Well, Monday night, at 10pm, I started tearing down the front end of Slider to do the balljoints. only took me about 15 minutes to get both sides down to the bare spindles (b/c I've done it so much I'm practically a pro at it), and then came the hard part. There are five nuts that hold the spindle to the steering knuckle that need to be removed, and then according to my haynes manual, I need to gently tap on the spindle to break it loose, then slide it off. Well, I tapped, I tapped again, I pounded, and nothing ever happened, so I drowned both sides (passenger side and drivers' side) with WD-40 and went on to tackle somemore of my projects while the spindles were being penetrated (hehe, that's gross ) and on a side not, my aux. reverse lights are completely wired and ready to be plugged in. anyway, after about an hour and a half of working on and completing the reverse light wiring, I went back to work on the spindles some more, well, I now noticed what the problem was. The ABS sensor is "around" the spindle, and won't allow the spindle to be removed, so now I'm stumped. I am stuck with nowhere to go, and only one more day and one more night of time to get this done. I just found out this morning how to do it, so I will be tryin after work and classes tonight (yet another 10pm starting time tonight)

--Sad in Shawnee

 

Ahhhh, the things we go through for mods !!!!! Steering and suspention is one thing I hate to do cuz every thing is so rusted together. Anytime I go to work on the frontend of a truck I always get my BIG hammer, PB blaster, and tourch under the truck before I crawl under cuz i know I'm gonna need at least one of them !!!!!

Duane
Southeast Kansas Coordinator
www.fordtoberfest.com

 

well, tonight I went out to find the other bolt that was giving me my problems in my origianl post.... turns out that it is a 6mm 12 POINT!!! Never seen a bolt with a 12 point head before, so my 6mm 6 point wouldn't fit, so I was stuck for tonight. So instead, I extended my CB antenna cable Hopefully tomorrow I can go to Sears after class and get the socket, go home, tear it down the rest of the way, RUN to O'Reilly to rent the puller I need to remove the balljoints, remove and replace, and reinstall the ball joints and return the rented puller back b4 9pm. But we all know that that's not gonna happen so hopefully I can at least get it torn down tomorrow and hopfully get them removed and started to go back in. I'll keep posted.

--Ryan

 

what a busy project not enough hour's in a days work

 

My u-joint bolts take a twelve piont and the other day my daughter was switching seats in her car. The seats were held in by twelve point bolts. Threw her for a loop. She called me at work asking where my star sockets were. When I got home I relized what she meant. lol

 

yeah, well now, another problem, I can't free the steering knuckles from the axle arms!!! I need to get this done, and I only have one side town down. I need help

 

have you tryed a fork that mighted work

 

How big a hammer do you have? Wish I could be there to help out.

When in doubt - use force!

 

tried the fork, I was using a 3lb. sledge...... I think I may try the air hammer tomorrow

--Ryan

 

Hit Harder!!! It should pop loose. Then again ....

 

Use the hot wrench!!!

Mark

 

Don't use the hammer to try and drive them out but to smack the axle arm where the ball joint is to pop it loose, if all else fails, it's hot wrench time !!!!

Duane
Southeast Kansas Coordinator
www.fordtoberfest.com

 

fire up the torch and blow them out

 

Ryan, I know I probly don't have to say this but... To torch out a ball joint is about the WORST thing you can possibbly do. Sorry but I don't want your truck to suffer from dumb advice lol.

Duane
Southeast Kansas Coordinator
www.fordtoberfest.com

 

oh no I hear you, heat plus balljoints does equal bad.... well, since I'm here, why not update....

I got the knuckles off YAY!!! but that's all the good news I have, the rest is all bad....

I try and use the balljoint press I rented from O'Reilly, and with no vise, I have no luck and it doesn't work..... now keep in mind that I am leaving TOMORROW for manhattan for the Kansas Krawl..... so here's the plan::

Tomorrow, I'm goin to Tires Plus at 7am to see if they can press otu my old joints and press in my new ones (moog, greasable, yay), then, I'm goin to work until noon, then, I am skipping my 2pm class and haulin.... BUTT to get the X put back together. I will work on Slider until 5pm when I will run up to my 5pm class long enough to drop off a paper, and haul it back to the house to finish Slider.... then, I will rotate the tires, fuel up and head to manhattan, once there (knowing my luck will be 11pm) I will FINALLY get my new rear bumper and install it. and then I will be up at 5:3o Saturday morning to be at the Krawl by 6 So guys, I am serious here, I need all the good karma/prayers/good luck you can send me to get this done.... Slider is missing the trails, she hasn't seen any since 4th of July and it itchin, and so am I

OH!!! and yeah, still no brake lights working ,

--Ryan