I'm doin a re-ring project and while getting the engine out I came across a problem. The passenger drive axle is still stuck on one stud connecting to the lower steering knuckle arm. I've already removed the tie-rod from the upper steering knuckle arm, but the lower stud is giving me problems now. On the driver's side, all I did was pry around the edges and pull the axle right off but me and 3 other guys have tried everything to get that other arm disconnected and nothing as of yet. This is the very last part I need to come out for the engine removal, so if anyone could help it would be greatly appreciated. I can provide pictures if need be. PLEASE HELP!! LOL

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by djurbang &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm doin a re-ring project and while getting the engine out I came across a problem. The passenger drive axle is still stuck on one stud connecting to the lower steering knuckle arm. I've already removed the tie-rod from the upper steering knuckle arm, but the lower stud is giving me problems now. On the driver's side, all I did was pry around the edges and pull the axle right off but me and 3 other guys have tried everything to get that other arm disconnected and nothing as of yet. This is the very last part I need to come out for the engine removal, so if anyone could help it would be greatly appreciated. I can provide pictures if need be. PLEASE HELP!! LOL</TD></TR></TABLE>

Djurbang,

What car is this on?

Am I correct in reading the above as "I couldn't separate the lower control arm from the balljoint." ?

On my 2000 hatch, I had to remove the lower control arm balljoint, not the upper or the steering tie rod. To disconnect it, I used a balljoint puller. It looks like a U with a screw in the middle. You fit the 'fingers' of the U over the base of the steering knuckle and twist the screw against the bottom of the balljoint, which will force it out of the LCA.

There is also a guy on here, that whenever I post this advice in a thread suggests that you just hit something (LCA?) with a really big hammer, which will just pop the balljoint out, but I've never done it that way, so I can't explain it to you. He may chime in here at some point and give you some tips. If you search for this, you might find his advice as well.

I also had to disconnect the damper fork from the lower control arm.

HTH.

 

Thanks, I figured it out earlier today, instead of a balljoint puller, which believe it or not is quite hard to locate at hardware stores, i did it manually with one of those balljoint forks. Thanks for the help...

...oh yeah, the hammer thing was my first choice, didn't work, lol