Spindle/Knuckle arm

[cdncowboy]

Spindle/steering knuckle

so i'm changing the ball joints on my 93 explorer 4wd, and i can't separate the spindle from the steering knuckle, i have a haines manual and it says to use a soft hammer, and i'm not getting anywhere, i'm afraid to use a wedge, any ideas?

 

[410Fortune]

LARGE sledge.

Put the jack stand under the beam

Hit the knuckle on the top, and also on the steering stop.
they can be tricky but I have yet to meet one I could not get off after a few "taps" from a 8# sledge.

 

[cdncowboy]

the spindle is mounted flush on to the steering knuckle, i don't think that can work

 

[DeRocha]

410Fortune, cdncowboy is talking about removing the spindle not the steering knuckle...The first time took me several hours to remove my spindles as I didn't know how to best attack the problem.. In the pic below I used screwdrivers as wedges to slowly remove it (It took a long time).. IMO the easiest way was to use a slide hammer (free autozoene rental). You just put the large spindle nut back on and latch onto it with the jaws on the slide hammer's puller.. Five or so pulls later the spindle came right off... I would never do it any other way...

Check out the Ball joint thread for some good info an pics... a good tip is to place the ball joints in the freezer several hours before installing them.. This will shrink them a few thousands of an inch and allow them to go in much easier..

BTW did you already remove the ABS sensor protector?

 

[410Fortune]

hahaha oops
Well whenyou get to the ball joint part use a sledge to drop the knuckle.

the spindle I do as shown above, tapping back and forth and top and bottom with a rubber mallet can help loosen it as well

My bad.....

 

[Rhett]

BTW did you already remove the ABS sensor protector?

Argh You speak the name of the beast.

Pardon my french, but damn the ABS sensor protector to hell!

There, I feel better now.

As initmated above, on 93-94 trucks (they have front abs) you must remove the ABS sensor protector FIRST before removing the spindle. This little minor step is likely not covered in any manual (except the Ford Serv Manual). It is removed by undoing a bolt (I think it's 8mm) (or maybe it is 2 bolts) from the BACK side of the knuckle/spindle setup. Likely your bolt is rounded off, or rusted badly. If so, you'll have to drill it out or get lucky somehow. I had to drill mine out and use a drill press to retap a new hole. Anyway once that is done, I use a socket extender and hammer to break loose the ABS sensor protector housing.

Then you're left with what DeRocha shows in his picture. The silver cylinder there is the front ABS sensor. The housing fits around it and is just there to protect it and keep it from moving.

 

[Positive Vibes]

Yep, use a BFH. Put a rag or cloth on the spindle and whack it a good couple times with a big f$%#ing hammer from the top and bottom. Don't be shy hitting it cause you aren't going to break anything.

 

[cdncowboy]

that worked awesome, that slide hammer made life so much easier
thanks

 

[Creager]

So i guess ford made different spindles for the different years?

because mine looks a lot different from yours in that pic DeRocha, haha.

For me, the driverside spindle is always the one to be a PINA, the passengerside one pulls off with no effort.

It always kinda perplexed me that your only supposed to torque those nuts to 40-50 ftlbs... i always want to think they should be at like 150! it aint made of aluminum is it?