Howdy, all.
I've got a beat-up '91 Nissan 2WD pickup that I need to adjust the tie-rods on. The alignment is dead-on, except for the fact that whoever set it did so with the wheel turned about 60 degrees. I've checked the center link, tie rod ends, ball joints, etc. and everything is in excellent shape. The steering box is tight with it turned to 0 degrees, but considerably looser at 60 degrees (as it should be-- confirmed with a known good steering box.) Anyway, I checked the tie-rods and found that one is cranked in most of the way and the other is cranked out most of the way, thus giving my current situation where the steering is 60 degrees off of center.

So, looking at the tie-rods they are of the 'sleeve' type where the tie-rod ends screw into a threaded sleeve which is split down the length and held fast by a collar on each end with a tensioning bolt through it. I loosened those collars and checked to see if the sleeves were loose, but they appear to be pretty darn stuck. There are no facets cut into the sleeves for a wrench, and it seems to me that a pipe wrench or similar will just tighten the sleeve on the ends when force is applied.

So, how do you guys recommend going about adjusting these? (I just want to turn each sleeve the same number of turns, test drive, and repeat as necessary until I get the steering centered again. We've had it into a local alignment place and they wanted to replace lots of parts that I have checked and confirmed to be good. )  

Quoted: You need one of these. It hooks into the slot in the sleeve and you spin the wrench which ever way you want to go. www.mohdparts.com/tein/wranch.jpg

Now THAT makes perfect sense. Thanks!

Quoted: You need one of these and a torch. It hooks into the slot in the sleeve and you spin the wrench which ever way you want to go. www.mohdparts.com/tein/wranch.jpg

Seriously, mechanical advantage may not be enough...

Try soaking it with PB Blaster for a few days before you do the job.  That might be enough.  If you still break the wrench , use a torch to loosen them up.

I heated them for a few minutes last night then soaked them good with PB.

As best I can tell, these things haven't been turned for adjustment in a long time.

Where do guys buy your hook spanners? I like the idea of the crow's foot, especially if I can get enough room to put a breaker bar on it.  

Quoted: I heated them for a few minutes last night then soaked them good with PB. As best I can tell, these things haven't been turned for adjustment in a long time. Where do guys buy your hook spanners? I like the idea of the crow's foot, especially if I can get enough room to put a breaker bar on it.

Heating before PBing probably won't help much.  (It might evaporate before it can penetrate.)  A good procedure for haven't-been-turned-in-a-decade underbody parts is:

For a few days before the operation, soak with PB, then tap firmly several times with a hammer to aid penetration.  Do this several times a day.

On the day of the operation, heat the part red hot and then crank away.

If you use a breaker on that little hook, I can almost guarantee you'll snap it.