Castle nut help!!
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 28
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From: Spokane Washington
Castle nut help!! So I know this has nothing to do with an LS powered vehicle, but my 92 Silverado took a beating while mudding and i need to take out the right upper control arm to get a ball joint replaced.
With that in mind, there is a castle nut holding the control arm on the bottom side of the ball joint and first the cotter pin was rusted, both arms broke off from it, and it was jammed deep in there.
So I tried drilling, didn't work, broke a bit. Then the other side mysteriously broke off!
Lucky right? Oh yeah sure that's what they all say. Now I'm stuck with a nut that is really hard to spin, but when it does spin, it doesn't back off.
Any ideas? All I can think of is maybe some WD-40, what about maybe torching it?
With that in mind, there is a castle nut holding the control arm on the bottom side of the ball joint and first the cotter pin was rusted, both arms broke off from it, and it was jammed deep in there.
So I tried drilling, didn't work, broke a bit. Then the other side mysteriously broke off!
Lucky right? Oh yeah sure that's what they all say. Now I'm stuck with a nut that is really hard to spin, but when it does spin, it doesn't back off.
Any ideas? All I can think of is maybe some WD-40, what about maybe torching it?
squirt it with marvel mystery oil...let soak..repeat... then put a little tension on the ball joint with a ball joint removal tool(gonna need it anyway)and use an impact to remove...these are always a pain in the *** to remove...you might need a BFH....I always use one just to relieve the stress from having to deal with this kinda ****...
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Spokane Washington
Thanks! I was kind of thinking of using the separator to put some tension on the bolt, but i'll try that tomorrow. It's just a huge pain, I've just been continually frustrated with this for a few days now.
Doesn't help that we have had snow storms, working outside in that is never fun.
Doesn't help that we have had snow storms, working outside in that is never fun.
if you use a small propane torch on the nut itself (NOT on the balljoint) and while it is still hot, you can pour some penetrating oil, or transmission fluid in between the nut and the threads of the ball joint. The heat will allow the nut to expand on the thread and the oil to soak in thoroughly. Give it some time to soak and cool. Then hit the nut with some heat again and start trying to back it. Make sure to support the lca with a jack incase somehow the balljoint has come unseated in the spindle. You don't want to be fighting the weight of the vehicle to back the nut, and especially don't want to be face level with it when it comes apart.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Spokane Washington
Update! Just got the castle nut off. Thanks guys! I ended up spraying WD40 on it and torching it a few times to no avail.
So after that I rammed the ball joint separator in and got it nice and tight, torched it, lubed it up with WD40 and cranked on the nut. Finally started to back off! Repeated the process about 5 times and it finally was off.
Looked at the castle nut and there were no threads left on it. It was completely smooth!
Called it a day until the shops are open tomorrow so I can get a quote on how much it will cost to get the old ball joint taken out, and the new one I have pressed in!
So after that I rammed the ball joint separator in and got it nice and tight, torched it, lubed it up with WD40 and cranked on the nut. Finally started to back off! Repeated the process about 5 times and it finally was off.
Looked at the castle nut and there were no threads left on it. It was completely smooth!
Called it a day until the shops are open tomorrow so I can get a quote on how much it will cost to get the old ball joint taken out, and the new one I have pressed in!
