Ball joint stud turns with castle nut
04-09-2011, 04:09 PM
#1
Ball joint stud turns with castle nut I'm trying to replace my lower A-arms and I got the passenger side done but now on the drivers side I can't remove the castle nut because the ball joint stud spins right along with it. The castle nut on the passenger side came off no prob. Anyone know what to do in this situation?
04-09-2011, 04:41 PM
#5
Just as a note, you can put a jack stand right under the control arm end (to make it rigid) and then hammer the old joint out easily.
Then slip the new joint into place and jack up the ball joint so that spring pushes the arm down and then tap the arm down all the way with a hammer.
No hydraulic press needed.
Then slip the new joint into place and jack up the ball joint so that spring pushes the arm down and then tap the arm down all the way with a hammer.
No hydraulic press needed.
04-09-2011, 04:57 PM
#7
If you've got the jack directly under the ball joint, with as much weight as possible on it, and it's still spinning, you might have to dremel the nut. The only the other thing I can think of, short of that, is if there is enough shaft to grab, use a vice grip on it, and turn the nut with an open ended wrench.
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04-09-2011, 05:53 PM
#9
JasonWW: that's exactly what I did with no luck. I just tried cinching down a 12" bar clamp as hard as I could to keep the stud from turning and even then it still turned when I tried removing the castle nut. The cotter pin hole is still perfectly lined up with the same space on the nut. I really don't want to have to pay a pro to do this.
04-09-2011, 06:17 PM
#10
Wait, so you you weren't able to loosen the nut even a little, yet the balljoint is turning in the spindle hole? That sounds odd, I wonder if it was tightened enough when it was installed?
Did you try gripping the threaded shaft with vice grips to hold it?
Your not in Houston, are ya?
Did you try gripping the threaded shaft with vice grips to hold it?
Your not in Houston, are ya?
04-09-2011, 06:22 PM
#12
Correct. I haven't been able to loosen the nut at all and the ball joint just turns when I turn my wrench. The threaded shaft isn't sticking out above the castle nut enough to get any kind of a grip on it so I went out and bought a 12" bar clamp and tightened it as much as I could above the stud and under the ball joint. Even then, the threaded shaft rotated. I've also been using PB Blaster this whole time.
04-09-2011, 06:27 PM
#13
Okay, good job so far.
Try tearing the rubber boot off and see if there's room to clamp a vise grip to the shaft under the spindle.
If that didn't work, I might tack weld the balljoint stud to the spindle to keep it from rotating. Tack, so as not to heat the spindle too much.
Another option would be to use an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel to cut the nut in two down the center.
New ball joints come with new nuts, don't they?
Try tearing the rubber boot off and see if there's room to clamp a vise grip to the shaft under the spindle.
If that didn't work, I might tack weld the balljoint stud to the spindle to keep it from rotating. Tack, so as not to heat the spindle too much.
Another option would be to use an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel to cut the nut in two down the center.
New ball joints come with new nuts, don't they?
04-09-2011, 06:35 PM
#14
Yes they come with new nuts. I thought about ripping that rubber boot off but then my main concern is: if I still can't get this silly castle nut off, will I still be able to drive it to a shop (about 3 miles away)? I don't have any cutting or welding tools.
04-09-2011, 08:35 PM
#16
Yah the only thing about using an angle grinder in that spot is having a steady hand so you stay clear of the knuckle, only cut through the nut and shaft. Angle grinders are a bit unwieldy to use in that area, with the knuckle in the way. They do make short work of that job though, and I have cut through a ball joint using one, for this exact scenario.
That is why I suggested a dremel, if you slip with a dremel using a cut off wheel you won't do much damage.
That is why I suggested a dremel, if you slip with a dremel using a cut off wheel you won't do much damage.
04-09-2011, 08:39 PM
#17
Thank you lees and Jason!! After about 5 hours of fighting with this thing I finally got the castle nut off. There's grease everywhere, I ruined my knife and my palms are killing me from squeezing the vice grips so hard but I can now continue with the installation.
The vice grip idea worked. I cut the boot away and used vice grips to hold the stud in place. It took forever to get the right grip though and when I got the nut off this was the scene:
Thanks again, hopefully I won't be back posting another question.
The vice grip idea worked. I cut the boot away and used vice grips to hold the stud in place. It took forever to get the right grip though and when I got the nut off this was the scene:
Thanks again, hopefully I won't be back posting another question.
