I liked Aye Roll's idea for modifying a socket to allow it to be turned by a wrench---and the caution to use quality tools for compressing the spring. However--a tie rod or ball joint fork can be useful if the removed tie rod end is being replaced anyway but that's not always the case. Another poster earlier in the thread suggested smacking the part of the strut/spindle assembly that the tie rod attaches to and that's the method I mostly use -- here's how to do that effectively and safely--loosen the tie rod nut and leave it on the pin a few threads to protect the threads from a errant blow---hit the cast extension dead on in line to the spindle assembly and with the ball joint still attached to the strut and control arm (points not mentioned by the previous poster). The tie rod will pop loose with a couple or three blows with no damage to anything. -- Dave