need help removing spindle arm!

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Mar 7, 2014 | 05:59 PM

countryguy1717

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From: sacramento, ca

need help removing spindle arm!

I've got the sway bar end links off, I don't have a pickle fork.

How do I separate the spindle arm from the upper a arm? I used a rubber mallet on the spindle and that only dropped it a quarter inch or so. I tried two hammers on the underside of the a arm, a crow bar but I dont want to damage the rubber bushing. Any advice?

Mar 7, 2014 | 06:22 PM

Daniel Richards

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From: Ellijay, GA

don't hit the A-arm, its a stamped piece and can be bent, use the HAMMER (not the rubber mallet) and whack the part of the spindle the ball joint goes thru, the spindle arm is heavy duty, hitting it with a hammer won't hurt it.

Mar 7, 2014 | 06:30 PM

N20zuki

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From: Elizabeth City NC

Depending on if its ever been apart before you may need to get a pickle fork, they are only 12$ at the autoparts store.

Mar 7, 2014 | 07:41 PM

1BAD02WS6

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From: Tulsa

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Richards

This. Just put down your purse and hit it.

Mar 7, 2014 | 08:00 PM

countryguy1717

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From: sacramento, ca

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Richards

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1BAD02WS6

This. Just put down your purse and hit it.

Lol, do you mean the clean part in the pic on the spindle where I've been hitting it with the mallet?

Mar 7, 2014 | 08:01 PM

countryguy1717

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From: sacramento, ca

Got it, tapped the damn stud and it popped right off thanks.

Mar 7, 2014 | 08:02 PM

99Bluz28

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From: C. V., Kalifornia

You can use a Pitman arm puller. You'll just need to grind down the point in the middle.

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Mar 7, 2014 | 09:09 PM

Daniel Richards

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From: Ellijay, GA

Quote:

Originally Posted by N20zuki

Depending on if its ever been apart before you may need to get a pickle fork, they are only 12$ at the autoparts store.

I wouldn't waste the money, I have one of those and they are total garbage, the forks on mine deformed when I used it and only got worse the more I tried and they destroy the boot.

the 2 solid methods (albeit #2 is only suggested if you are replacing the ball joint) that never fail are:

1. whacking the spindle arm with a hammer
2. put castle nut part way on (enough to protect the ends of the threads) and whack the castle nut on the end the threads come out of, this is usually the quickest route but can damage the ball joint and isn't so easy to do on the upper ball joint but makes the tie rod ends easy.