Short: Can't get outside tie rod end off, car will be towed/impounded (likely with damange to car since it has a tie rod off) at 5pm tomorrow.
After figuring out that a bent tie rod was the cause of my steering wandering to the right, iI decided to replace the damn thing. Ordered the new part, and planned to follow diesel giant's writeup. (
http://www.dieselgiant.com/mercedes%20tie%20rod%20rr1.htm )
The inside end came off quickly, a couple of strikes from the hammer on the fork level and then a yank on the lever
The outside (tire side) end is a different story...
I've smacked the thing (with a very big hammer) from every angle imaginable, including the hammer right onto the threaded part on top. Also tried yanking on it both up and down, and spraying WD-40 to try to loosen it up. Roughly four hours later, it looks like it hasn't moved. I did suceed in moving the wheel at one point. I've tried to lever it out both with the other end in and out... nothing.
The great catch is that I am doing this on school (college) grounds, parked (illegally, during the day) across two spots that I'm not permitted to park in. I've been granted a stay until 5pm tomorrow to have the car out of where it is. There are places I could park it not far off... but I can't move it with a tie rod out, can I? The grease boots on both ends of the current rod are completely torn up. I figure there's something I'm not doing right to get the end out, because it seems to have been a relatively simple procedure for everyone else who's tried it.
Anyone have any ideas? Any help is appreciated.