Removing half shaft - Unbolt Control Arm, or Ball Joint?

[Big6ft6]

I need to remove my driver's sidie half-shaft. I've seen two methods for getting the half-shaft out.

What is the consensus (is that a dumb questoin: ) of everyone on here.

Unbolt upper control arm at the pivots..or undo upper ball joint?

Should I try ball joint first...then only if that is too stuck...do control arm..or is one simply a better way?

 

[Turdle]

I would try to remove the upper ball joint--it is held by one pinch bolt

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Don't touch the arm itself or you will need an alignment.

Remove the bolt on the upper joint that passes through the arm.

Personaly I would remove the spindle all together. It will make getting the new one in alot easier.

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Curse you Jon! You beat me again:

 

[Turdle]

Not bad for typing with my left hand only eh?

 

[Big6ft6]

Maybe it isn't a bad idea to take the entire spindle out of the way, as I am going to replace the half-shaft bearing in the differential housing, so I will need to get an external bearing puller in there to yank it out with, maybe more space will make the job easier.

 

[drifter62]

I just had the right side replaced in mine. The guy that did the work removed the bolt from the top and just dropped the spindle down.