hey guys, need some help pulling my spindle, need to get the caliper bracket off, but i'm having trouble getting the spindle to come loose. i've been reading in different forums and other websites on tips to get it loose, but to no avail so far. any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

I don't know where you get one but they make a slide hammer that screws on the spindle.
Maybe someone will post where to get one.

 

Autozone has them in their loan a tool program.

 

I don't like using the slide hammer for that, cause if you stretch out the threads or otherwise f-up the spindle, they can be a pain to find. I needed one, and even the dealer I called said they couldn't even look it up. I ended up just buying a spare front end cause I needed a few other parts from it as well. All that were a pain to find.

In the thread "rotors won't come off" I posted step by step how I took my spindles off the other day. But basically, as long as the spindle nuts are off, I started with a 2" stiff scraper and drove that between the spindle and the splash guard on the same side as the caliper bracket to start it/break it loose. Then I took a cold chisel with a good edge on it, not too blunt, and drove it in the same spot. On my right side, the spindle popped right off after driving it in on that side, but on the left, I had to drive it in on the opposite side of the spindle as well, and work back and forth on both sides. The hardest part is driving the scraper, cause you can't bang too hard on a scraper, and you're breaking all the rusty parts loose. Once you can get the end of the chisel in the gap, it drives real easy.

If you have to, you can bang on the shaft of the spindle back and forth, but I don't recommend it. Definitely don't do it without a block of wood between your spindle and your hammer, or at least use a rubber mallet.

Once you get it off, check your spindle bearing. Replacing that is cheap insurance against ruined axleshafts and overheated/ruined wheel bearings down the road.

 

is it 2wd or 4wd

 

it's a 4wd, and thanks craigoutdoors, i'll try that as soon as the weather gets better, supposed to snow again tonight and tomorrow, i'll look up your post about what all u did too. thanks everyone.

 

No problem. Shouldn't take you too long to do it once you get to it. Just make sure you have some grease for re-assembly. I also used brake cleaner to shoot out the original grease cause it's much easier to see when it's all out. I've used about six cans altogether re-doin this front end. But I went all out, totally cleaning out all the old grease and scrubbin' it all down.

If you have 4wd, you'll need some snap ring pliers to get the hubs off the axleshaft, and don't forget your spindle nut sockets when you do it. Best of luck.

 

me and my dad uses a hammer and chisle bettwen dust sheild and spendle

 

A slide puller is nearly fool proof and takes less than 30 seconds to remove the spindle. There is absolutely no chance of damaging the threads when used correctly. More force is exerted on the threads when you tighten the outer locknut, than when using the hammer.

 

oh believe me, i know allll about that now. i started by replacing the lockouts (PO instead of putting a couple of new O rings, squirted what looked like household silicone inside the hub, didn't work) , then it needed bearings and races then i saw the pads were shot, then one of the hubs, the bearings had spun at some point, so had to get a hub from a salvage yard and now the calipers aren't releasing like they should, and today i was putting the caliper retaining key bolt back in and broke it off. tried to drill out the bolt and get an easy out in there, but that didn't work, so now i'm trying to remove spindle and caliper bracket to either take it to a machine shop, or get a different one at the yard that i got the hub at, and i may still have to get new calipers. whew, i'm tired from just typing all that.

 

Sounds like me. I started out to replace the shocks. Now here I am two lockers, an axle shaft, spindle, 9 lugs, 16 lug nuts, calipers and all the bearings later finally putting it back together. Lawdy!

 

i'm getting near my wits end with this f'in spindle. went and rented a spindle puller from autozone, cranked it as far as it'll go, and NOTHING. i tried the thing with the scraper and chisel. the only i can think of now is a slide hammer in conjunction with the spindle remover.

 

Well, the only thing more I can suggest is lotso PB Blaster on the mating surface and plenty of time to soak in. Sometimes these things are a total b**** to get off. Once you can get it broke loose, it should come off. Maybe post a pic of what you've got going on there? I can only imagine how frustrated you are my friend.

 

Did you NOT use the slide hammer?? The puller DOES NOT WORK WITHOUT THE HAMMER. Get the slide hammer....it will remove it in seconds.

 

Try what he said. If it still won't come off, then :

1. Throw a hammer
2. Grab a beer
3. Roll it up to a shop and ask for some help

I had to take my hubs and rotors to a shop I know to get the new lugs pulled in. Even the mechanic there said, "Man, those were some motherf****ers"