Dang front springs.. HELP

[HavinSomeFun]

So the PO used cut/heated springs up front and it has been driving me crazy. well I decided to order some and swap them out. I followed the instructions on here http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php?p=4371486 and everything worked great up to the point of it seperating... So how hard to I need to wack the Ball joint or lower control arm to make them seperate?

[Beat68CST]

Get a ball joint press from Auto Zone or somewheres like that. They rent em.

[Classic Heartbeat]

Sometimes you have to hit them pretty hard and others will come loose with lighter blows. Did you leave the lower castle nut on? Just back it off about 1/8" or so untill you have the spindle broken loose. WES

[HavinSomeFun]

Originally Posted by Classic Heartbeat

Sometimes you have to hit them pretty hard and others will come loose with lighter blows. Did you leave the lower castle nut on? Just back it off about 1/8" or so untill you have the spindle broken loose. WES

I removed the castle nut from the lower ball joint on the lower control arm... I'm using my floor jack under it to kind of catch it when it seperates and will hold the spring.. Was thinking about a bottle jack and use it like a reverse press,,maybe press it loose?

[406 Q-ship]

Originally Posted by HavinSomeFun

I removed the castle nut from the lower ball joint on the lower control arm... I'm using my floor jack under it to kind of catch it when it seperates and will hold the spring.. Was thinking about a bottle jack and use it like a reverse press,,maybe press it loose?

The floor jack does not have any of the weight of the truck on it? Right? With the castle nut back on a few threads you will not need to use the floor jack at all. They can be really stubborn, if you get tired of that then move on to the balljoint seporator fork and carefully get the fork between the boot and the spindle.....then beat the snot out of it. Saftey glasses are a must with the fork.

[HavinSomeFun]

Originally Posted by 406 Q-ship

The floor jack does not have any of the weight of the truck on it? Right? With the castle nut back on a few threads you will not need to use the floor jack at all. They can be really stubborn, if you get tired of that then move on to the balljoint seporator fork and carefully get the fork between the boot and the spindle.....then beat the snot out of it. Saftey glasses are a must with the fork.

Correct, no weight on the floor jack. The entire assembly is hanging loose. I did remove the shock also. Put the nut back on a few turns and have beat the heck out of it. I do have a balljoint fork. However, looks like a would destroy the lower balljoint and then have to have another one pressed in... and for the record, I'm no small dude....

[6772owner]

I would put the castle nut back on and just beat the S*%t out of it, I have always been able to seperate them this way. You need to hit right on the side of the spindle by the BJ. I usually use a 2/3# sledge I believe, the weight if the LCA and the spring pressure should assist it coming apart.... good luck! Just my .02

[HavinSomeFun]

I put the nut back on for safety. using a 2 pound hammer and it is stuck good. I figured I would try the other side and it seems to be the same situation. Looks like they have been on forever.. Wonder if heat would help or?

[6772owner]

Heat can be used, but you will have to be very careful if you are trying to save the BJ's, the rubber boot is easy to catch on fire. You could try a good rust breaker too, if they look rusted up. I have had to beat on 05's for awhile to get them to break the factory "seal" you might just keep pounding on it.

[slimone757]

this may sound crazy, but with the castle nut on i wedged something in between the ground arms and lowered the jack. the weight of the truck popped it lose. be extra careful though slow on the jack release

[john]

I've found it helpful to hold a backup hammer on the opposite side of the spindle to distort the hole to pop the joint loose.

[lolife99]

Don't beat the nut,... beat the side of the spindle.
Front side,... then the back side.
I use a 10-16 lb sledge hammer with the handle cut down.
You are trying to "knock" the balljoint taper loose from the spindle's tapered hole.

[HavinSomeFun]

sounds like I need a bigger hammer. I gave up today, after all I am home sick from work..LOL

I did manage to replace my inner fender today, one thing off the list.

Originally Posted by lolife99

Don't beat the nut,... beat the side of the spindle.
Front side,... then the back side.
I use a 10-16 lb sledge hammer with the handle cut down.
You are trying to "knock" the balljoint taper loose from the spindle's tapered hole.

[Classic Heartbeat]

I would say you could try a little heat. Remember don't heat it so much you burn the boots or catch the grease on fire. You are only trying to expand the spindle's tapered hole so that it doesn't grip so hard. Also remember that the casting is pretty thick so you may have to give the heat a little soak time. Just not so much time that it soaks into the ball joint. Something else that you can try is to use a combination of the ball joint seperator and smacking the spindle. WES

[HavinSomeFun]

I'm going to get a bigger hammer, some PB blaster and a small bottle jack to add a few thousand pounds of positive preasure between to two points... Then smack it with a BFH!