I'm trying to do replace my ball joints and can't remove the spindle from the steering knuckle. Any tips or tricks on how to get it loose an be able to pull it off.
Thanks
KC

 

once all the bolts are out a few soft taps with a rubber mallet should do the trick. if not there are pullers that work with slide hamers.

 

I hold a wooden 4x4 on the spindle, then bash it hard as I can w/ as big a hammer as i can hold. You will need to clean out wood shavings from the spindle threads, but this is the easiest way ive found to get them off. And I have yet to damage one yet, after doing ball joints on more trucks than id like to remember lol

 

Then side hammer adapter works best.

The block of wood and hammer can oval the spindle out. Ask me how I know

 

I made a puller that's worked really well for me. I cut a hole in a piece of 1/2" thick steel to slide over the spindle. Cutting this hole is the only hard part of the fabrication. I used a milling machine at work, but a hole saw would be a less equipment-intensive (but more labor intensive) alternative. The hole needs to be big enough to go over the spindle but small enough that the spindle nut will seat against it securely.

Slide this over the spindle and put the washer on (the one that goes between the inner spindle nut and the bearings) and put a spindle nut on.

Take a couple of spacers and put them between the back of the plate and the knuckle. They'll actually be against the dust shield and they'll bend it some. But make sure they are against strong, relatively flat surfaces of the knuckle. I cut lengths of 5/8" diameter steel round stock to length, but deep-well impact sockets work too. They need to be long enough to hold the plate far enough from the knickle that the spindle threads are still showing through the plate, but short enough that the spindle nut will have full thread engagement.

Tighten up the spindle nut to pinch the spacers in place. It might take 3 or 4 hands to hold the spacers in place while tightening the nut.

Then tighten the spindle nut with a wrench. Don't break anything, but get it tight. If you're (really) lucky this will pull the spindle off (but don't hold your breath).

Then take a pretty big hammer and hit the plate right where the spacers are. Whack each spacer a few times, then tighten up the nut again. If the spindle has shifted out at all you'll be able to get a few more degrees on the spindle nut. If you can't move the nut you need to hit it harder.

Keep repeating this tighten / whack cycle until the spindle comes off.

Again, make sure the spacers are solidly against the knuckle. And make sure you don't run the spindle nut to the end of the threads. But this has worked well for me on 4 different rusted front ends now.

 

I bought for the spindle nut sockets, but it also came with a socket which threads onto the spindle. I used the socket to protect the threads while hitting it with a heavy rubber mallet, along with a few chisels to use as a wedge between the spindle and knuckle.