Is there a trick to this inner tie rod tool

[saskak]

Hi all,

My inner tie rod needs replacing and I thought that is easy enough (M59; 2007). Is there any trick with the big Neilsen/Laser tools (photo attached) to make them work. I screwed the new inner tie rod in, slid the tool over, but it just spins and does want to grab at all. Surfaces are clean (brake fluid), but it just spins. The tool is for 35-45mm ball joints, so it should work.

Is there any trick to this thing or it's somewhat broken. I can see how it operates, friction on the sides, but it does not want to do that on the tie rod ball joint. If I push it with hands, it does start to grip, but not on the tie rod. I resorted at the end using this cheap clamp-type thing (photo attached) which worked with the 80Nm torque, but with too many extensions and with the type of clamp I am not entirely sure if the 80Nm with the torque wrench are achieved. I have threadlocker on it (Liqui Molly green stuff; high strength), but still would have liked to use the direct on the ball joint tool.

Many thanks for any help with this.

Neilsen tie rod tool
   

Cheap over clamp type tool
   

[IHateMyDadsM59Berlingo]

We have one of the Nielsen type tools you've posted at work and the rollers sometimes fail to lock on them making what can be a easy job a nightmare. If it is song that i think its just a case of pray they will catch. I've been stood there for 10 minuets waiting for spinning it and trying everything i could to get the rollers to catch. In the end the only thing i could get in with to tighten the Rod up with was a stillson wrench and gave it an all might heave to make sure it was tight enough. This was on a Mk7 Fiesta mind you so maybe you could get in with a spanner i don't really know.

[saskak]

We have one of the Nielsen type tools you've posted at work and the rollers sometimes fail to lock on them making what can be a easy job a nightmare. If it is song that i think its just a case of pray they will catch. I've been stood there for 10 minuets waiting for spinning it and trying everything i could to get the rollers to catch. In the end the only thing i could get in with to tighten the Rod up with was a stillson wrench and gave it an all might heave to make sure it was tight enough. This was on a Mk7 Fiesta mind you so maybe you could get in with a spanner i don't really know.

Thank you very much indeed for the reply. I stood there forever trying to make it work, but nothing. Took it apart five times and at the end used this other tool with a torque wrench and threadlocker, so it should be alright.