trouble removing lower control arm

JUICED SVT · 04-05-2009, 07:35 PM

just like the title says i'm having trouble busting the lower control arm from the spindle. it just seems to be stuck. i've removed the castle nut and beat the hell out of it. stuck the pickle fork in- nothing should it really be this hard to get off? or is there something i'm missing?

SvoBrown · 04-05-2009, 07:51 PM

Beat it harder. You can tap hard on the side to help break it loose. Give it hell!!!
PB blaster could help too. WD40, Put the heat to it. it will come off.

SvoBrown · 04-05-2009, 07:52 PM

Not red hot. Just enough to smoke some grease out of it.

93cobra1928 · 04-05-2009, 07:52 PM

I like to use a BFH, the ball joints tend to want to stick in the spindle, several well placed hits on the spindle where the ball joint goes in usually does the trick.

Italian LX · 04-05-2009, 08:00 PM

Take a big hammer and beat the hell out of the side of the spindle where the ball joint goes through it. It will eventually break loose.

Make sure you're not supporting the control arm (let the front suspesion extend all the way) and thread the castle nut on a few turns (leave space between the nut and the spindle). If you do the above, it will be easy to tell when the ball joint finally breaks free as the space betwen the castle nut and the spindle will be taken up and the nut will be the only thing keeping the control arm from swinging down and launching the spring. At that point, you can slightly jack up the control arm and remove the castle nut.

Dale McPeters · 04-06-2009, 12:46 PM

They do make a special tool for this that really makes it very easy....

It is called a 16 lb sledge hammer.............

JUICED SVT · 04-06-2009, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale McPeters

They do make a special tool for this that really makes it very easy....

It is called a 16 lb sledge hammer.............

just took the 12 to get it

but damn they were on there

QWKSNKE · 04-06-2009, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JUICED SVT

just took the 12 to get it

but damn they were on there

they always are

Craig K. · 04-07-2009, 04:29 PM

In the future too, make sure your not using the pickle fork upside down, I did this ONCE.
Beat the heck out of it for an hour using the the fork took it out, flipped it over and in two hits she came apart, there is a progressive wdege shape on the fork, as I recall the flat goes towards the arm.

JUICED SVT · 04-07-2009, 07:32 PM

yeah i tried it both ways they were just really stuck on there

04-05-2009, 07:35 PM	#1
JUICED SVT Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: BOAZ,AL. Posts: 220	trouble removing lower control arm just like the title says i'm having trouble busting the lower control arm from the spindle. it just seems to be stuck. i've removed the castle nut and beat the hell out of it. stuck the pickle fork in- nothing should it really be this hard to get off? or is there something i'm missing? __________________ 1999 GT VERT 4V conversion

04-05-2009, 07:51 PM	#2
SvoBrown Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Graham AL Posts: 1,461	Beat it harder. You can tap hard on the side to help break it loose. Give it hell!!! PB blaster could help too. WD40, Put the heat to it. it will come off. __________________ ''Life's tough... it's even tougher if you're stupid.'' - - John Wayne

04-05-2009, 07:52 PM	#3
SvoBrown Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Graham AL Posts: 1,461	Not red hot. Just enough to smoke some grease out of it. __________________ ''Life's tough... it's even tougher if you're stupid.'' - - John Wayne

04-05-2009, 07:52 PM	#4
93cobra1928 Dazed and Confused Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Northport, Al Posts: 778	I like to use a BFH, the ball joints tend to want to stick in the spindle, several well placed hits on the spindle where the ball joint goes in usually does the trick. __________________ Proud owner of 93 Cobra #1928 306ci Forged flat tops, Windsor Sr iron heads, FMS X-303 cam, OE Cobra upper and lower, 65mm tb, 70mm maf, 24lb injectors, BBK shorties, Summit H-pipe and Flo-bastards

04-05-2009, 08:00 PM	#5
Italian LX Daddy x4 ...we're done Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oxford, AL Posts: 11,551	Take a big hammer and beat the hell out of the side of the spindle where the ball joint goes through it. It will eventually break loose. Make sure you're not supporting the control arm (let the front suspesion extend all the way) and thread the castle nut on a few turns (leave space between the nut and the spindle). If you do the above, it will be easy to tell when the ball joint finally breaks free as the space betwen the castle nut and the spindle will be taken up and the nut will be the only thing keeping the control arm from swinging down and launching the spring. At that point, you can slightly jack up the control arm and remove the castle nut. __________________ -Brian '86 Mustang GT Convertible '88 Mustang LX coupe '11 Odyssey TE '21 Insight Touring

04-06-2009, 12:46 PM	#6
Dale McPeters 5.0 Block/Walnut Cracker Join Date: May 2005 Location: Working.... Posts: 2,409	They do make a special tool for this that really makes it very easy.... It is called a 16 lb sledge hammer............. __________________ '14 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 6-speed

04-07-2009, 04:29 PM	#9
Craig K. Nothing new here Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Senoia, GA Posts: 2,990	In the future too, make sure your not using the pickle fork upside down, I did this ONCE. Beat the heck out of it for an hour using the the fork took it out, flipped it over and in two hits she came apart, there is a progressive wdege shape on the fork, as I recall the flat goes towards the arm. __________________ 1974 Triumph TR6 1985 Monte Carlo SS 1986 Mustang GT 2011 KIA Optima GTS

04-07-2009, 07:32 PM	#10
JUICED SVT Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: BOAZ,AL. Posts: 220	yeah i tried it both ways they were just really stuck on there __________________ 1999 GT VERT 4V conversion