Turbobink

iTrader: (2)

Apparently the clowns that installed my new axles about 6 months ago over-tightened my ball joint nut.

I was trying to pull the knuckle for a wheel bearing replacement but ran into this notable snag.

Due to the very limited space between the ball joint bolt end and the axle housing, I only have space to use an open end wrench.

Using the open end wrench I've marred up the corners of the nut. Combined with the over-tight sitch, it seems that the more I work on it the worse it gets.

I did some googling and found a bunch of devices that would appear to work but all appear to be a socket configuration for which I have no room.

Anyone have any advice or tricks?

Slamrod

iTrader: (11)

Iirc due to the space limitations, youll need to pop the axle out of the hub and push it to thr side. Youll also need to unbolt the tierod end from the knuckle, as well as take off the two bolts that connect the strut to the knuckle.

This should leave the knuckle attached by only the ball joint - at this point it should have tons of mobility and youll be able to pull it fowards and down to better expose the nut. Having a small jack to put under the LCA to keep it stable as you wrestle the nut off may help, i suppose its preference.

The axle should be able to remain in the transmission housing as well - itll take some wiggling to grt the hub-end of the axle out of the way enough but it is doable. Worst case scenario, you drain the fluid from the transmission into a clean container so it can be reused, and just yank the axle out - really not anything to it other then showing it whos boss lol. Just make sure to not pull at a significant angle so you dont damage the axle seal.

Those castle nuts truly can be a btch to deal with, when i did my front end i ran into pretty much this exact issue.

Turbobink

iTrader: (2)

^^^ Yep ... that worked.

Well, I haven't gotten the F'd-up nut off but I've now got enough room to use a socket.

Much obliged.

Daniel VQ30life

iTrader: (2)

glad to hear you made it this far, now some heat and you should be gravy

Slamrod

iTrader: (11)

If the nut has been absolutely obliterated (which wouldnt be surprising if its a PITA castle nut), you might need to just cut the little sob off. Use a small handheld dremel (can be bought at harbor freight for like $25) and verrry carefully dremel one side of the nut, until enough of it is gone to take a mini sledge and a chisel and wack the sucker off.

Without a doubt this will distress the threads of the ball joint unless you have hands steadier than a neurosurgeon, so keep at it with the socket until doing so is 100% futile. However if you have a tap/die kit you can simply clean up the threads rather than having to replace the balljoint, shouldnt be an issue at all as long as the dremel doesnt make serious contact with the threads.

Good luck... That nut on my drivers side probably stripped a few months of my life off from the stress and high blood pressure it gave me when i did my front end :P

Daniel VQ30life

iTrader: (2)

if you have 440 or 460 channel locks, I'd try that also before busting out a Dremel

Turbobink

iTrader: (2)

I got it ...

Ran and bought some metric socket extractors ... worked flawlessly in combo with a breaker bar.

Had a bi*c* of a time separating the ball joint though until I realized I was using a tie-rod end separator instead of a ball joint separator. God I can be an idiot.

All is well other than I had no idea that Memorial Day was such a big deal in that every automotive shop and retail tire selling business in my immediate area is friggin CLOSED today.

Turbobink

iTrader: (2)

BTW ... my ball joint flange nut is totally decimated.

Any input on what to replace it with ... and where to obtain said replacement?

I was thinking I should actually replace it with a castle nut.

Daniel VQ30life

iTrader: (2)

castle nut, and like you said, everyone gonna be closed today

maximusrising

I just went for an alignment this morning and was informed I need ball joints. He showed me, one is pretty scary. FSM says what Slamrod said, basically pull the knuckle off. Since I'm replacing the ball joint, I think, depending on accessibility, I will just grab the 4-1/2" angle grinder with a cut off wheel and just cut the ball joint out. The nut comes with the new one, the shaft it's on is the ball joint, and the hole it goes through is big solid structural steel. So if I nick it a little, no big deal. That way I don't have to mess with pulling the knuckle. Other than getting a cut off wheel in there, anybody see any reason not to do this?

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

You don't need to pull the knuckle. It's easier than that. No axle removal required. I'll post the YouTube video.

maximusrising

Good deal - granted he skipped the part where the nut can get rounded with an open end wrench but I get it. I doubt there's room to cut it like I said before. I sprayed them tonight and hopefully will be doing ball joints and brakes tomorrow night.

I'm definitely not pulling the whole knuckle unless I have to. I have two giant sockets for spindle nuts, but with my luck, neither is the right size.

Experience tells me I'll be frigging with the stupid cotter pins longer than anything else.

Thanks-

maximusrising

No luck with the open end wrench. So I popped out the tie rod end, lower strut mount, and sure enough I don't have the spindle nut socket. 35mm is too small. My other one is a 30. Is that nut a 36mm?

Brake job went just ok. One of the front caliper slides is stuck, and I rounded off a rear caliper bolt head. No idea how I'm getting that loose. Three wheel brake job. It's a lot better though.

Oh, and started off with a thunder shower. Nice wet grass to roll around in.

Slamrod

iTrader: (11)

Iirc the nut is a 32mm. I think there is some variation between years/models but on the 99 GXE i used a 32mm socket.

You can "rent" it from autozone as well, by buying it and returning it when youre done.

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

Mine are both 36mm.
Huge socket.

Turbobink

iTrader: (2)

I went and picked up a set of these. $23.00 @ Harbor Freight. They did the trick perfectly with absolutely no struggle whatsoever.



http://www.harborfreight.com/9-pc-38...set-67894.html

Brudface

The ball joint nut IS a pain in the *** if it gets rounded. What I found works as well is if you have the car on jack stands, and use your jack to load the suspension. Works wonders. I've done it a couple times at work where the stupid PITA castle nut rounded. I also have access to a large set of vice grips which work as well, JUST make sure they're tighter than a nun on the nut and give'er hell.


As for the Caliper bolt I suggest everyone has a set of extractors exactly like Turbobink posted. Wonderful little things they are.

Daniel VQ30life

iTrader: (2)

I'm glad mine came off easy, sounds like i lucked out compared to some of y'all