[slow_motion]

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

 

[Crazy68Dart]

So the BJ stem is stuck in the taper of the spindle?  Upper or lower?

Man if you could get a little heat on it...

Since you are replacing the spindles, could you cut it off and just replace the BJ?

Andy

 

[slow_motion]

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

 

[Jim_Lusk]

In these cases I really like the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch..........

 

[Dartsport]

In these cases I really like the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch..........

What is a HOLY HAND GRENADE of ANTIOCH??????????? ???

 

[Jim_Lusk]

The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch is what King Arthur is about to throw at the flesh eating rabbit in the pic.

[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[Crazy68Dart]

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

 

[slow_motion]

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

 

[Lars]

The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch is what King Arthur is about to throw at the flesh eating rabbit in the pic.

LOL!!! Greatest scene ever!

 

[Brad4406]

The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch is what King Arthur is about to throw at the flesh eating rabbit in the pic.

Jim,

I'm glad to see there are fellow Python fans on here. That movie has got to be one of my favorites.

 

[Jim_Lusk]

Lars, I'm kinda partial to the witch scene or "Bring out your dead" scene. )(/*

 

[Jim_Lusk]

Check out this link for more on "Holy Grail"

http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/grail/grail.htm

 

[Guest]

Bring me a shrubery ! LOL !