[Guest]

I am replacing the ball joints on the passenger side of my F150. I have got the hub off and I am down to removing the axle. I removed the axle easily on the driver side but this one doesnt just pull out?? Anyone know where a C clip or something like that might be on this axle????? Is it on third member??

 

[Steve83]

Yep - it's inside the diff carrier. To pop it, you have to drop the 3rd member, but don't waste the time. Cut one of the clamps on the slip joint boot & separate it there. You should be able to find a replacement clamp, or a GOOD 1/4-5/16 black (they're sunlight resistant) Zip tie would probably last many years.

Steve 83 Bronco 4.9L

Build it; Don't buy it...

 

[muddybronco]

Yep, it's that time for me again too Lower left one has slack in it. How did you separate the knuckle from the axle beam after you pulled the axles out? I've heard of several ways to do it, and I want to do it as quickly as possible this time. I'm definitely replacing both while i'm at it too, since it's a $15 part and takes 5 more minutes to do both. What are the chances this will change my alignment for the worse? I spend WAY too much time at the alignment shop. Oh yeah, and I'm gonna do those little spindle-axle bearings while I'm at it. How do I pull those out and drive them back in? There's nothing better than having grease under your fingernails for 2 weeks

It's a multi-purpose passenger vehicle and it eats SUVs for breakfast...get it straight!

Muddybronco

 

[Steve83]

To get the knuckle off the beam, you pull the nuts off the ball joints & hit the knuckle at the ball joint, which should make it fall off. Then you press the ball joints out & new ones in (using Anti-Sieze) and put the ball joint studs back in the beam (using Anti-Sieze). Put the nut on the lower one first (using Anti-Sieze - do you see a pattern yet?/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif), then put the camber cam on the top one (using Anti-Sieze) and then the nut (using Anti-Sieze).

Changing the ball joints will almost certainly change the alignment, but it'll stay put afterwards.

I use Craftsman's "10-inch Tapered Alignment Tool" (what they call their BIG drift now that they lose suits filed by morons who don't know what safety glasses are) to just destroy the old ones (they even come out sometimes /wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif) and then a small soft flathead screwdriver to buckle {what's left of} the outer race inward and slip it out. Putting the new ones back just involves the appropriate socket used as a drift. All the shims are kind of a pain to organize, but I think it's: U-shaped rubber seal against the bearing; big hard plastic washer; hard plastic washer with bevelled inside edge against axle stub flange.

Buy GOJO and a scrub sponge for Teflon pans - it even cleans the grime out of my fingerprints./wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif (And it works great on laundry, too!)

Steve 83 Bronco 4.9L

Build it; Don't buy it...

 

[633]

Sounds like you should invest in a $100 lifetime alignment!

Havack!

This is FORD country. On a quite night yu can hear a Chevy rust.

 

[Guest]

lifetime alighnment? who does that? I definately need something like that.

Beat that sucker into submission!

 

[muddybronco]

I think steve said that firestone has one, but i'm assuming there are lots of exceptions, such as offroading Just clean it really well before you take it in and you should be fine.

It's a multi-purpose passenger vehicle and it eats SUVs for breakfast...get it straight!

Muddybronco

 

[633]

Firestone is where I had mine done on my old F150. $90 at the time. Never said anything about off roading but it was a 2 wheel drive ......

Havack!

This is FORD country. On a quite night yu can hear a Chevy rust.

 

[muddybronco]

Well sh!t, things look pretty hairy in there. Axle spindle bearing is completely nonexistant, as is the inner axle seal that rides on the u-joint and covers the back of the spindle. The spindle is garbage because the wheel bearings have been spinning on it and it's pitted and marred pretty badly. I have another one around here somewhere... I guess the lack of that seal is why everything is so bad in there, the wheel bearings were starting to rust, and the grease feels more like wet dirt. That lower balljoint stud DID NOT WANT TO COME OUT of the axle housing either. I beat on that damn knuckle for 20 minutes with my 2lb sledge before it gave in. The top one loosened up pretty quickly, but i ended up taking the snap ring off the bottom one and just leaving the balljoint in the housing and knocking the knuckle off the balljoint. Then I beat the hell out of the stud and it finally broke loose.

By the way, nobody every mentioned that gear oil would flow like a flash flood out of the diff when I slid the axle out It seemed pretty thinned out, does that front diff use w90..i probably have more of a 50/50 H2O/gear oil? Man, you should see the rocks and mud that are stuck in the axle housing on the left side, it's amazing!

Just thought I'd give ya'll an update, hopefully the right side won't be as bad, as it shouldn't cuz I've had it apart more recently. It's about enough to make me give up driving in the mud and take up rock crawling!

By the way, has anybody ever used Pennzoil Marine boat trailer grease in their truck before? Sounds worthwhile considering I almost need boat tags on my truck.

It's a multi-purpose passenger vehicle and it eats SUVs for breakfast...get it straight!

Muddybronco

 

[muddybronco]

I can't seem to find that spare spindle, so now I'm wondering if I can reuse the one I have. Where the inner bearing rides is a little pitted, but on the "ridges" there are some irregular scuffs that have me worried. I'm not sure exactly how the bearings ride on it so I really don't know if it's worth replacing or not. If you've encountered this before please give me some advice.

It's a multi-purpose passenger vehicle and it eats SUVs for breakfast...get it straight!

Muddybronco

 

[Steve83]

Bald Joints & Spindly Spindles

Not only would I not want to ride in a truck with spindles damaged the way you described, I'd be really worried about a knuckle & axle that had taken that kind of beating!/wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif The grooves in the bearing seat are caused by tiny flakes of metal balling up and rolling between the seat & the race - they get so hot, they're liquid. Usually, when you stop & they cool down, they weld the race to the spindle. But all that heat COULD have changed the temper of the spindle steel, and CERTAINLY will act like the groove on an aluminum can where the pop-top tears out - it's a breeding ground for stress fractures. Consider what you're risking against how much money you're saving by not buying a new one... I'd be headed to the dealership./wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif

Yes, the diff is supposed to have ~90W gear lube in it - is yours the color of a cheap chocolate milk shake?/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif

DO NOT use boat trailer grease in your wheel bearings. {Was that the voice of experience? Why, yes; I think it was!/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif} It isn't high enough quality for the continuous high speed & pressure of truck bearings, but the MAIN reason is that it can't take the heat of disk brakes. You'd be doing this ALL AGAIN soon.

Just make sure you disassemble EVERYTHING, wash it all in mineral spirits/VarSol, replace ALL the seals (including the 2 O-rings in the manual hub lock cap: 1 big one that seals the cap to the hub & 1 small that seals the knob to the cap), pack the wheel bearings before you install them, & use a drinking straw stuck on a "needle" grease gun tip to fill the space between the wheel bearings before installing the outer one.

BTW Can you post or send me a pic of that spindle? I wanna see how different it is from a NON-4WABS spindle. And snap one of the knuckle where the sensor fits if you have the time./wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif

Steve 83 Bronco 4.9L

Build it; Don't buy it...

 

[muddybronco]

Re: Bald Joints & Spindly Spindles

Ok, I'll go get a damn spindle from FORD, which sucks considering i KNOW I have another spindle around here somewhere I have another question. I'm using the balljoint press from you-know-where and I can't seem to get the upper balljoint to move. I think it likes its home in the knuckle. Any ideas? Part of the problem is that I don't have a vice so I can't brace that sucker while I crank on it. But come to think of it I do know somebody that does so maybe I'll head that way pretty soon. (but i'll still take ideas)
And how did you pry out that outer race on the little spindle bearing exactly?

This thing's about to become the pavement-pounder and have a 4wheeler and trailer behind it if the agony continues too much longer

It's a multi-purpose passenger vehicle and it eats SUVs for breakfast...get it straight!

Muddybronco

 

[Steve83]

Re: Bald Joints & Spindly Spindles

I use a LOOOOOONG drift to either drive the outer race out, or break the lips off it. If the lips break off, drive a small soft flathead screwdriver blade behind it to buckle it inward & grab it with some needle nose pliers - it'll cooperate then!

For that upper joint: liberal amounts of Liquid Wrench, LIGHT beating, and a GOOD PRESS!!!/wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif Seriously, you might install the lower & hang it back on the axle tube by that while you work on the stubborn upper. A propane torch might help, too, if you have a vise or use the lower joint to hold it.

Steve 83 Bronco 4.9L

Build it; Don't buy it...

 

[muddybronco]

Re: Bald Joints & Spindly Spindles

No, pulling my head out of my azz and realizing that i'm pressing it out the wrong way would work! Took 20 seconds when i realized i was doing it the wrong direction

Update: I got the balljoints all back in with little problems, put locktite on the bottom nut. Everything is fine there, I even got a blue boot for the upper one! Wow! Anyway, took the right side off and things were equally as bad there: grease that was hard and like dirt, nasty bearings, and ruined spindle.

Went to FORD, they had 15 different listings for spindles on my truck and they are $267 FOR ONE DAMN SPINDLE! Fu<k that! I'd swap to a solid before I'd spend that much on this funky axle. I got one at a junkyard for $75 one time and I'm gonna call them in the morning and see if they have a couple more. If I can't find one locally then I guess I'm headed to Memphis to get that whole D44IFS front end from Steve. What happened to all these seals? They have just disintegrated, and I don't know why. The ones on the right side are only 6 months old, doesn't rubber last that long? Damn!

(end ranting)

It's a multi-purpose passenger vehicle and it eats SUVs for breakfast...get it straight!

Muddybronco

 

[Steve83]

Spensive Spindles

So are you buying new OEM, new aftermarket (Jeff's, etc.), or used? I'm betting you could get any Bronco spindle (except '88 maybe), attach it to the knuckle, & drill out the sensor hole using the knuckle as a guide. I'm still hoping you don't reuse those, but it's your money. (...and your life!/wwwthreads_images/icons/shocked.gif)

Steve 83 Bronco 4.9L

Build it; Don't buy it...

 

[muddybronco]

Re: Spensive Spindles

I made them out to be worse than they are. After I cleaned them with degreaser I realized most of that crap was really hard grease that didn't want to come off, but eventually did. Where the bearing rides ain't all that bad, but I did find one pair of used ones off a 92 w/o ABS for 150 bucks. I got them home and realized that they have 6 holes and my knuckles only have 5 studs! So, you know what I did..put the old ones back on :0 All seems well so far. I finally got it all put back together last night at 4am, and took it for a test drive. I was about a mile from the house when I noticed a noise, which I assumed was the bearings not liking that used spindle. So I said ****it since I was just gonna rip out the whole axle this time, and drove home...well, almost home.

I got within 1/4 mile of the house and had a very indication that it was NOT the bearings but my lug nuts coming off 1 by 1 and the wheel wobbling. All the sudden BAM, I lost a foot and a half of altitude and I looked over and there was my tire driving in the other lane beside me! Boy, you should have SEEN the sparks that my disc was throwing! It was badass, except now about 1/3 of my disc is gone in one spot So I walked to the house, got my floor jack, raised that bitch up, bent the shield back, and spent 20 minutes looking for the damn tire, and finally found it. I borrowed a lug from each tire and drove home. It was an adventure, but I should have realized what that sound was because I've had that tap tap tap from the wheel wobbling before, these wheels just don't seat right sometimes. Although, I think I just plain forgot to torque the nuts when i set her back on the ground.

The groove in the asphalt wasn't as good as when my brother's 35 came off the rear of his blazer, but you should SEE the mud that fell all over the street when I came banging down to earth. The spark show was worth it! Man, I can't imagine having a 44" tire come flying off...now THAT would be an experience.

It's a multi-purpose passenger vehicle and it eats SUVs for breakfast...get it straight!

Muddybronco

 

[Steve83]

Ruptured disk

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!/wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif I'm glad I've never done that!/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif (Well, at least the wheel never came off.../wwwthreads_images/icons/blush.gif) I'm glad you weren't hurt & the truck is driveable, but man - that would've been a Kodak moment!/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif

So are you keeping the '92 spindles, or do you wanna unload them? I'll be passing thru tomorrow morning./wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif

Steve 83 Bronco 4.9L

Build it; Don't buy it...

 

[muddybronco]

Re: Ruptured disk

I'm gonna try to take them back to where I got them. The guy that handles the money there has been very reasonable in the past so I think he will take them back. Why do you want them, anyway? They aren't notched for ABS and are the wrong bolt pattern for the ABS knuckles. Do you still have that front end if these spindles bomb on me? And how much would you want for it? Lemme know, cuz I might need a backup plan

It's a multi-purpose passenger vehicle and it eats SUVs for breakfast...get it straight!

Muddybronco

 

[Steve83]

Re: Ruptured disk

I have an '88 front end, which has unique hubs, rotors, & locks. They are widely considered to be pieces of $#!T. But as far as I know, everything else is the same: spindles, knuckles, axles, TTB's, diff...

I might want a spare set of spindles for my front if I try to drill my knuckles & spindles for the ABS sensors. I can get new hub/rotor/bearing/tone ring assemblies for $112 from CQ, so that would save some labor. How much do you want for them? And check private.

Steve 83 Bronco 4.9L

Build it; Don't buy it...

 

[Guest]

Re: Ruptured disk

Sorry to hear about you greeting the asphault with all of that commotion.

Yeah it would have sucked to have been runnin 44's.

I wonder what the critters thought when they heard/saw your Bronco come to a screeching halt as it did? ? ?