Big Block Dart Forums banner

Stuck balljoint---removal?

11K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  chryco 
#1 ·
Guys, i have been stuggleing for hours last night to remove a balljoint from the spindle on my 96 dakota--2wd. This is agonizing ---especially because im working outside (cold) o[. I managed to get both tierods, and 3 of the 4 ball joints romoved from the spindles using various impliments of destruction (4ton porta power with spreader jaws between both ball joints, pickle fork, hammer, bigger hammer, etc o[). For pete sakes, all three of my darts came apart easier than this!!!! Any tips? i dont have any access to torches, so dont suggest that. All of this because i said to myself, "self--might as well put the new spindles on while your doing the brakes over because it will be all apart anyhow <):." What the H was i thinking  ::)

--chad
 
#3 ·
You know andy, i swear one of these days im going to buy a small set of tourches. I tried the old standby propane tourch, but its prob just not hot enough. I thought of carfulley cutting/splitting the spindle from the ball joint, but id really like to save them---just in case )(/*.

I dont need to particularlly use the stock ones over anytime soon though (installing dropped spindles). We'll see, i'll take more of a stab at it later when i get home. I got tired of swinging the hammer last night, but i do have one side on at least o[.

--chad
 
#7 ·
slow_motion said:
You know andy, i swear one of these days im going to buy a small set of tourches. I tried the old standby propane tourch, but its prob just not hot enough. I thought of carfulley cutting/splitting the spindle from the ball joint, but id really like to save them---just in case  )(/*.

I dont need to particularlly use the stock ones over anytime soon though (installing dropped spindles). We'll see, i'll take more of a stab at it later when i get home. I got tired of swinging the hammer last night, but i do have one side on at least o[.

--chad
I don't have a set either, don't feel bad. But, I am getting very close to getting one of those portable jobs. Little tanks, but it is something I would use once in a blue moon to heat up a stuck ball joint... haha. Sorry.... lol

Andy
 
#8 ·
Well, i got it off. The stock dakota spindles have the lower balljoint hole/steering arm as a seperate piece (similar to our darts). So i unbolted the spindle from the arm, and then was able to get my pitman arm puller on the arm, and i started cranking down, fearing the tool was going to snap when it finally broke loose. The stud of the ball joint looked kinda wierd though---almost pitted like, almost like you take a carbide bit to steel, but not as rough as that. I dont know if that had anything to do with it, all the other ones were perfectly smooth, machined look, and this truck has never been apart since new(was my fathers i did all the work on). So anyways, the spindles are on, the new rotors are on, i got wet from the rain and gave up, hopefully tommorow i will finish this job so i can drive my truck again.

--chad
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top