A-arm disassembly - ball joint removal.

on-ramp · 09-03-2005, 07:44 AM

ok, what's next? I removed the castle nut undeneith the ball joint and also removed that 13MM nut just above.

I've been hammering on it very hard but it wont come out....how do you separate the ball joint from the shock and remove the a-arm? thanks in advance.

David · David's Garage

Did you drive out the pin that the nut was on?

on-ramp · 09-03-2005, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 125shifter
Did you drive out the pin that the nut was on?

this pin has the 13mm thread on the end, right?

I've been pounding on it with a hammer, trying to force it out, nothing happens.

911mot · 911mot's Garage

Have you removed the cotter pin, circled below?

on-ramp · 09-03-2005, 08:01 AM

no, i haven't removed the cotter pin.. (or wedge bolt as some refer it to).

i've been pounding on it VERY HARD but nothing.

jyl · jyl's Garage

Weird. Hitting the threaded end with a hammer and drift should push out the wedge bolt. Is it rusted in the strut? Maybe penetrating oil and heat will be needed.

on-ramp · 09-03-2005, 08:17 AM

what's a drift?

911mot · 911mot's Garage

Like a chisel but round and blunt. Like if you cut the end off a screwdriver, but much stronger.
A tip is to partially screw the nut back on and use the hole in the nut to keep the drift (or punch) in place. - Assuming the thread is not tooo damaged
If you have pounded on it too much you may have mushroomed the end over. The only option in this case is to grind off the threaded part of the cotter pin until its flush with the hole it sits in and then drift/punch it out

RussianBlue · 08:46 AM

OMG Not this lovely job....

You do have to drive out that stupid azz wedge bolt - that's the first half of the fun.... definitely try penetrating spray stuff..... then keep on hammering it...

Be aware that the darn thing will compress sometimes essentialy getting shorter in length before it actually comes loose.
The lesson being to keep at it even though nothing seems to be happenning.

Part 2: Buy yourself a pickle fork set and a big hammer to seperate the ball joint(s).... if you have an air compressor - even better! You can attach the fork to air pressure and run forward reverse etc...

As you can see the lovely 13mm just broke right off - leaving me with an uneven surface drifting my punch everytime I'd hammer the darn thing....

Obviously you should NOT reuse those wedge bolts... sorry had to say it for thoroughness

jyl · jyl's Garage

A steel tool, sort of looks like a chisel, one end is fat and blunt and you hammer there, other end is round and flat, you place that against the bolt or pin you are trying to drive out. Idea is you don't hammer the bolt directly, so less damage to it, also when the bolt end disappears into the strut you can keep driving it, if the end of your drift is small enough. Costs $5 probably. I guess it is also sometimes called a punch.

But you'd think the bolt would budge, even without a drift. Assuming you're hitting the correct end of the wedge bolt, all I can think of is rust inside the strut.

on-ramp · 08:42 AM

keep hammering on it even though nothing seems to be happening? sounds good......my forearms at least are getting a workout.

btw, the thread is completely rounded over now, can't even get the nut back on.

jyl · jyl's Garage

Apply penetrating oil, then take a few hours' break, maybe go out and buy a drift, then return to the job with a bigger hammer. Hope you've got eye protection on.

on-ramp · 09-03-2005, 08:49 AM

who designed these stupid cars , anyway? can't even get a simple pin out.....geeeeeezzzz ! !!!

RussianBlue · 09-03-2005, 08:53 AM

SOAK THAT THING - liquid wrench or the like.... surprisingly works well

Good luck... also don't forget to cuss a lot - A LOT

Also feel good about doing it yourself! ! !

RussianBlue · 09-03-2005, 09:04 AM

Oops, my first reply I assumed you knew to use a "punch" - you DO NEED to use that approach and not hammer directly on the stupid bolt ...

turbo6bar · 09-03-2005, 09:04 AM

Brute force just doesn't do it sometimes. I've grown fond of using heat, but I'm not sure if you can do this with the strut insert nearby??? Given your progress, though, I'd give it a shot. Use a propane torch to heat the area surrounding the pin. Try to move the pin from both directions using a brass drift.

on-ramp · 09-03-2005, 09:11 AM

i've ****ing had it with this car. it's one damn thing after another.

the decision has been made.

the last $3.50 i'm going to spend on this fvucked up car is a gallon of gasoline to douse it with and a match to go.

then collect insurance money and move on to better things...maybe an 89 Carrera.

911mot · 911mot's Garage

ROFLMAO

RussianBlue · 09-03-2005, 09:41 AM

Soak it from both sides,

Take a break go buy the proper brass punches and the pickle forks for later.... have lunch

Leave the project alone for a while - do something else then come back to it.... sometimes that helps.

joefrantz · 09-03-2005, 10:07 AM

John Walker recomends drilling the wedgebolt from the back (fat) side. Start small and drill with progressively larger bits, being careful not to get outside the diameter of the bolt and into the strut bore.

The rest of the advice here is right on -- soak - heat - tap with drift, but do be careful with the brute force. The bolts are very soft and will, as already shown - mushroom.

A seach for wedgebolt and John Walker should turn up his post.

Good Luck -- stay cool.

Joe