Spindles STUCK!

[Rc 415]

I've been trying to get the spindles out for hours now, the passenger side I cant get past the steering tie rod, I unbolted it and tried everything to get the bolt thing out of the spindle, it just will not budge. on the drivers side I got the top bolt out of the spindle, and the steering rod bolt, but the botom one is stuck, what can I do??

[87 STEPPER]

If you haven't done so all ready hit them with some penatrating oil like PB Blaster or Marvils Mistry Oil, Note: WD40 Isn't penatrating oil let them soak for an hour and then smack the hell out of the spindle boss that the bolt passes through with the biggest and heavyist hammer you have.

If they still don't brake lose then use some heat like a propane torch or a Oxy/acetylene welder torch if ya have one.

Apply the heat to only the spindle boss that the bolt passes through so it will expand and the bolt will stay the same size then shack the hell out of it with that hammer you have.

That should do it.

If not your SOL.

[piecesparts]

I take it that you are trying to take the spindles off of the upper and lower balljoints? The quickest way is to loosen the ball joint nuts BUT leave them attached to the threads. Take a serious (FORD TOOL) commonly known as a hammer, and hit the spindle where the balljoint goes through it. The truck's front springs will provide the force to seperate the ball joint bolt from the spindle. Do this on the top and bottom mounting pooints until they are both loose from the press-fit, now you can put pressure on the lower A-arm and allow the spindle to be taken loose from the upper and lower arms. NOTE: BE CAREFUL of the front spring at this point and remove the pressure from the lower A-arm to let it free.

I have done this with a floor jack holding the truck up and using a block to lower the truck's lower A-arm onto for the needed pressure. When the spindle was free, then I jacked the truck up slowly.

[OJOE]

if you already have the top loose, put a floor jack under the spendle to get the weight off then whop the hell out of it with a HAMMER. may need a pickel fork

[benoit454]

Everyone says wd40 isn't penetrating, if so then why is it sold with the other penetrating oils and why does it say it penetrates? I've used it forever and it penetrates.

It may not work as good or quickly as others though, but it always worked for me. Sometime it seems to work best if left on overnight, then reapplied the following morning before trying to remove said piece

[gchemist]

You need these.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38649

I just pulled the entire front suspension off my truck. I'm glad I had a fork in my tool box!!

[Rc 415]

Ok, I got every ball joint off but the bottom ones on both spindles, I think I may need a new passenger side steering tie rod, a few of the threads got messed up...

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by benoit454

Everyone says wd40 isn't penetrating, if so then why is it sold with the other penetrating oils and why does it say it penetrates? I've used it forever and it penetrates.

It may not work as good or quickly as others though, but it always worked for me. Sometime it seems to work best if left on overnight, then reapplied the following morning before trying to remove said piece

WD-40 does penetrate some, however it's true calim to fame is to repell water thus the title WD-40 (WD stands for water displacement). It was designed to keep the space shuttle from getting moisture onit when being transported. I use WD-40 for many things, but if I want things to come loose, I use PB Blaster--it works better.

[Restrorob]

Originally Posted by Rc 415

Ok, I got every ball joint off but the bottom ones on both spindles,

Sounds like you went about this the hard way. Always loosen the upper and lower ball joint nuts about 3 to 4 turns and with a jack stand under the frame letting the spring push down on the control arms whack the crap out of them as everybody else stated. The pressure from the spring helps pop them loose.

Now it sounds like you will need a fork to get the lowers broke loose.

[Rc 415]

Originally Posted by Restrorob

Sounds like you went about this the hard way. Always loosen the upper and lower ball joint nuts about 3 to 4 turns and with a jack stand under the frame letting the spring push down on the control arms whack the crap out of them as everybody else stated. The pressure from the spring helps pop them loose.

Now it sounds like you will need a fork to get the lowers broke loose.

Believe me man, I tried my hardest, they just wouldnt budge. Heck I even raised the control arms back up and re connected the top ball joint and was wacking away at the lower, with no luck.

[bigblock79]

Ball Joint Separators And Heat

[benoit454]

Yea I remember seeing on tv about wd40.

I'm gonna have to try some other stuff out next time. I end up using way too much wd on a small job and still takes awhile.

On topic, I've always done the above, backed them off a few turns, or all the way, then put them on a couple threads or make sure the threads are flush with the nute so neither is damaged, then beat on them, or use the special fork tools to seperate them. I found the forks to work great, I have the old style you hit with the hammer, but they make em for air chisels now that be sweet.

[BaddBusa2005]

pb blaster is the shizzle

[Mr79C10]

Originally Posted by BaddBusa2005

pb blaster is the shizzle

WORD!!!!!!

[Slonaker]

I have been able to get my ball joints loose all three times by whacking them with a hammer. Sometimes it was easy, sometimes it was not. Unless you want to replace your balljoints, it is the best way to do it. Otherwise you will have to use a pickle fork, and you'll probably mess some stuff up and have to replace the parts.

Swervin used a home made tool to press his balljoints out of the spindle. I think there are details on his front end rebuild article on 73-87.com.

Slonaker

[cuda]

Why would they care if the space shuttle gets wet?

[Slonaker]

Originally Posted by cuda

Why would they care if the space shuttle gets wet?

WD-40 predates the space shuttle. He was probably confusing the space shuttle with earlier aerospace stuff.


http://www.wd40.com/AboutUs/our_history.html

Slonaker

[OJOE]

Originally Posted by Slonaker

I have been able to get my ball joints loose all three times by whacking them with a hammer. Sometimes it was easy, sometimes it was not. Unless you want to replace your balljoints, it is the best way to do it. Otherwise you will have to use a pickle fork, and you'll probably mess some stuff up and have to replace the parts.

Swervin used a home made tool to press his balljoints out of the spindle. I think there are details on his front end rebuild article on 73-87.com.

Slonaker

to get the lower ball joint out.after the spendle is loose and out of the way just put your floor jack under the front edge of a-frame then knock the hell out of the ball joint and it will pop out thru the bottom. to install new ball joint. hold in place straight and in line w/ a-frame put floor jack under new ball joint and jack up about 3" and pound down on front edge of a-frame until ball joint seats. if your jack has a rubber pad take it off, works better. i have done this a lot and never had a problem.

[Rc 415]

Well, I finally got em out, forks- didnt work, pb blaster- didnt work, had to heat them up and then beat the hell out of them with my 12 lb sledge hammer. Now I need to replace the rubber things on the ball joints, I got the bottom ones off, and the steering tie rods, b ut cant get the uppers, how do they come off & does anyone know the NAPA part #'s for these rubber bushing type things?

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by Slonaker

WD-40 predates the space shuttle. He was probably confusing the space shuttle with earlier aerospace stuff.


http://www.wd40.com/AboutUs/our_history.html

Slonaker

Confusion is my better thing, but it IS the reason for it's creation to protect spacey things. Wanna try to remember how long the shuttle has been around. They flew the stupid thing around the country for years before it went into space. Besides it doesn't rain in space, that is why they want the parts not to corrode on the ground. How would you like to ride that much thrust into space and the stupid thing is all crudded up.

[78chev]

I know it's a little late but I just had to add that believe it or not my DeWalt ELECTRIC impact is always my last resort when something is stuck and it has never failed me even after trying pneumatic tools and penetrating oil.

[Slonaker]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

Confusion is my better thing, but it IS the reason for it's creation to protect spacey things. Wanna try to remember how long the shuttle has been around. They flew the stupid thing around the country for years before it went into space. Besides it doesn't rain in space, that is why they want the parts not to corrode on the ground. How would you like to ride that much thrust into space and the stupid thing is all crudded up.

Yep. You are definitely right about the "spacey things" (I like that term... ), just not the shuttle. In the link from the WD-40 website I posted it says Atlas missiles in 1953. I think, but I am not sure, that the shuttle program was started in the mid or late 70s, and first went up in the very early 80s.

Glad to hear you got it all apart, Rc 415. Isn't front end work fun? It is all about brute force, prying and beating on stuff, and it never seems to be easy.

Slonaker