New front end coming soon

[ThePhoenix]

thats my question...I guess it just pulls out towards the back

anything that requires a puller scares me too..what if I cant get to back in

 

[ThePhoenix]

oh hey...to raise the back left, you raise the front left? trying to compensate for the pimp lean.

its weird...if you park by turning right into the space, it leans...if you park by turn left into the space, it seems almost level...bad shocks?

 

[CDW6212R]

it would go either way, but take it out the back, it's shorter.

Try to notice where the key is aimed as the bar has the pressure off of it. When you reinstall it, place the key in the same direction. The bar ends have six sides, the key that goes on the end will only work installed on the bar in the one position. Just wait until you get the LCA lowered with the floor jack down close to the ground. That's when the back end will become loose enough to remove the adjuster and key. The key slides right off the back of the bar, note which way it points compared to the LCA.

The bars are also different lengths, labeled on the front.

 

[ThePhoenix]

thats helps...I might try this when I get parts all bought

 

[rizzjc]

Progress!

Finally got rolling on this. One side is mostly disassembled. One minor issue. I pulled the passenger side CV axle out, and got slightly more than I bargained for .... like about 2 feet more! I guess there is an inner shaft that's supposed to stay behind. Hopefully that goes back in without too much trouble. But how do I separate it from the external CV axle??

Bottle jack trick on the torsion bar worked great. Careful though. It lifted the truck right off the jack stand when I did it. Got the retainer out, then lowered the bottle jack. With tension off the torsion bar, I just wiggled it backward and out of the lower control arm. Rubber mallet helped it along a bit.



Removed the whole front hub/spindle as one piece, with upper control arm attached.



Since everything is getting replaced, a hammer made easy work of popping everything apart. Wasn't sure what gets replaced on the tie-rod ends, so I used a 2-arm puller, couple twists, and POP! For the lower ball joint I put a floor jack under it, and lifted the whole arm by the threaded ball joint end. A few whacks with the hammer, and it loosed up.



Just have to finish removing the upper and lower arms, then I'll probably work on getting the rest of the parts, and starting reassembly, before moving to the other side.

 

[techieman33]

I would have seperated the upper control arm from the spindle before you removed it from the lower, it takes a couple pretty good whacks with a hammer to break them apart.

 

[rizzjc]

Yeah, well, hindsight. I had it in my head that spindle and hub are all one piece, and I was replacing it. I realized after I took it off that wasn't case.

So, the local machine shop pressed out the old, and pressed in the new bushings for the upper control arm, for $20. Found the hub assembly for $100 each. That was pretty good. Hopefully I don't regret putting in "AutoExtra" brand hubs. Picked up the sway bar connector kit, and tie rod ends as well. They didn't have the sway bar bushing, and I forgot to ask at the other place with the machine shop. I guess that can be the last thing I do, so no biggie.

Still need to separate the CV axle from the differential. One of the stickies says to just pry them apart. I'll work on that next.

 

[rizzjc]

Help!

OK, problem.

Trying to remove the CV axle. Everything else is out. It does slide right out, but the inner part of the axle keeps coming with it. I'm trying not to pull the whole thing out, 'cause then I'll have to worry about keeping it clean, etc. How do I separate these two pieces?! I'm wondering if this is an indication that my seals are shot, or gone. Should the seals sorta hold in the "inner axle"? It looks like the seal goes around the CV axle.

Another note. Getting the hub and upper ball joint off the spindle wasn't too hard even with it removed (though I should have taken it apart first, as Techieman33 said). Gotta love North Carolina. So easy on vehicles! Anyway, what I SHOULD HAVE removed before taking everything apart, was the tie rod end. But, that should be simple to do when I put it all together. I'll just replace it then. I only got the out TRE, not the inner. Feels pretty solid, and it looks easy enough to do without remove of anything else, so it can wait.

 

[techieman33]

OK, problem.

Trying to remove the CV axle. Everything else is out. It does slide right out, but the inner part of the axle keeps coming with it. I'm trying not to pull the whole thing out, 'cause then I'll have to worry about keeping it clean, etc. How do I separate these two pieces?! I'm wondering if this is an indication that my seals are shot, or gone. Should the seals sorta hold in the "inner axle"? It looks like the seal goes around the CV axle.

Another note. Getting the hub and upper ball joint off the spindle wasn't too hard even with it removed (though I should have taken it apart first, as Techieman33 said). Gotta love North Carolina. So easy on vehicles! Anyway, what I SHOULD HAVE removed before taking everything apart, was the tie rod end. But, that should be simple to do when I put it all together. I'll just replace it then. I only got the out TRE, not the inner. Feels pretty solid, and it looks easy enough to do without remove of anything else, so it can wait.

that inner piece is made to come out, though I've never had one come out with the cv axle. You should be able to just pull the cv and inner axle apart and then put the inner back in the diff. Have you changed the front diff fluid recently? If not it might be a good time to drop it and do so since your basically going to be at that point anyway.

 

[rizzjc]

OK, thanks, I guess it's coming out, 'cause they ain't separating. I "flushed" the front diff twice after the "incident" ...
<-------------
With Amsoil 75W90 gear lube. First time I had a shop pump the pond water out. Second time, I pumped it out myself. Still looks pretty good, and should have to be done, unless it gets water in it. I'll think on it. As you can see, I work kinda slow, and would like to be driving it this week. Then again, the AC is still broken, and it's freakin' hot here! I need AC in my garage. Another day.

 

[techieman33]

Is the inner axle "locking" back in place when you put it back in? The clip that holds the inner in should be strong enough to hold it in place while the cv is removed. I've had to pull on mine pretty good to get them out and never had the inner even budge.

 

[rizzjc]

Is the inner axle "locking" back in place when you put it back in? The clip that holds the inner in should be strong enough to hold it in place while the cv is removed. I've had to pull on mine pretty good to get them out and never had the inner even budge.

Well, it goes all the way back in, if I push on it. But it also come out very easily. So, what exactly does this mean? More work for me?

 

[techieman33]

Well, it goes all the way back in, if I push on it. But it also come out very easily. So, what exactly does this mean? More work for me?

I'm not sure, I've never had that inner axle out. I've only read that it will pull out. Maybe Don or someone else could tell you.

 

[CDW6212R]

The inner axle and the outer axles attach to each other and the differential with the same kind of snap clips. It's no big deal other than bothersome for it to come out when you didn't want it to. The inner shaft is as likely to hold tighter to the diff, your's doesn't, Eric's does, mine didn't on one of mine.

I replaced all of my tie rod ends at 175k, none of them were bad. So unless you are finding a looseness, you could leave the inner TRE in there. Take care of the boots, they are easy to damage.

Try to disconnect any of the joints with boots by hammer instead of puller. Loosen the nut for the joint, and find the spot on the side of the hole/spindle. Note on the LBJ area of the spindle, there is a large protrusion of the spindle. That is the designed location to hit with a baby sledge to make the joint pop out. Leave the nut on the joint shaft about 1/8" from tight, hammer the spot until it lets go, then remove the nut. The same applies to the tie rod ends, but they don't always cooperate. The trick is to have a big enough hammer, and plenty of room to swing it.

 

[rizzjc]

Well, pulled it out, whacked the CV axle with a hammer a few times, and here we are.

Best I can tell the "clip" on the inside end of the axle shaft is useless, and the one on the outside end is much stronger.

Seals actually appear to be in pretty good shape. Hopefully I don't regret not replacing them. I guess I'll be good at this when I'm done anyway.

 

[rizzjc]

Thanks Don! So reassembly can begin. All of the ball joints are out (on this side) and gave me no trouble. The TRE I'll just take care of during assembly, and will know when I get to the other side, to get everything loose before I take it all apart.

 

[CDW6212R]

Be careful when putting the axles in through the seals. The seals all have internal springs that could possibly be pushed out if the axle hit the seal just right. That's the only odd thing to watch for when installing the seals, if the spring comes out the seal leaks immediately. If they don't leak now then they probably won't for a good while.

 

[rizzjc]

Had to take a break 'cause I promised the kids a trip to the pool. Lower control arm is in place, just need to get the rest in place. Haven't put the axle back yet, until I get some other pieces in place to support it. I'll watch the seal, but all I can see is a basic rubber seal.

 

[techieman33]

Had to take a break 'cause I promised the kids a trip to the pool. Lower control arm is in place, just need to get the rest in place. Haven't put the axle back yet, until I get some other pieces in place to support it. I'll watch the seal, but all I can see is a basic rubber seal.

you don't need anything in place to support the inner axle shaft

 

[rizzjc]

Well, I didn't want the CV to come apart or just hang there, so I was just thinking it would be easier to get the lower control arm in place and then slide the axle in. Plus, then it's not in the way while I wrestle the lower control arm.