Stuck in installation of spindles
 

Alright, brakes are off and everything but I just cant get the spindle off of the arms. everything's loosened up and it's just not coming off of the arms. Any tips as how how to get this sucker off?

leave to nuts on the balljoints just barely. and hit the spindle with a mallet of some sort.

Alright, I think I skipped a step. I've searched and not found any instructions or helpful pictures, but don't you have to take off the hub assembly before you do that? and how do I do that? I'm not too good with the front end of my truck.

yea the hub has to come off. you have to take everything all the way down to a bare spindle.

Alright, sweetness. Thanks.

to loosen the lower balljoints from the spindle, whack the spindle right where the balljoint goes into the spindle with a BFH. if you have another hammer to back up the spindle with as you hit it, it will work even better.

If you have trouble with the upper ones -- which is common -- you'll need a ball joint removal tool (the "gear puller" type) or perhaps a "pickle fork" type remover. However, the forks require some finesse in use to keep from tearing the ball joint boots.

You would eventually have to take the "hub" off anyway. It's a combination of the hub and brake rotor and it's pretty heavy to handle that spindle with them still on there.

For the upper ball joint I had to use a tie rod separator and a ball joint separator at the same time to pry it up enough.

someone needs to do a spindle install writeup with lots of pics. Im about to do mine in a couple of weeks

well... did you get the truck done Jake?

Yep. took me three days to do it because when I found out the top bolts were too short, every place was closed and then it was Thanksgiving. Got them on this morning and my brake lines are too short to run the front as high as I want so I have to get new lines. BUT other than that, it's nice to ride as high as the SuperDuty's and big Rams. Thanks for all ya'lls comments. I may get some pictures up sometime tomorrow.

Agreed...many have promised to do it but nada. They must get so excited that they are lifted that they don't have time for the stockers anymore. tsk

Ok, so i see the idea of pulling and / or the fork useage. I have both a tierod and a balljoint fork. Do I basically finesse one in, then the same with the other? Is it normal to have the upper ball joint solidly connected to the spindle?

Mine were a big ***** to get off it pissed me off so bad!

lol...how bad was it?
 

The bolt and nut are off the top mount. So as far as being connected, they aren't...right? The whole thing is that it is rusted / dirty and thusly lodged to the spindle. Right? HOw exactly did you get yo7ur spindle to come loose? Here is a photo of what I'm looking at. I CAN'T get the damn thing off...it's starting to upset me. I have to have most / all of the rest of my kit done today.

http://image38.webshots.com/39/5/88/...tions/FullSize

Why are you taking off your spindles?? I noticed you were 4x4 and a spindle lift doesnt work on your truck...so was just wondering...

Basically, I just beat the crap out of it with a hammer. I hit the upper arm enough to get that off. With the bottom (use the driver's side for an example) turn the spindle all the way to the right. You should see a flat place maybe about 2 square inches under the lower arm. I just got the biggest hammer I could and hit it over and over until it came off (make SURE you leave the castle nut on the bottom so it wont fall and so you wont mess the threads up). The metal on my spindle (in that area) was reshaped and dented from where I hit it so hard.

There are new spindles with the superlift kit I have to use. I need to remove old ones to install new ones. This is getting harder and harder. I tried to disconnect the driveshaft...nope. It's freaking lodged in there tightly. Don't know how I'll get those off of there.

Ah got it...thanks...was unaware of pretty much anything to do with 4x4 suspension...

To separate the upper arms from the spindle on my 2wd, I just took a hammer to the underside of the arm and it popped loose after a few swings. On the other side, I just took a crow bar wedged between the bottom of the arm and on the top of the frame and lifted up on the bar.

I am thinking, if I don't need the ld spindles, why not just cut the hell outta them to take them off?