Cant get the spindle off!!!

[VintagePorscheG]

I have a 93 Explorer 4x4 and always have to replace the front left wheel bearings, They last about 10000 miles. I have a new spindle but cant get the old one off...

Please someone help me...

I even tried to pay a shop to fix it and they said they couldnt get it off....

Stuck in Dayton Ohio....

 

[Byrd91]

I had issues with mine too. Since you have a new one that helps because you can beat the old one off. But first:

Spray PB blaster or another penetrating oil on all the studs, let them soak, and respray a few times.

Use a 3lb mini sledge tapping (banging) in alternating directions.

A little heat could help too.

When you finally get it off, clean the mating surface on the knuckle and smear grease so this doesn't happen again.

 

[VintagePorscheG]

So, take off the 5 bolts and start hitting it with a sledge hammer?

Please be sure, I need my truck to run, as I can't drive the cobra in the snow... It spins like a MF...

Thanks

 

[Hoppy]

Yeah, if you have a new spindle, don't force it, just use a bigger hammer. Brute force and ignorance in this case is the answer. But, your bearings should be lasting for way way more than only 10,000 miles. Are you overtightening them?

Hoppy

 

[CADDYBILL]

Before you start beating it with a hammer make sure that you disconnect the ABS sensor, if equipped, it is bolted on from behind.

 

[Bruce Rock]

The spindles on my '94 have a 6mm-1.00 bolt with a funny head (it may be a male torx but none of my sockets, torx or otherwise, worked on it) that secures the spindle to the knuckle from the INSIDE OUT!!!!!. This single bolt is located right next to the sensor for the anti-lock brakes. It is not the 6mm-1.00 bolt that secures the block that protects the sensor. That bolt is outside the flange diameter of the spindle, but it does have to be removed to since the protector block is cantalevered over the spindle flange (the blck has a step in it). There is another 6mm-1.00 drilled and tapped hole in the SPINDLE 180 degrees from the bolt that secures the spindle to the knuckle bolt that can be used as a PUSHER HOLE to remove the spindle.

Unless you had someone else changing your bearings, you should have come accross this before.

Please reply. I would be interested in knowing it "93 has a similar set-up.

If you have that bolt and can't remove it let me know and I will tell you what I did. Worked pretty slick for me.

I agree 10,000 miles is way too short. Do you drive in a lot of deep water? What grease is used? How are your seal fits? I had to use a speedi sleeve on my spindles since that fit was rusted so bad. Who adjusts the end play on the tapered rollers?

 

[VintagePorscheG]

Wow! that last post was the one I was looking for...

Yeah that darn abs sensor is what seems to be the problem on my '93

the five bolts come off but that bolt that secures the sensor block (that interferrs with the flange) won't come off.

Per your question, I never drive in water or really even off road...

I do believe that the spindle is bad and that is the source of the problem...

 

[Bruce Rock]

To be more exact, on my '94 there are two sensor blocks on each side. One is mounted on the knuckle facing the inside, and the other is mounted on the knuckle/spindle facing the outside.

The block facing the INSIDE is secured with a bolt that goes THROUGH the block, THROUGH the knuckle and into a TAPPED hole in the spindle.

The block facing the outside is secured with a bolt that goes THROUGH the knuckle and into a tapped hole in the outside sensor block. This bolt can be a hard to see and hard to get a good socket on. If I remember correctly, it's the one with the funny head.

The way I removed it was with a hand drill through the tapped hole in the outside sensor block. On the first one (I did both sides) the drill preferred the softer material of the block instead of the harden screw. On the second one I took a one or two inch piece of brake line that just fit inside the tapped hole (I think it must have been 1/4") and used that as a drill bushing for a drill that just fit the I.D. of the brake line (NO FLARES ON THE BRAKE LINE!). It made a nice straight pilot hole. Than I used the nearest size drill I had to the one listed for a 6mm-1.00 tap and drilled out the bolt. I than chased the threads with a 6mm-1.00 tap. What came out looked like a helicoil or tight spring.

I was wrong when I said the two 6mm-1.00 tapped holes in the spindle are 180 degrees apart. They aren't quite, but just look near the cutout for the sensor that makes the spindle useable on either side. Use that as a pusher hole to push the spindle away from the knuckle far enough to get something between the spindle and knuckle that you can work all the way around.

Why Ford would need a seperate screw for each sensor block is beyound me.

 

[Bill MacLeod]

6 mm x 12 point socket

That's what you will need for the small bolt. Not easy to find, but Snap-On, Mac dealers should have one. Mine is a Proto. Paid damn near as much for it as a full socket set.
Is you "mangle" the head of the screw as I did on one, use a screw extractor to remove it. I used the small one from a Lisle set and was still able to re-use the bolt.

Bill M.

 

[nak4af]

Re: 6 mm x 12 point socket

Originally posted by Bill MacLeod
That's what you will need for the small bolt. Not easy to find, but Snap-On, Mac dealers should have one. Mine is a Proto. Paid damn near as much for it as a full socket set.
Is you "mangle" the head of the screw as I did on one, use a screw extractor to remove it. I used the small one from a Lisle set and was still able to re-use the bolt.

Bill M.

That's the tool!

I got one FINALLY! Payed $8.75 for it (Snap-On). I have been able to use a 1/4 " 6 point also, just mushroom the head of the bolt a little and it will grab hold. It doesn't take much to get it free.

 

[DeRocha]

Been there, done that...

ABS sensor
The Sensor is an aluminum cylinder Pressed into the steering knuckle. Do not attempt to remove it since it will be destroyed in the process. You will however need to removed the ABS sensor support bracked which the sensor passes through.

2 bolts, 1 of which is hidden.
6mm 12pt 1/4"drive
3/8" drive sockets are too wide and will not fit.

Caution using a 6pt, or 1/4 socket may STRIP the bolt). I couldn't find this socket so used a 1/4 6pt socket. The passengers came off fine. The drivers side stripped. I used several differently sized drill bits to Erase most of the head (Don't drill into the Knuckle!). I then used a cold chisel and hammer to pop off the head. I then removed the ABS Sensor bracket, put it in a vise and used vise grips to unscrew the broken bolt (it came off easy).


The spindle
The lip of the spindle (which passes through the steering knuckle) will give you the most grief (unless you live in a dry climate) I had tried the "Tapping" method, but after 2 hours of beating the crap out of the spindle with a dead blow rubber mallet it didn't move. I then used a hammer to drive several screwdrivers as wedges between the spindle and steering knuckle. You can't just drive them in, but you have to walk it around the perimeter of the spindle Multiple times until you have enough clearance to drive one in a little. It took about 1/2 hour+ per spindle but it worked.

Check your U-joints. After removing the spindle the Stub Axles will just pull out through the knuckle (remove rubber boot P-side). You may need to raise/lower the T Beam to line things up so it will slip right out... The joint should move freely. Both of my outer u-joints on the stub axles were toast. The lube was gone with only a rusted set of needle bearings left. The inner U-joint was fine, but all U-joints were replaced..

Bill, How do you go about finding a snap on dealer? I have tried looking in the phone book, on-line ect but they aren't listed... You'd think snap on would allow their franchise owners to advertise, or at least put in a phone # so you could call them...