centre punch. he tries for probably 1-2 mins to get them out before touching the nut then if the don't come out with side cutters or picks he impacts the nut off, leaving a plugged hole. the he just automatic centre punches them until they are out. it seems to work well.

I have been lucky lately and haven't had a really stuck one on anything that wasn't beening replaced, I usally just hammer them through with a pin punch. and drill as a last resort

 

[ZRX61]

i take out a lot of cotter pins and the best way i've found is with a pair of side cutters, straighten out the pin or cut it flush then take the nose of the cutters and gently but firmly grab the pin and pry it out by using the nut as a folcrum moving it about a 1/16 at a time then regrabbing and moving it again. i very rarely spin the nut over them because it costs me money.

That.

 

[rodknocker]

There's any easier way, grab the open end of the cotter pin with a good set of needle nose pliers, move it up (towards the groove cut in the castle nut)and back to the nut, unitl it breaks then use a punch and punch it out. I used to try the dykes and cut it, and I've marred a bunch of threads trying to just use the nut to shear it off, the above has worked best for me.