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OK i am either having an old man moment or big brain fart....Can anyone advise me on how to get the INNER tie rods off .....A 2007 Honda Element Ex....
NO wrench or crows foot will go around it since the mounting bracket bolt is in the way.....
Do you have to remove the complete rack assy and service them on the bench??????? Please tell me that is not the case......Or is there a $700.00 special Snap on tool i need to buy?????

I have Snap ON Blue Point YA3000D tool for inner tie rods. Have not done a Pilot but it has worked on everything I have needed it for since I bought it. Might be worth looking into.

Lisle makes one that is a tube about 18 inches long that has four different crows foot wrenches that fit over the flats on the tie rod, then the tube goes over that and engages two ears on the crows foot. wrench to turn it

The inner tie rod is 21 1/2 inches long.... no inner tie rod tool i have seen has that long of a reach... Plus there is a bolt on one side that is skin close to the tie rod so you cant slip anything over it.

I've run into a few tie rods that were too long for the standard issue tie rod tools. In every case the Mayhew Pro 29910 was just long enough to get the job done. I do not have any direct experience with the Element, but it's worth a try. That tool is longer than the others.

Sorry for the late reply and hope it's done but I made a tool out of a pipe wrench. Removed almost the complete handle, shaved the head down a bit, made a steel sleeve that fit nice and snug to the remaining portion of the handle and welded a beat up impact socket (3/4) to it and away I go. I've had to loosen racks before and learned that on occasion shimming and tightening to give me space and security was necessary to keep rack from getting beat to hell worked. Removing any slop will make for a crisp grip and steady pressure. Remember you need to think about how your going to install the new one securely before removing the old one. We had one where the tech was all proud he got something off and then saw a secure install was impossible. Good Luck.

ricmorin wrote:I've run into a few tie rods that were too long for the standard issue tie rod tools. In every case the Mayhew Pro 29910 was just long enough to get the job done. I do not have any direct experience with the Element, but it's worth a try. That tool is longer than the others.

I have no idea if this will work on the Element either but I have this tool and it's awesome. Since getting it a few years ago I have not used any other tool. I would highly recommend it.

Just took rack out and did it on bench...

After you removed it did you see any other way to do it? Sometimes when we have a job like yours where we think there should be an easier way but see none we discover something during the removal or installation process that gives us an idea. Right now my front end suspension and steering repair sales are low but in the spring I expect the usual surge and am always looking for ways. I'm extremely old school and was taught by one of the best Flat Rate Mechanics when I first began working on vehicles. Sometimes the quickest way is the longest, meaning there is no trick or corner cutting way. Other times there are ways to cut the time in half. I have a set of Aluminum Plumbers Pipe Wrenches of all sorts of variable sizes, shapes and designs and I can get them just about anywhere to loosen something. I guess by thinking like, looking at, and being an old timer it's easier to see if there is an easier way. One time I broke a tie rod tool at night and needed the car done. I took a piece of fence pipe that slid over the inner knuckle nice and snug, drilled a 5/16 hole through, ran a hardened bolt through and nut it. Using a large pipe wrench I latched onto the fence pipe and popped it free that way. I was extremely careful not to damage the threaded portion of the tie rod. Old School I guess. Good luck and remember learning is part of the job as well.