I’m in the middle of removing my driver’s side axle. I got the axle nut off (damn! that was difficult), removed the damper fork completely, and I must remove the castle nut and separate the balljoints, which I can’t wait to do on a 10 year old car. Anyway, I’m playing around with the pin, and I have no idea how to get it off. My manual simply states: remove cotter pin. Well, I don’t want to ruin it, because I don’t have a replacement. Can I just grab it with Vice-grips, and tear it out?
I remember someone mentioning a Dykes tool or something. I have no idea what that is, but I am sure that I don’t have one.
I did find some good info on here about separating the balljoint, but I have a pickle-fork style separator so I will try other methods first to avoid damaging the boot.
Hose it down with some WD-40 first, then just take vice grips or needlenose pliers to it. Also, if you can fit a small screwdriver in the eye of the pin, you can pry it out. As for the ball joint, just hammer the hell out of the side of it. It will eventually pop out, but the ball joint remover is of course better.
I’ve given it about 20 whacks with a sledge and the damn thing will not let go. I’m about to place a rachet between there and just force the hub assembly down. There is a method of separating using the car springs, but I’ve already removed the forks.:mad:
Haha, those damn things are a b!tch my friend. I just did my axles a week ago for the first time. It takes time and patience, i rented a two armed puller from autozone, got the thing on there as tight as i could (reaaaaaalllll tight), drenched the thing with wd-40 and wacked with all my might with a rubber mallot. It finally popped off, but it did take me two days to do it. You’ll cry once those damn things pop apart, i did.
Oh yea, luckily the puller came with an extra pawl, because i broke one of them. Damn old joints, just damn them to hell.
another way of busting them loose is to take a long pry bar and run it above the lower control arm and rest it on the underside of the body. Have a friend stand on it while you hit the ball join area with a large hammer.
Well, I broke the balljoint loose. I used this method after a few solid whacks with a 3lb sledge.
Use a floor jack and place it under the rotor. Make sure it is only under the rotor and carefully lift the hub assembly. When there is enough room, place a thick bar between the LCA and the edge of the balljoint (not the boot). Lower the jack and the force of the car spring forces the two to separate. Note that the sock forks must be attached, and I had to reinstall mine to do this.
Now the damn axle is welded to the hub, and a pry bar will not get it out completely. Some hard straight whacks to the axle bolt outside the hub pushed it out a bit, and I’m going to try to get the rest tommorrow.
This job is quite a bitch, but it’s almost out.
**Update: Well, I got the axle out of the hub, and I’m going to pry it out of the intermediate shaft tonight after work. I’ve managed to completely tear the boot apart (whoops), so that scraps any last minutes ideas of keeping the stock joint. I have the hub assembly raised with my floor jack to relieve stress on the steering/lower balljoints and the A-arms.
Well, I’m about finished with it. The new axle was a bitch to get through the hub; you have to make sure everything is lined up correctly, then I had to force it through by putting the nut on the end and turning it. Now I just need to tighten and torque everything down to spec.
i need help with my axels, they click and they shake the car (could be motor mounts) but
How much are new axels?
could a begginer replace them?
if not how much is installation (approx.)
thanks for any replies
I’d go head and try it yourself, its really not that hard once you get the hang of it. I did it for the first time about 6 months ago. I’ll i used was a breaker bar, pry bar, hammer, a stake kinda of thing to knock out the axle, and a 2 x 4 piece of wood. I think that all i used, it wasnt all that hard at all. get a manual and itll show you all you need to know. parts and labor for a complete axle costs $80, around me atleast. just an axle at NAPA costs $56 w/ lifetime warranty.