[jermil01]

Any pics of knuckle removal/installation??

The knuckles are giving me a real PITA. I have soaked the castle nuts in PB blaster, but still can't move the inner castle nut..Do I need to heat it or just apply more muscle. I've used a half in breaker bar with added leverage from a length of pipe and still nothing. Thanks.

 

[jermil01]

I wish I could have the axle under my rig before doing the ball joints, but it's not going to happen. There's still way too much to do on it and I want to get the axle completely cleaned before I do the swap. I'll just hit those nuts with some more PB and hopefully that will do the trick.

 

[jermil01]

Did another search, and found this, it's pretty helpful.

click here

 

[jermil01]

Okay, I got the knuckles off of both side, things are progressing a lot more smoothly now..

Hit it top and bottom with the separator, and..

 

[jermil01]

I think I'm going to get the axle hot tanked. It shouldn't cost that much.

 

[jermil01]

Good question, I need to find a place around here that does that sort of thing, any ideas??

 

[jermil01]

Gub Ni, thanks for the heads up.I called around to a few machine shops hear in town, found one that will be able to do it. The guy said it would only be $10 bucks to run through the tank. Not a bad deal.

 

[jermil01]

Can anyone tell me what a "hot tank" is? Do they just dunk your part in a vat of something that cleans it? Also, what all will this remove, ie paint, rust, or just dirt? Thanks.

That's pretty much what it does. From what I understand it is some sort of heated chemical solution that removes all of the crap, dirt and so forth. I am not sure about rust.

 

[jermil01]

Installing the balljoint

I hate to drudge this up again, but I am now trying to reinstall the new ball joints on the knuckles. The manual says to start with the lower ball joint first, what am I doing wrong here?? do I need to push the ball joint in the same way they push out?? Help..

This is what I tried to do with no success.

I know I must have something backwards here.

 

[jermil01]

When I pushed them out, I pushed from the bottom up...but it looks like there is a bit of a difference between the old ball joints and the new ones..The bottom one definitely has to go in first per the manual. I'm pretty sure I have it the right way, installing the lower ball joint in the lower hole..I'll double check when I get home today, it would be f**ked up if I was trying to put the wrong one in.. :twak :brownbag

 

[jermil01]

Do you think a little bearing grease would help?? Or would that be bad?

 

[jermil01]

No these are brand new ball joints, I havn't installed the snap ring yet.

 

[jermil01]

I hadn't seen that, but I did check out the pics he has on his SuperFord..I've got everything down except pressing the new ones in,

 

[jermil01]

Finally got these suckers in..man what a PITA..