dpkelly

I can't remove the castle nut on the lower balljoint. The spindle with the threads also spins!! I tried squeezing the lower control arm with the steering knuckle with vice grips but it stil spins. Is my only choice to cut it off with a dremel tool?

BOOSTED RIVAL

Impact gun

rmcdaniels

I usually tighten it up to seat the ball joint in the hole again, then loosen it gently. I've also had luck pushing the ball joint back together and smacking it tight with a hammer (hit the lower control arm, not the ball joint) while I turn the nut. If the castle nut or the threads on the ball joint have become damaged because someone has been beating on them with a hammer, then sometimes I have to cut it off, but usually not.

dpkelly

I have one but it won't fit when you've got jackstands.

dpkelly

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rmcdaniels &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I usually tighten it up to seat the ball joint in the hole again, then loosen it gently. I've also had luck pushing the ball joint back together and smacking it tight with a hammer (hit the lower control arm, not the ball joint) while I turn the nut. If the castle nut or the threads on the ball joint have become damaged because someone has been beating on them with a hammer, then sometimes I have to cut it off, but usually not.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I can't even tighten it. It still spins.

rmcdaniels

Then try smacking the lower control arm back up there with a hammer, sometimes you can seat the ball joint tightly enough to be able to turn the nut.

dpkelly

The whole balljoint is not spinning. It's just the spindle with the threads that turns.

miahmouse

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dpkelly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have one but it won't fit when you've got jackstands.</TD></TR></TABLE>

not quite sure what you mean by this but.... move them, remove them, whatever you need to do to at least try an impact...

Boomer234

when your tightening it you can also clamp the ball joint arm thing to the control arm with a set of channel locks and that will keep the whole assembly from spinning

dpkelly

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boomer234 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">when your tightening it you can also clamp the ball joint arm thing to the control arm with a set of channel locks and that will keep the whole assembly from spinning</TD></TR></TABLE>

Tried that too! See first post. I couldn't tighten or loosen it. It just spins.

Boomer234

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dpkelly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Tried that too! See first post. I couldn't tighten or loosen it. It just spins.</TD></TR></TABLE>

my bad

dpkelly

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boomer234 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

my bad</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah. DREMEL TIME!!! I better get more of those cutting disks.

dpkelly

I was thinking an impact gun with a right angle adapter might do it too. I'll see this week.

:Andrew

you can use a pry bar and put it between the castle nut and the lower part of the joint. then push down on the pry bar real hard and tighten the nut at the same time it has worked for me everytime.

L33TsAbabyEater

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BOOSTED RIVAL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Impact gun</TD></TR></TABLE>

And get some blocks to put your jackstands on... Or impact wobbly sockets...

WONG FRIED RICE

impact will get it off. Where are you putting the jackstands so that an impact gun won't fit? i've never had issues with an impact gun in that area.

mike1114

iTrader: (1)

Here is what you do, its not easy but I've had this problem many times.

Jack up car so tire is off the ground. Have a buddy stand on the tire, yes stand, while holding onto your fender for balance (fatter the buddy, the better this will work).

This will put enough angled force on the ball joint so it won't spin while you, get under the car and loosen or tighten whichever your doing. There won't be much clearance between castle nut and rim when doing this!!!!

Hybrid96EK

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dpkelly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I was thinking an impact gun with a right angle adapter might do it too. I'll see this week.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

What kind of jack stands are you using? I can't see how you couldn't get an impact in there when the car is on jack stands. I do it all the time and have never had any issues.

dpkelly

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hybrid93Eg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

What kind of jack stands are you using? I can't see how you couldn't get an impact in there when the car is on jack stands. I do it all the time and have never had any issues.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't like to jack things up too high if I don't need to.

Froth

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dpkelly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't like to jack things up too high if I don't need to. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Well, it sounds like you need to jack it up more in this instance. If all else fails you have three backup options...

(You mentioned using a dremel tool, it would be very hard considering that the metal used in construction of ball-joints is amazingly hard/durable.)

1 - SAWZALL! - Sawzall the nut/spindle portion right off at the bottom of the nut. This is the easiest method, but not always possible.

2 - Break open the seating area of the Ball-Joint(the back) and drill away at the back of the spindle until you can pull it out from the bottom. This is VERY tedious and slow-going but I've done it before...and if you have patience it does work.

3 - (You only need to do this if you cannot do 1 or 2) Break open the seating area of the Ball-Joint(the back) so you can see the spindle and if you have access to a welder clean everything in there as good as you can and throw a small

That's all I can offer at the time, I've done all three...they all work but some just take longer than others.

Hybrid96EK

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dpkelly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I don't like to jack things up too high if I don't need to. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Don't you think you have a reason now? Sometimes, I wonder why people are so lazy. Jack it up, try the impact gun. Its not hard.

dpkelly

I just got a universal joint, so I'll try that with my impact gun.

My impact looks like this:



That's why there's no room for it.

dpkelly

Well, the impact gun with the universal joint doesn't work. I tried to clamp the balljoint against the lower control arm to keep it from spinning and it still doesn't work. THe thing just spins. I plan to hacksaw the castle nut and bolt off and use my dremel to finish the job.

mike1114

iTrader: (1)

damnit did you even read my post from earlier?


Try my way, it will work.

happyabortion

i like the fat guy idea!

why are you doing this???


also try i big C clamp and put it in kinda crooked and tighten down on the lower control arm and spindle


or you could try to jack up the lower control arm till the top hits the frame and you can start jacking up the car and then try to loosen it.

again why are you doint this??