Myron

So I did the passenger side cv boots and everything went great.
I got to the driver side and i just cant get the axle out. I managed to loosen the 6 bolts and the lower A arm is blocking from the axle lowering down so i can slide it out. Please let me know how I should go about removing it so i can get the axle out and replace the boots.

thanks in advance.

Built2Grind

i did mine a little while ago, if i remember correctly the best way to get them out is to pull them while its sitting on its own weight on the a-arm with the tire on. so basically sitting as it would right before you hop in and drive away, good luck those thing are a B!T(H!! to get in and out

runnermedic

loose a little the torsion bar so it sits lower but before take measuments from both sides to adjust them even when you finished

Matt16

Jack up the rear passenger wheel so its totally stuffed, then place your jack under the driver's front lower ball joint and play with the compression of the a-arm until it slides. Helps to disconnect the swaybar (passenger side endlink where id connects to the a-arm) while doing this.

Myron

Okay, so i got this freaking thing out last night..It's been over an hour and i still cant get it in. The freaking 6 bolts and the extended arm is in the way. i even loosend the sway bar so i can have clearance and that still didnt help. I jacked up the house and im only missing it but a 1/4in. Im stuck..Any help?

Thanks

Built2Grind

did you loosen the sway bar or take it off, if you just loosened it try detaching it completely

T4L

Remove the 4 bolts on the lower ball joint and separate it from the spindle. It allows you to move the spindle/hub more and get a little more space. Still a PITA, but it helps.

Myron

I will try that did not take out the sway bar...ii didnt see need for that.
Im going to take another look

Thanks

Myron

these are a few pics. You can see where im having trouble. I Removed the 4 bolts and cant get the ball joint loose.

dutchboy

I wouldnt seperate the ball joint unless it's the last option. I just did my passenger side last week and my driver side a few years ago. In my driveway,by myself with hand tools and a small floor jack. Just be patient and a little wigle ehre and their. All i had unbolted was the lower shock bolt. had the rig sitting on jack stand(just the front of the truck,under the frame rails) and I worked the lower a-arm with the jack to get the position for clearance. yes...it is a PITA,but i found with patience,a few scarred knuckels and a lot of swearing...I got 'er in. Im not saying avoid disassembly of the ball joint all together. i would just save that as a last resort if all else fails. You shouldn't really have to though,but to each their own.
Good luck!

just a 22re

looks like you did it wrong if im seeing right and i bet im not but you put the bloted part in first where the wheel bolts on the spindle then you work the side with the 6 holes in so it all blots together i did mine when i rebilt my motor took me 20 minutes in and out not bad of a job just makes it really easy with a 48in pry bar!! lol

Myron

Allen..where the hell you been man.
good to hear from you..

So i'm trying to slide the spindle side in first then the 6 bolt part
thats what the pics shows.

so what i did was separated the cv, and put the spindle part in first and then going to join the rest of it..but now i cant get the freaking lower ball joint in..
i called it a night..so i will try again tomorrow morning.

Thanks

Lumpy

Well just to let you know how I did my drives... I took out the bottom bolt on the front shock, Don't have front sway bar to worry about, took the 4 bolts out that held the lower BJ in and it all came apart and went together real nice like. Did it all myself in a few hours.

My only issue was (which you are well past) I have ADD in so I don't have locking hubs...There was enough dirt to fill the gap in the dust cover so it looked as if it didn't come out. so I fought trying to get it out while 1 bolt was in...

pb4ugotobed

Man , I had to fight a bit to swap out my drivers axle, but it wasn't THAT bad. The only thing that made it any more difficult than normal on mine was the balljoint spacers. I disconnected the swaybar (broke the link because of rust in the process... little oops ) disconnected the 4 bolts at the lower ball joint and swung the spindle out of the way. the used a floor jack to hold the lower A arm up a bit, and used a large prybar to pull up on the upper control arm lifting the spindle. Had an extra set of hands slide the axle in, then I just bolted it up and put everything back together. The whole thing took me about 4 hours, but I also repacked the wheel bearings on both sides, and added a set of Aisin manual hubs at the same time while I was in there.

My axle was in way worse shape though... not only was the boot split in half but it rattled like a sumbeetch. I couldn't just replace the boots... but the new axle was only 50 bucks

runnermedic

good job pal share your work here!!!

T4L

I forgot about disconnecting the lower shock mount. I replaced my front shocks when I replaced the CV axles. I also used a screw driver to help line the holes back up for the 4bolts on the lower ball joint. A whole lotta prybar action, some colorful words, and I had to walk away a couple times, but I managed. It was the 1st time for me and all I had was basic hand tools. I know it's frustrating. I started with the driver's side which took me 2 days, then the passenger side which only took 2 hours.

Myron

Okay so i got that freaking thing out...Got it back in with some very friendly words and my pry bar...Now i got another problem. Once all is bolted up and everything looks good to me, the axle will not turn. I remember when i took it out, i could just turn the axle and it would turn, Now..it is stuck. I cant even turn my steering to the left or right. I think something is binding up inside the half axle at the knuckles, I did put alot of grease, but the part which has those "bearings" marbles look alike, they came out and i put grease in there and everything seemed fine...Any ideas, its been a week and im getting really frustrated.

Myron

Any Ideas why the CV is binding up?

isaac338

did it get separated at some point? try giving the end of the axle a kick (where it sticks through the spindle) and see if you can pop it back into place.

Lumpy

So you rebuilt the half shaft then??? Are you sure you got it together correctly. You may have to pull it out and start over.