how on earth to remove a stuck spindle

[knightpitt]

I've localized an issue with my '94 4x4 Ex to the front passenger side spindle bearing. So, last night, I tried to remove the spindle piece.

First off, the ABS sensor was in the way and the bolt holding it in was broken off well within the bolt hole, so I had to drill it out. No real biggie.

Once I got that off, I removed the 5 bolts holding the spindle in. Easy, cool. The Haynes manual says, "lightly tap the spindle with a soft-faced or rubber mallat to loosen, then remove the spindle."

Haha, yeah right! 2 hours later, after I pounded those little studs back through and spent at least 45 minutes on it with an air chisel, I gave up. I have no idea how to remove this spindle. There seems to be nothing holding it in aside from it's own sheer willpower. And, if it's willpower is that great, I have no idea how to get it off.

Any tips/suggestions???

Thanks in advance, guys!

 

[410Fortune]

you pounded the studs through, oh man....

A block of wood with a sledge hammer head, careful dont ***** up the spindle.
Also some flat head screw drivers behind the dust shield may help.

Hitting it with the air chissel is not a good idea

 

[je5]

Liberally apply penatrating oil around the edge, let stand awhile and apply more. If you can't get it off then the way you have been trying I have a special tool for it I could ship you. I feel like you will get it if oil gets around all the mating surfaces. Be sure to pack new bearing with alot of high-temp wheel bearing grease upon reassembly and put some anti-seeze lube on the mounting surface of the spindle so future disassembly will be easy.

 

[knightpitt]

you pounded the studs through, oh man....

yeah, I got sick of seeing them sit there, laughing at me... I figured if I got them out of the way, I'd have some more luck. I think I'll be able to pound them back through from the back well enough... snake a punch through and hammer on the back of the stud.

Liberally apply penatrating oil around the edge, let stand awhile and apply more.

yeah... I did that... this is one of the few times that PB Blaster has let me down.

]Hitting it with the air chissel is not a good idea

I know... I just got so sick of it sitting there that I figured if I hit it with the air chisel, it'd *have to* come off. I just used it around the mating surfaces, so I didn't do anything too bad... I think...

As for hitting it with a slegde and a block of wood, do you mean to hit a little bit further out on the spindle, like near the outer edge of it? At this point in time, I'm willing to try anything. My next step is either to remove that whole assembly on top of the control arm there (is that called the knuckle?), or to pull out my rotory cutoff and just destroy the thing. Anything other than those two approaches, however, is preferred.

I have a special tool for it I could ship you

just wondering, what would a special tool for this look like? I just am having a hard time picturing what kind of tool could get enough leverage on this.

 

[cculter]

I just take a block of wood and beat the hell out of it. Move all around the spindle. It does take a lot to get it off.

 

[Positive Vibes]

Yep cover the spindle with a rag and put a block of wood on the end near the threads. Smack it good in all directions it will break free eventually. Don't be shy hitting it with the wood protecting the threads. Once you get a little gap, slide a screwdriver in the gap and bang on it agiain from a different side.

 

[je5]

It screws onto the spindle threads. You can slide hammer it. An attached bolt can run through the tube of the spindle and press it off. Hope this info. helps. Number one help though is "penetrating oil". Sent the wife to Wally-World the other day to get me some and she comes back with K-Y Jelly. Didn't help a bit removing rusted U-bolts!!

 

[sn0border88]

I just want to make sure you got out BOTH spindle nuts. I once did the same thing on a d44, no matter what I tried i couldnt get the fugger off, lo and behold I took off the first spindle nut but forgot the clock washer and second nut. it that dont work, get the torch out and cook the thing till its cherry, then air hammer.

 

[RockRanger]

I just want to make sure you got out BOTH spindle nuts. I once did the same thing on a d44, no matter what I tried i couldnt get the fugger off, lo and behold I took off the first spindle nut but forgot the clock washer and second nut. it that dont work, get the torch out and cook the thing till its cherry, then air hammer.

Yup it is a PIA to get the spindle off when you still have the rotor on

I agree with the wood block and sledge with the penetrating oil. If all else fails a bit of heat from a torch to the knuckle might help loosen it up a bit.

 

[DeRocha]

Easy easy easy... I've been there several times... The big problem is that the spindle lip sits inside the steering knuckle and time and rust will really keep it fused together. You need to use a slide hammer puller (free autozone rental)... Put the large spindle nut back on the spindle and lock the jaws of the puller on the nut... A few pulls later the spindle is out and you'll have a smile on your face. The 1st time I removed the spindle I pried it off
Spindle Removal 1
Spindle Removal 2

TIP: Get some antiseize and coat the spindle lip and mountin surfaces to help make the next removal even easier.

 

[sn0border88]

the spindle nut goes under the rotor... im confused?

 

[sn0border88]

sorry, im thinkin of a d44.

 

[RockRanger]

the spindle nut goes under the rotor... im confused?

To get the spindle off you have to take the rotor off by taking both nuts and the washer deal off. When you said you couldnt get your spindle off cause you forgot the second nut it was funny to me because there is no way to get the 5 or 6 bolts (depending on ford or chevy) that hold the spindle to the knuckle if the the large spindle nut is still on holding the rotor on. The dana 35 and the 44 are very similar in how they go together other then the hub. Heck I think the big spindle nuts and locking washer are interchangeable.

 

[CodePoet]

I had the same problem on my d44 spindle. My solution was to remove the knuckle (was comming off anyway) and working a sledge from behind...worked good

 

[sn0border88]

again, it was a drum brake d44 from an EB, and since I had no prior experience with a drum brake front axle I didnt know about the 2 spindle nuts on the inside. I still say get the torch out and heat the thing up cherry red, if that dosent bust it loose its time to go to the junkyard for a new spindle and knuckle.

 

[CodePoet]

Yeah...i have a 79 so it had the drums but those spindles were HARD to get off. They are dissimilar metals (the spindle and the knuckle) and there is a reaction between them that bonds them together. You just have to break that bond. I enjoyed taking my knuckles off...that was fun and I fell even more in love with my 24oz ball pein lol

 

[RockRanger]

again, it was a drum brake d44 from an EB

Never thought about a drum brake 44. I can see that being a problem. I was trying to figure out how to remove a spindle with the rotor still on. A drum brake setup can make that possible.

 

[sn0border88]

and I fell even more in love with my 24oz ball pein lol

24oz? Thats where your problem lies You my friend need a BFH.

 

[CodePoet]

lol agree...but if i pull that back it puts a hurt on whatever it comes in contact with. My spindles didn't have a chance in hell lol

 

[knightpitt]

well, after spending the weekend away without the Ex (which was unfortunate because it has _so_ much more space than the other vehicle), I got back to it last night and pulled out my BFH (the 8lb one), a piece of wood, and went to it. It really only took 8-10 careful, *hard* blows for it to come off.

The good news: my adventure with the air chisel hasn't seemed to perminently damage anything.

The bad news: spindle bearing is perfectly fine, but the universal joint on the driveaxle seems to be bad, so I'll be replacing that. The inside bearing seal for the spindle bearing (the one stuck on the axle) is ripped so I'll need to replace that. I pounded out the studs for the spindle in frustration, so I have to pound/press those back in. I had to drill out the ABS sensor protector bolt (and did a crappy job of it), so I'll need to tap that and install a new bolt.

Who knew that one simple universal joint could cause so many issues?