Urgent Please Help
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Senior User
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Urgent Please Help
I have been changing out my ball joints on my 2000 Excursion. Did the right side no problems. Got the left side ball joints in, installed the knuckle and loosely tightened the knuts. Then went to tighten and torque the bottom ball joint and the post just spins. I got the nut down to the point where it is flush on top with the post but it won't tighten down anymore. The post just spins. Is this normal? Either way, i'm stuck, I can't get the nut off, and I can't tighten it down any more, i Haven't even gotten a torque wrench on it.
What the hell do I do now?
What the hell do I do now?
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Henderson, NV
No, the post is not supposed to spin. Cutting the nut is so you can get the ball joint back out and investigate what is wrong that is allowing the post to spin. It is cheaper to get a replacement nut than mess up the ball joint trying to hold the post still and take the nut off. I can't think of any other way to get a nut off a post that is spinning.
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no, the nut has 2 detents on the top that look like they are their to ensure it doesn't move after the nut is tightened. Anyway, I got to that point, now the nut won't come off. So you say, cut the nut, take it off, and try and figure out why the ball joint post is spinning. do you have any idea why it would?
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2006
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put a jack under the balljoint and jack it up to apply some pressure to it so that the post is pressed into the knuckle and then tighten it up! i had to do it to both sides of my truck a couple weeks ago when i replaced mine!
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2006
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the treaded "post" suppose to spin thats what allows it to move around when you go over bumps and turn
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Junior User
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Wildomar, CA
This will work and I have tapped it with a hammer and it was enough to get the nut spinning again.
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FTE Chapter Leader
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From: Henderson, NV
This is a good trick to try if you have not already LeeroyDiesel. I was under the assumption you had already got the balljoint wedged in there tight and the post was still spinning.
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Thanks for all the posts. I tried the jack method, i tried putting pressure on the joint as well and just didn't have any luck. I went to local part store and finally found a 1 5/16 socket. Got back to work, jacked up the knuckle, got my father in law and a 4' pry bar and finally got that thing to snug up. I thought I was doing something wrong because the other side went so much easier but thanks for the help.
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