[mdocod]

ok, I read the article with instructions to move the upper ball joint to below the upper arm to correct issues with alignment after cranking torsion bars. also provides a little extra drop down...

here are some things that went wrong....

when banging on the spindal, it dropped down, and I think it might have busted the C-clip holding the shaft into the hub, the hub assembly popped out at a funky angle and pretty much all of the pressure of the drop was suspended by the tie-rod and brake line.

so, that made for an interesting menuever to get it back up into place, holding it up to suspend stress off the brake line, while taking the caliper off to get it out of the way was an interesting chore. then I was able to jack up the lower A-arm and align the newly positioned bushing back into place...

OK, here's the BIGGEST problem.... I'm in the proccess of trying to tightent the castle nut back up. rather than turn over the threads, it's turning the bolt inside the ball joint very freely. I have no way of tightening this up because I can't find any way to "stop" the other side of the bolt in the ball joint.

do I need to get new ball joints?

Does half shaft normally just slide out of the hub if pulled on? or did my c-clip break?

if my C-clip did break, no sweat, I was plannin on putting new hubs on tomaro anyways. but jeeez.

this is turning into a nightmare, haven't even touched the other side yet- as it looks now, I might also have to replace the brake line.

going to go monkey with it some more then prolly go to sleep. any help in this matter would be so very apreciated.

 

[Starchild]

Sorry you're having so much trouble with this.

do I need to get new ball joints?

You should be able to jack up the lower control arm to press the spindle up onto the tapered ball joint shaft. That should help hold the shaft in place. That is unless the threads got buggered up.

Did you leave the castle nut on the ball joint when you broke it free? Normally, you just need to loosen it, break the spindle loose so it drops down to the nut. Then you can jack up the lower arm, remove the nut, and slowly lower the assembly enough to remove the ball joint.

Does half shaft normally just slide out of the hub if pulled on? or did my c-clip break?

No, it sounds like the c-clip came loose or broke. If you didn't leave the castle nut on the ball joint, and the spindle dropped too far when you broke the ball joint loose, it could have popped the c-clip.

Hope you get things sorted out.

Andre

 

[¡Oracle!]

Check that brake line very carefully.

 

[rodeo guy]

rather than turn over the threads, it's turning the bolt inside the ball joint very freely

This happens to me sometimes. I've heard its a sign that the balljoint is starting to wear out. I usually don't replace mine until they start squeaking constantly or have noticeable play. The only thing you can really do it jiggle it around till you find a spot where it sticks. Like Andre said, push it into the tapered hole. Then grab the bolt end and wiggle it around while you are trying to screw on the nut. It would probably help to have a friend push down on the upper a-arm while you mess with the bolt. If nothing works, ya gotta spring for new balljoints.

Don't worry, the other side will be easier, you know what you are getting yourself into already :shock:
________
Super Cub

 

[mdocod]

ok, i kept at it, bought more tools. (and a better 2nd jack to make things easier). monkeyed with it till it tightened up, got it all back together without any damage.

brake line seems to be fine, to make sure I smashed the brakes downa few times and inspected it, no leaking.

like stated- the other side, was SO much easier once I had a better aproach about it. not to mention, I bought a 20 ton bottle jack that is so over-heavy duty for the car, it is much easier to "let-down" smooth onto jack stands.

At the same time I did this project, on each side, I also put in new warn manual hubs. double wammy project. hehe. so i have nice new upgraded front hubs. and a nice new ball joint positions.

tomaro, i'll put in new spark plugs, upgrade the hardware on the rear shackles, fix an exsaust leak with a new gasket between exsaust components, and change oil from after my seafoam treatment. hopefully I can get all that done before saturday, leaving for 4wheeling.