LCAs continued.....

ThePikey

Registered User
Well since the strut rod bushings were in need of being replaced... i decided to just replace the whole LCA (that and it was the only orginal parts of the front suspension)... anywho... i have been having a helluva time trying to get the ball joint to seperate from the spindle. i have used an air hammer, sledge hammer and fork... beat the holy dodo out of it as well...

so my question to those of you who have dealt with this... any suggestions to get the LCA seperated from the spindle. my next line of thought is to take the spindle out, put it all in a vice and beat it til it breaks...

thanks
 
Terms... The ball joint fits into a hole on the spindle. The spindle has a round mass of steel with the hole in it for the ball joint to fall through.

That said, spray the spindle ball joint area with penetrating fluid. Get a 3lb sledge hammer and whack the spindle around where the joint slides into it. Hit it hard until it pops. You don't hit the ball joint or try to pry on it otherwise it just binds. You shock the spindle which will cause the ball joint to pop out.

The hole it's in is tapered, so that it'll come loose.

First time I did something like this on my Dodge Durango I had to beat on it for a good 2 or 3 minutes. But it'll pop. Note, a regular hammer will never do it. You need to hit it with something that has mass. A 3lb short sledge hammer works perfect.
 
been using a 5lb sledge, but actually getting to the stud that goes through the spindle with a hammer is hard... i had been beating on the LCA itself... only 1 nut holding the spindle in, and the caliper... so i may go that route
 
Don't beat on the stud. Beat on the spindle. Hitting the control arm does no good as the suspension and bushings take up the impact.
 
ill focus more swings at the spindle, though i know it was accidentally hit a few times...
im still somewhat shocked the air hammer didnt work
 
Air hammer doesn't have enough mass. The high frequency won't do it. Now if you had a big air hammer...

Used to work at a truck leasing company. Helped the mechanic by swinging a 10lb sledge hammer at the rockwell axle shafts to get them to pop out of the diff. It's all about the mass and the force it imparts.
 
i had a feeling my air hammer wasnt gonna be big enough... but the pickins were slim at the pawn shop and it was cheap... ill just return it get my money back, and work at it some more tomorrow
 
There is a little nub in the casting on the outside of the spindle by the ball joint hole, I think it is optimal to hit that nub. I can't remember the exact position, I think it is on the front side.
 
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