Control Arm Won't drop............

Hello again everyone,

I successfully removed the driver's side coil spring and spindle when the control arm dropped as I expected.

The passenger side is another story. I have tried twice. The spring is compressed with the compressor installed. I can wiggle the spring in the pocket. I put the jack under the control arm and raised it up a little and unscrewed the upper and lower ball joint nuts. I slowly lowered the jack, and NOTHING happened!

By the way, I had some difficulty removing the lower ball joint nut. I think the bolt may be bent. I was thinking I should cut the bolts with a cut off wheel and then knock it loose??

Thanks for reading and I appreciate your suggestions. I can post pics if you think it may help.

 

The ball joint must still be stuck in the taper. You should put the upper and lower ball joint nut back on part way and hit the spindle where the joints go thru to break it loose. The weight of the spring should be on the joints. Just make sure you have the nuts part way on.

 

Do you own a "pickle fork"? They are cheap and make the job much easier.

 

Hi Lou,

Do you mean by the weight of the spring, that I should take off the compressor and let the spring loose again? Gotcha on putting the nuts back on the ball joints first.:TU:

 

Yes or The other advice that was offered to use a pickle fork. I just leave the spring without any clamp and loosen the upper and lower nuts and with a large hammer hit the side of the spindle. The joint will snap free of the taper.

 

Thanks Jerry and Lou,

I used a ball joint separator to pop them. I can get a pickle fork. I don't have that or a BFH.

I have been out there fiddling with it, and the lower ball joint nut is bent at the top and has deformed 2 or 3 rows of threads. I can't get the castle nut back on.

Is it safe to get a pickle for and hammer and knock on it with the spring compressor engaged and no nut on the lower ball joint? Would that even work?

 

I'm a little confused Ed . Are you saying that the upper AND lower ball joints are seperated from the Spindle ? Also the Stabilizer link is removed ?

If what you say is the lower arm will not go down then something is holding it up . The spring compressor or the Shield for the brakes.

What year and car is this ?

NEVER mess around with the ball joint nuts removed !!!!! And if you say the first couple of threads are deformed make sure the nut is on so threads are visible above the nut.

Post what year and model and pictures if you can.

 

find a cheap Harbor Freight tap and die set (or borrow one) clean up the threads of the ball joint, bolt it back up and release the tension n the spring. Let the spring do the work. Find a pickle fork (sometimes NAPA or someone has loaner tools) and whack the hell out of it.

That's said, trying to do front end work without a fork or a BFH is just a lesson in frustration, find a way to beg, borrow (don't steal) the right tools or we'll still be talking about this next week......

Good luck and keep us posted.....

 

Hi Guys,

Thanks for sticking with me here..this is a 1967 GS400. Front end appears to be original parts.

I thought that the ball joint separator would do the trick (I bought the OTC Front End Service Kit). It worked great on the driver side......

Anyway, Rhett thanks for your suggestion. I will get a tap and die set and clean up the threads on the lower ball joint.

Lou--as far as I can tell, both the upper and lower joints are popped loose, and yes the sway bar is removed and so are the shocks.

I have attached pics. The last one shows the messed up threads.

 

The lower joint in picture #4 is not broken loose in the taper. As Rhett says a BFH is needed and to let the spring do the work for you.

Take the compressor out and at least put the shock back in loosely if you can't get the nut back on it . You will have to really whack it good on the side of the spindle where the ball joint taper is .

 

Thanks Lou, you have been very helpful. I will get on with it tomorrow. The rest of my life is interfering with me and my GS right now! p

 

Follow up for you guys:

Mission accomplished!:TU:

Thanks again for your help.

 

Ed- Looks like that ball joint got hit pretty good... you can try to file over the peened edge and run a die down it, but it might be easier to replace it if you were able to get the spindle out....

 

Yes Ed . You have them out . Just replace the bushings and Ball Joints. You will notice the difference first time you drive it.

 

I can't wait! I will be rebuilding the upper and lower control arms over the next week or so........I am going to get them sand blasted and then I will repaint them and replace the bushings and ball joints.

I am also considering buying my own sand blasting outfit and doing it myself. Seems that it will pay for itself pretty easily if I want to refinish anything else..........