Removing axle without popping lbj
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From: the rain state
Removing axle without popping lbj
Hey what do you guys unbolt to replace a axle without even messing with the lower ball joint. I hit the **** out of it and its not complying at all. And in a perfect world not pop the upper ball joint either. Or is this not even possible?
This would be be very helpful to me, thanks.
This would be be very helpful to me, thanks.
Honda-Tech Member
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Re: Removing axle without popping lbj
To answer your question, there's no way to remove the axle without detaching the lower ball joint. Well, maybe if you take the whole rest of the car apart around it, but that's not worth it.
Remove the ball joint nut. Put a jack under the brake rotor and lift slightly, so the ball joint is trying to pull out of the control arm. Hit the side of the arm at the ball joint with a hammer. Should pop right out.
Remove the ball joint nut. Put a jack under the brake rotor and lift slightly, so the ball joint is trying to pull out of the control arm. Hit the side of the arm at the ball joint with a hammer. Should pop right out.
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From: the rain state
Re: Removing axle without popping lbj
Man I literally hit it for 2 hrs so hard at the taper point it dented it in. I’m using a 3lb sledge. I have not tried to jack up the rotor assembly while hitting it. I’ll try that, but tbh I don’t think that will work.
The ratchet handle trick leaves to much space even with a 1/2, I have high spring rate (coilovers).
The ratchet handle trick leaves to much space even with a 1/2, I have high spring rate (coilovers).
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From: INDIANA
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Re: Removing axle without popping lbj
I use the HF ball joint tool and don't even mess with hammers anymore.
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-qu...tor-99849.html
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-qu...tor-99849.html
Honda-Tech Member
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From: Franklin, KY
Re: Removing axle without popping lbj
I tried struggling with beating the sh*t out of my LCA to get the ball joint off at first too. Then I just went to Autozone and got the $10 fork tool for separating them. Life has been peachy ever since.
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From: The Familiar Realm
Re: Removing axle without popping lbj
https://www.harborfreight.com/tie-ro...ler-63684.html
Got two of these suckers in different sizes. Releases balljoints and tie rods super quick. Kind of a satisfying bang too when they give.
Got two of these suckers in different sizes. Releases balljoints and tie rods super quick. Kind of a satisfying bang too when they give.
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Re: Removing axle without popping lbj
Man I literally hit it for 2 hrs so hard at the taper point it dented it in. I’m using a 3lb sledge. I have not tried to jack up the rotor assembly while hitting it. I’ll try that, but tbh I don’t think that will work.
The ratchet handle trick leaves to much space even with a 1/2, I have high spring rate (coilovers).
The ratchet handle trick leaves to much space even with a 1/2, I have high spring rate (coilovers).
If you do this right, there is no way the LBJ won't pop out.
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Joined: Jul 2014
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From: the rain state
Re: Removing axle without popping lbj
Wow nice feedback guys. Oh and I did get a pickle fork, which will rip the ball joint but at this point I don’t even care. Is a ripped boot really even a problem?
Im gonna go at it again tomorrow, now the funny this is how often I have to replace my driver side axle. 2nd one in 4 months. Both basically ripped on the boot closest to the halfshaft.
And yes I am hitting it at the taper.
I have heard of using anti seize, and that’s the plan. If I can get the ****** out.
On my last car I used the ratchet trick, or whatever and it was actually a jack handle I would stick in there. Worked great, but I used to preload the **** out of those coils. So the space was a lot tighter, when jacked up. Allowing me to do that.
Im gonna go at it again tomorrow, now the funny this is how often I have to replace my driver side axle. 2nd one in 4 months. Both basically ripped on the boot closest to the halfshaft.
And yes I am hitting it at the taper.
I have heard of using anti seize, and that’s the plan. If I can get the ****** out.
On my last car I used the ratchet trick, or whatever and it was actually a jack handle I would stick in there. Worked great, but I used to preload the **** out of those coils. So the space was a lot tighter, when jacked up. Allowing me to do that.
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Joined: Oct 2011
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From: Franklin, KY
Re: Removing axle without popping lbj
Wow nice feedback guys. Oh and I did get a pickle fork, which will rip the ball joint but at this point I don’t even care. Is a ripped boot really even a problem?
Im gonna go at it again tomorrow, now the funny this is how often I have to replace my driver side axle. 2nd one in 4 months. Both basically ripped on the boot closest to the halfshaft.
And yes I am hitting it at the taper.
I have heard of using anti seize, and that’s the plan. If I can get the ****** out.
On my last car I used the ratchet trick, or whatever and it was actually a jack handle I would stick in there. Worked great, but I used to preload the **** out of those coils. So the space was a lot tighter, when jacked up. Allowing me to do that.
Im gonna go at it again tomorrow, now the funny this is how often I have to replace my driver side axle. 2nd one in 4 months. Both basically ripped on the boot closest to the halfshaft.
And yes I am hitting it at the taper.
I have heard of using anti seize, and that’s the plan. If I can get the ****** out.
On my last car I used the ratchet trick, or whatever and it was actually a jack handle I would stick in there. Worked great, but I used to preload the **** out of those coils. So the space was a lot tighter, when jacked up. Allowing me to do that.
The dust boots are maybe a couple bucks. I got some red poly ones and they are tougher than the rubber ones that were already ripped. Just replace them when you do it and repack with grease.
If you have to do it again the poly ones are less likely to tear, and even a slight tear won't be an issue as they don't really leak the grease out as easily as the rubber ones.
Hysterically Calm
Joined: Jan 2013
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Re: Removing axle without popping lbj
I wish I could find where I posted the pictures where I used two craftsmen open end/box end wrenches to put in between the knuckle and the LCA after jacking it up a bit then lowering the assembly to pop the lower ball joint. Was the easiest way to do it before I got my ball joint popper (not pickle fork).
Unfortunately google isn't helping me find specific posts I did several years ago when I was working on my old 95 that I no longer have.
Just whatever you do, don't put the end of the wrench in between, the force will crush the wrench end. I had to use two wrenches stacked on the handles to absorb the space.
Unfortunately google isn't helping me find specific posts I did several years ago when I was working on my old 95 that I no longer have.
Just whatever you do, don't put the end of the wrench in between, the force will crush the wrench end. I had to use two wrenches stacked on the handles to absorb the space.
Thread Starter
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From: the rain state
Re: Removing axle without popping lbj
So I went at it again today... First I jacked up the rotor and hit the balljoint a good amount of times and that did literally nothing.
I didn’t think the painless trick would work but it did. Without jacking up the car I put a 16mm socket in between the gap, jacked up the rotor and it popped instantly.
I didn’t think the painless trick would work but it did. Without jacking up the car I put a 16mm socket in between the gap, jacked up the rotor and it popped instantly.
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Joined: Jan 2014
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Re: Removing axle without popping lbj
Why are you using a ratchet handle that is the wrong size? Jack the lower control arm all the way up, wedge whatever size socket in there that uses all the space (don't leave a gap), drop the LCA, stand on the tire if you need to...
If you do this right, there is no way the LBJ won't pop out.
If you do this right, there is no way the LBJ won't pop out.
So I went at it again today... First I jacked up the rotor and hit the balljoint a good amount of times and that did literally nothing.
I didn’t think the painless trick would work but it did. Without jacking up the car I put a 16mm socket in between the gap, jacked up the rotor and it popped instantly.
I didn’t think the painless trick would work but it did. Without jacking up the car I put a 16mm socket in between the gap, jacked up the rotor and it popped instantly.
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