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Need help replacing all 4 ball joints

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Bruno, Jun 20, 2012.

  1. Jun 20, 2012 at 1:53 PM
    #1
    Bruno

    Bruno [OP] Well-Known Member

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    1st Gen Fabtech Coilovers, Rear Add a Leaf, 33x12.5 BFG Mud Terrains, Deck Plate Mod
    Bought 4 moog BJs.
    Have truck on jack, wheel off.
    I've removed the nut holding the upper BJ to the UCA.
    Took off the upper BJ boot.

    I'm cranking the BJ separator between the spindle and UCA, it won't budge.
    I've hit the upper BJ with a hammer, can't get it out.

    Need suggestions under car typing with phone ;)
     
  2. Jun 20, 2012 at 2:03 PM
    #2
    Digiratus

    Digiratus Adventurer

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    Yeah, the uppers are a bitch. I ended up removing the whole spindle/knuckle and having a shop press them out. At the very least you'll need some sort of bj press tool to get them outa the top of the spindle and to press the new ones back in.


    [​IMG]
     
  3. Jun 20, 2012 at 2:11 PM
    #3
    white toy taco

    white toy taco 505 Member

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    if you go to autozone, you can get balljoint/tie rod end removers. they look like a big "U" with a bolt running down the middle. attatch a large wrench to the bolt and it will pop right out. trust me this is the easiest way\

    EDIT: actually now that i took a better look at Digi's picture above, its the same concept
     
  4. Jun 20, 2012 at 2:14 PM
    #4
    Bruno

    Bruno [OP] Well-Known Member

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    How did you get the spindle off the UCA? I'll take em to a shop to press the new ones in but as of now I can't separate them. Did u take the spindle off the LCA before you disconnected the spindle from the UCA?
     
  5. Jun 20, 2012 at 2:16 PM
    #5
    Bruno

    Bruno [OP] Well-Known Member

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    What brand puller remover is it? Got two pullers from Oreilly and neither fit.
     
  6. Jun 20, 2012 at 2:24 PM
    #6
    Digiratus

    Digiratus Adventurer

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  7. Jun 20, 2012 at 2:33 PM
    #7
    Bruno

    Bruno [OP] Well-Known Member

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  8. Jun 20, 2012 at 3:47 PM
    #8
    Bruno

    Bruno [OP] Well-Known Member

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    FU€£!!!

    It's not budging. I had a puller on it like the one above and cranked as hard as I could until the pulled warps and slips off. Other option is to try the ball joint separator with like a 6 foot breaker bar over the end.

    I'm at a loss. Now I'm thinking of removing the UCA and taking both pieces to the shop for replacement. This is pissing me off. Open to suggestions. Can't even drive it now. Brutal.
     
  9. Jun 20, 2012 at 4:27 PM
    #9
    hossmaster

    hossmaster Well-Known Member

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    have you tried putting the bj in a vice and using the bits? may be able to control things better and get more oomph on it? Did you take out the snap ring holding the upper on?
     
  10. Jun 20, 2012 at 4:40 PM
    #10
    Bruno

    Bruno [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Haven't gotten there yet...

    BUT, I just managed to get the ball joint out of the UCA...I used a 4 ft extension over the BJ separator.

    Now onto removing the BJ from the spindle....sigh...
     
  11. Jun 20, 2012 at 5:56 PM
    #11
    bb609

    bb609 O.F.

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  12. Jun 20, 2012 at 7:12 PM
    #12
    Bruno

    Bruno [OP] Well-Known Member

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  13. Jun 20, 2012 at 7:26 PM
    #13
    KenLyns

    KenLyns 8.75" Third Member

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    Pitman arm tool for the UCA and LCA balljoints.

    [​IMG]

    Balljoint tool for the tie rods. :D

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Jun 20, 2012 at 9:56 PM
    #14
    white toy taco

    white toy taco 505 Member

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    this is exctly what i used. it worked like a charm
     
  15. Jun 21, 2012 at 12:10 AM
    #15
    4WD

    4WD cRaZy oLdmAn

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    Kinda late chiming in here & all good suggetions, now this is what to do to remove, get a hammer, a big hammer (stay with me here it aint a joke ) Now Smack the spindle around where the ball joint goes in a few times HARD !!! Dont try to "aim for the cheap seats hard ", but hit it with authority, since you're changing ball joints anyway hit the top of it now,

    look down, it is now seperated... You DID remember to remove C clips right ??
     
  16. Jun 21, 2012 at 12:16 AM
    #16
    Manwithoutaplan

    Manwithoutaplan the full Monty

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    how much are these tools typically??
     
  17. Jun 21, 2012 at 4:35 AM
    #17
    bb609

    bb609 O.F.

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    I used it on my upper but it is pretty versatile. I don't see why it wouldn't work on both.
     
  18. Jun 21, 2012 at 7:14 AM
    #18
    white toy taco

    white toy taco 505 Member

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    i think the top one is like $15-$20 and i would assume that the other one would be around the same. not too expensive
     
  19. Jun 21, 2012 at 7:47 AM
    #19
    Bruno

    Bruno [OP] Well-Known Member

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    So far I've used a standard ball joint separator "fork" with a 3-4ft extension on it. That has popped both the upper and lower BJs. Then I used a pitman arm tool for the tie rod.

    I've installed the MOOG lower BJ and this morning I'm going to try and press out the upper BJ from the spindle and replace it with a MOOG. If I can't get it, Im gonna take the spindle to a shop.

    This is all for the right side. Then its onto the left...which I'm sure will get done in a 1/4 the time.
     
  20. Jun 21, 2012 at 9:48 AM
    #20
    Bruno

    Bruno [OP] Well-Known Member

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    So fucking sick of this shit.

    I tried every combo I had of 2 pitman puller tools, a ball joint remover/installer (looks like a C Clamp), and a bunch of other ways. I can't get the upper ball joint out of the spindle.

    And to top things off, I get down and check out the lower MOOG BJ this morning only to find two tiny tears in the boot.

    What a fucking mistake this was. Gonna have to take the spindle into a shop. FUCK!!!!

    Pardon the french.
     

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