Passenger side came out without problem.....use the joint puller to separate LCA from the ball joint bolt. However, the driver side was HELL. Car sits on stands, banging with 3 different sizes of hammers, joint puller just stripes off the LCA and pushes the ball joint bolt inward. And the LCA would not nudge.
Is there another way to take out the axle without removing the LCA from the ball joint?

By the way, broke two Craftsman tools (1/2" breaker bar) trying to loosen the driver side axle nut. Drove to the near by shop and had it loosen(costed $10).

91si stock.

Thanks

 

What I do is unbolt everything else and leave the balljoint alone..

 

so true...that way you dont have a chance of ripping the boot as well...

 

an impact gun is a great investment

 

I do not unbolt the lower arm, I unbolt the upper arm from under the hood, 2 17mm nuts on most Honda products or drop the upper arm and strut on some since there is a metal bracket tieing the upper arm studs keeping it from being pulled away from the wheel well.

 

i can see that working, but that would be harder since you have to left the UCA with knucle and everything trying to get it back into the two holes..where as if you had a problem you can use a jack to put the lca back in place...

 

I don't know how you did it, my guess is you just got lucky, Duane_in_Japan. Each time I tried just that, it needed about an extra inch to clear the diff hole. IMO, the lca mounts (either side) have to come off.

Looks like somebody learned the hard way - air tools aren't just a fad. There are few things I hate worse than that bloody axle nut, besides having the axle being frozen in the spindle of course.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HiProfile &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> There are few things I hate worse than that bloody axle nut, besides having the axle being frozen in the spindle of course.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ever try a large gear puller? I got one at harbor freight for $10

 

Ball joints are easy.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=887859

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bunger &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ball joints are easy.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=887859</TD></TR></TABLE>

I tried this method, and it didn't help. The LCA and ball joint are frozen!

Ok, finally got the driver side axle out....after 3 hours of intensive labor.
Removed the following: damper fork bolt, radius rod,upper control arm, other end of LCA bolt, the upper part of knuckle, got enough clearance to remove the axle.

Problem....the ball joint and LCA is frozen together. Tried joint separator and arm puller tools again. Neither helped!
Need to replace the ball joint. Took out the metal ring and most of the rubber seal of the ball joint, and it wouldn't come loose.
What do I need to break it loose?
The tire rod bolt/nut was stripped by the shop about 4-5 months ago when alignment was serviced. Banged the tire rod joint(connected to the knuckle) and it wouldn't come out!

Need help and ideas on how to break the ball joint loose, so I can salvage the LCA.....and how to replace the ball joint bolt??

Thanks.

 

that ratchet way does work it just might shoot the ratchet across the driveway though , you can always cut it off in between the boot and then bang out both sides, looks like you might have to since yours might be messed up by now

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by crxgator &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so true...that way you dont have a chance of ripping the boot as well... </TD></TR></TABLE>

Still using the pickle fork method. Go and get yourself a pitman arm puller from harborfreight, 5 bucks and they work great to separated the ball joint. I forgot which one it can do though, it can only fit around one, I think its the top one.

 

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

Still using the pickle fork method. Go and get yourself a pitman arm puller from harborfreight, 5 bucks and they work great to separated the ball joint.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've got the arm puller from Autozone tool rental service. And it stripes off the LCA every time.
Now I am thinking of sawing it off, but then the bolt would stuck inside the LCA.

 

i dont konw if you taliking about the tie rod end thingie. but one time i jacked up the car, loosend the bolt, then lowered the car onto a brick right under the tie rod. it popped right out with no problem. last time i changed them i had to beat it for like 20 mins each. i hope this helps!! its definetly not professional but it does the trick

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by zman8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I've got the arm puller from Autozone tool rental service. And it stripes off the LCA every time.
Now I am thinking of sawing it off, but then the bolt would stuck inside the LCA.


</TD></TR></TABLE>

Striped of the lca ? What , come again ? Do you mean the lower ball joint ? The only way it could strip something, is if you don't have it on there right. I used it a bunch of times and never ever once had a problem with it. And I know a lot of people on this board use the same tool and never had a problem with it.

 

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

Striped of the lca ? What , come again ? Do you mean the lower ball joint ? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, the LCA. There are two nodes/bumps on the LCA where they supposed to help supporting the use of arm puller tool. I used on the passenger side without problem. However, on the driver side, it stripped everytime mainly on one side of the LCA. And it is bald now!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by zman8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Yes, the LCA. There are two nodes/bumps on the LCA where they supposed to help supporting the use of arm puller tool. I used on the passenger side without problem. However, on the driver side, it stripped everytime mainly on one side of the LCA. And it is bald now!
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I never ever use those tabs, I make it grip the top part of the lca, just by the ball joint, but not close enough to ruin the boot.

I can't even remember a car where the tabs were not covered so much with dirt and grim, you could barely see them.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 90blackcrx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I can't even remember a car where the tabs were not covered so much with dirt and grim, you could barely see them.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You are correct. Actually I just had a new LCA replaced about 4-5 months ago. And I don't see how and why the ball joint and LCA would freeze up in such a shot time.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 90blackcrx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I never ever use those tabs, I make it grip the top part of the lca, just by the ball joint, but not close enough to ruin the boot.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
I tried to position the arm puller on around the LCA, but couldn't locate a position where the puller bolt pushes the ball joint bolt upward except around those two tabs/nodes.

 

heres what i do everytime i do lca removals. its kind of the rachet inbetween method except i use a 3ft crow bar, pry it down while its in there (careful not to get the boot) and put all my weight down onto it. don't be afraid to fall, you will catch yourself. just keep going at it, if you weigh 200 lbs like myself, no lca's stop us big boys when they got crowbars [/endredneck]

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by zman8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I tried to position the arm puller on around the LCA, but couldn't locate a position where the puller bolt pushes the ball joint bolt upward except around those two tabs/nodes.</TD></TR></TABLE>

For the lower ball joint, you postion it so it grips the top part of the lca, so its in between the lca and and the knuckle . Might be hard to explain, but it always works.

 

I am about to go at it again...well another 5 lbs of sweat.

 

I use one of those gear pullers and install a c clamp to it's forks when it starts to pull of off the lca. It takes a few minutes to set it up but it seems to work for me.

 

Ok. FINALLY got the suckers apart. What did the job is the TIRE-ROD puller. It's smaller in size compare to arm puller. I placed a pliers flat sided in between the ball joint bolt and puller's bolt. And after about 10 turns, it popped. Also popped the tire rod outer joint the same way. I'll need hearing aid soon!

Now with the ball joint still hanging onto the knuckle, how to get it off? I used flat head screwdrivers to take out the C-clip. Then smacked the ball joint upward (hitting on the bottom of the bolt) over 20 times with the heaviest hammer I've got, it is not coming out.
Which direction to knock it loose?


Modified by zman8 at 4:41 PM 8/2/2005

 

Thats why I said the pitman arm puller works the best. If I can recall though, it only will around the top or the bottom ball joint, I think its the top but I can't recall.

Either way though, you can undo either ball joint and take the axle out, well once you undo everything else.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 90blackcrx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thats why I said the pitman arm puller works the best. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I used the TIRE-ROD puller. I was using the Pitman arm puller, but it failed on me. It was stripping. Maybe the LCA that I have has cheap metal material which causes to strip easily.