Spreading front a-arms... HELP ME!!

[randomhero472]

Guys, i cant seem to get the spindle loose from the control arms, i've fooled with is all afternoon and nothing, i just bought a 32" pry bar.. still nothing, how do you guys get these things loose??? They were just apart last year! HELP!!!

[jlaird]

did you try a pickle fork? either with a hammer or a pnuematic one?

[scotts62]

Try using a pretty hefty hammer and hitting the spindle on the side where the ball joint goes through spindle, that always works for me.

[randomhero472]

Originally Posted by jlaird

did you try a pickle fork? either with a hammer or a pnuematic one?

dont have one.. but i'm thinking thats what we ended up using last time, where can i purchase one, im in a big city.. thanks

[79gmcsierragrande]

My dad had a pneumatic pickle fork that I borrowed a few times to do front end work and it took forever. I moved to Colorado and could not borrow it this last time so I bought one of the hold and hammer kind and it took 4 hits to remove the tie rod ends. Anyways a long way of telling you I recommend the $5-$10 hand held one you can get at any auto parts store. When I removed my ball joints recently I used a 25 ton press and a snap-on 3/8 extension, but you use what you’ve got.

[79gmcsierragrande]

Pictures

[texastrendz]

first thing, make sure your suspension is at ride height, yes ride height, then take a sledge and hit the flat spot on your spindle, not the ball joint, the thing should pop right apart. if the suspension is not compressed everything is in a bind, trust me on this, it works

[scotts62]

Originally Posted by texastrendz

first thing, make sure your suspension is at ride height, yes ride height, then take a sledge and hit the flat spot on your spindle, not the ball joint, the thing should pop right apart. if the suspension is not compressed everything is in a bind, trust me on this, it works

[LONGHAIR]

The "pickle fork" thing is only good if you are replacing that joint. They destroy the rubber boots and force against the joint in an un-healthy manner.
If you just need the joint seperated for other reasons like, replacing spindles, changing springs, etc. and don't need to replace the joint itself, don't use the "fork".

The "Hammer" method is much better.
Loosen but don't totally remove the nut from the joint. Spin it about half way off, but leave it so that all of the threads are engauged. This will leave you about 1/2" of a gap between the bottom of the nut and the spindle surface.
Strike the side of the spindle, where the stud comes through. A huge hammer is not necessary, medium sized with some speed behind it works well. This should all be done with the suspension "hanging", if you raise the suspension, you take the spring pressure away from it. There is plenty of spring pressure against the lower control arm.
If you are just replacing springs, seperate the lower ball joint and leave the upper attached. If you are changing the spindle itself seperate the lower first, leaving the nut on after you have "popped" it. This leaves the pressure on the upper. It can be removed the same way. After everything is popped loose, put a floor jack under the lower control arm and raise it enough to see the upper control arm begin to raise too. This takes the spring pressure off. You can then remove the nut/s. Then, it depends on why you are taking this apart.
If you are replacing the spindle:
Leave the jack pressure as it is. Lift the upper control arm off of the spindle. Lift the spindle off of the lower arm. Reverse to install.
If you are replacing the spring:
Slowly lower the jack and the spring pressure will push the lower arm down and out of the spindle. When it gets all of the way down, pull the jack out.
Keep your hands out of this at this point, there is still some spring pressure.
Push down on the lower control arm with something like a pry bar....fairly long. The spring will "pop" out. It will not jump and fly arcoss the room or anything. It has some stored energy, but no way to focus the force. It will pop out of the groove in the lower arm and roll out onto the floor. If you are really worried about it, you can wrap a chain around the spring to "contain it", but I have never had one fly. They just drop and roll out. It goes back in the same way. The shorter springs are easier to put back in. You just push down on the lower arm, put the spring up in the cavity and then jack the arm back up to the spindle again...

Man that was a long explanation.....Ah coffee

Below is a pic showing were to strike the spindle. It is not the same spindle as your truck, but the idea is the same. If you have one that is really stubborn...Hold a big hammer against the spindle on one side and hit it on the opposite side. (arrows)