Hey I'm taking off my passenger side UCA and I'm stuck. I can't get the bolt out of the spindle to release the ball joint. I hammered in a cold chisel and it won't budge. I put some heat on it and all it really did was melt what was left of the boot. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hey I'm taking off my passenger side UCA and I'm stuck. I can't get the bolt out of the spindle to release the ball joint. I hammered in a cold chisel and it won't budge. I put some heat on it and all it really did was melt what was left of the boot. Any advice would be appreciated.

PB Blaster and time.....

Mine was frozen at first, but I kept worrying at it with a pry bar until it let loose.

i generally turn the spindle so the bolt is facing out and smash it with a big ass hammer....it will come out...bolt will need to be replaced, but it will come out...then when reinstalling...anti seize is your friend

also an air chisel can work as well....

what about a pickle fork on an air hammer

i think hes talking about the pinch bolt that almost always seizes

once the bolt is out...take a hammer and hit the underside of the control arm and balljoint will pop right out of spindle

also try to pry down slightly on the joint releasing the pressure

Have you got both front wheels off the ground and on jack stands?

Alright I've been trying to no avail. I sprayed a full can of pb onto it and I'm gonna let it sit for a while (since I have to go to work). Thanks for the advice, hopefully I should be able to pop it off tomorrow morning.

Have you got both front wheels off the ground and on jack stands?

Damn ninja'd me, yes I have both off the ground.

i think hes talking about the pinch bolt that almost always seizes

once the bolt is out...take a hammer and hit the underside of the control arm and balljoint will pop right out of spindle

The ball joint will NEVER pop out of the "spindle" it pops out of the knuckle

The ball joint will NEVER pop out of the "spindle" it pops out of the knuckle
They are the same thing.

A big effin hammer is your friend.

they are a real pita been there lol.

The ball joint will NEVER pop out of the "spindle" it pops out of the knuckle

if the balljoint is about to fall out then yeah i could see it popping out of hte control arm....but usually once pinch bolt is out, a couple swings with the hammer from the bottom of the control arm and they pop right out of the spindle errr knuckle lol

if the balljoint is about to fall out then yeah i could see it popping out of hte control arm....but usually once pinch bolt is out, a couple swings with the hammer from the bottom of the control arm and they pop right out of the spindle errr knuckle lol
Thats not what he was saying. He was saying its not called a spindle that its called a knuckle. He is saying the spindle is the part that the hub goes over which is kinda right I guess. Knuckle/spindle are both acceptable terms IMHO.

Take a 5 pound handheld sledgehammer and smack the bejesus out of the upper control arm where the bolt is pinching.

Also, did you release the air out of the strut? If not, pop the ride height sensors, then pop the solenoid clip and then turn the solenoid so that it pops out. The air will hiss out and the strut will go flaccid.

Hey guys, back from work. Just read everyone's suggestions to prep me for tomorrow mornings next try. A little misunderstanding I'm noticing. I haven't even tried to get the ball joint out yet, as I still haven't been able to move the bolt holding the spindle shut. I got the nut off of it but I can't get the bolt out. I'll try again tomorrow, thanks for all the advice so far.

Put the nut back onto the bolt and tighten it just to the point where the bolt is flush with the nut. That way you will have a few threads in between the spindle clamp and the nut. Then bash the hell out of the nut. Since the nut is in place, the threads on the bolt won't get damaged. That should knock it loose. This is the bolt with the square head on it that is retained by the spindle with that lip, right?

Put the nut back onto the bolt and tighten it just to the point where the bolt is flush with the nut. That way you will have a few threads in between the spindle clamp and the nut. Then bash the hell out of the nut. Since the nut is in place, the threads on the bolt won't get damaged. That should knock it loose. This is the bolt with the square head on it that is retained by the spindle with that lip, right?

Correct, it is that bolt. I was hitting it with a hammer for quite some time today with no luck, hopefully after sitting overnight with the pb blaster I'll have better luck.

I had the same issues. by lubing up the whole area, and putting the nut on to hit with and hammer. finally came off. now to get the upper control arm out of that I had to have the wife pulling on a crow bar while I hit and hit and hit the control arm from the bottom and top finally it popped out

I had the same issues. by lubing up the whole area, and putting the nut on to hit with and hammer. finally came off. now to get the upper control arm out of that I had to have the wife pulling on a crow bar while I hit and hit and hit the control arm from the bottom and top finally it popped out

Awesome, so all i need to do is find a wife to help me out :D.

Well, been beating the hell out of the bolt for the last 3 hours.... it hasn't budged. Drove a 3/4 in. chisel to the other side with little effect. Heated and lubed again with no luck. Any other ideas?

Plasma cutter.

MAP Gas torch until glowing + sludge hammer

Well, been beating the hell out of the bolt for the last 3 hours.... it hasn't budged. Drove a 3/4 in. chisel to the other side with little effect. Heated and lubed again with no luck. Any other ideas?

Pull the spindle, brace it real well on the ground, and get a running start with a 5 pound sledge hammer....:eek:

if your replacing the arm anyways, just cut it off for now, and beat the :q:q:q:q our of it while it is on the ground, that way you can get a bigger swing with a 40 mallet

Use a gas torch, oxy-acetylne and heat it up big time. Make the whole pinch area glowing red.

Then smack the hell out of it.

buy a new car!!!!!!

Thanks guys, got it off yesterday but didn't get a chance to post because I had to run to work. Thanks for the help.

Thanks guys, got it off yesterday but didn't get a chance to post because I had to run to work. Thanks for the help.

Well how the heck did you finally get it off? This thread so far is like blue balls ended by a premature ejaculation.