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catfish	does anybody have the special tool to seperate the lower a arm from the knuckle. ------------------
Piddler	This tool is very easy to make. I made one for mine when I took my arms off. Measure the distance between the end of the two studs. Lets just say its 8", I don't remember. Cut you a piece of 1/2 or 3/4 inch IPS water pipe about 6 1/2" long. Get you a bolt (1/2" OD) and nut about 2" long. Screw the nut down on the bolt all the way. Put the bolt down into the pipe. Take the nut off the ball joint you want to push out. Sit the pipe down over the stud with the other nut still on it. It will be in-between the two ball joints now. Hold the top of the bolt (3/4 wrench size) that is sticking up out of your pipe. Now, turn the nut on that bolt in the direction to make the 1/2 bolt start to rise out of the pipe. When the head of the bolt gets against the ball joint stud, it will push it out. Now add a spacer or a little longer pipe and push the other ball joint stud out. This message has been edited by Piddler on 01-15-2006 at 07:15 PM
MDProwler	$5 special tool. Just used it today and works great. (you hear that MeanGene?) This message has been edited by MDProwler on 01-15-2006 at 06:51 PM
Piddler	MD, glad you posted yours. I was going to draw him a picture of one, scan it and post it. I'm sure sure your picture looks better than my drawing would. The only difference is yours has a solid end where mine would slide over the stud the first time, then I put a solid spacer under it to push out the other side. OK, Now, do we need to talk about how to get the top bolt out of the push rod, then how to get the ball joints out?
MDProwler	Actually I just welded a washer on the pipe so I wouldn't leave marks on the a-arm. It still slips over the stud. The washer on the bolt head is just to keep it from slipping off the ball joint stud. I see I'm not the only one making tools.lol I'm working on figuring out the ball joints. i'm going over to the Harbor Freight store to see what they have. As far as the top bolt, I think if you take the top shock bolt out first the lever will move more so the bolt will clear. I'm assuming your body panels are off already.
Piddler	quote: Originally posted by MDProwler: Actually I just welded a washer on the pipe so I wouldn't leave marks on the a-arm. It still slips over the stud. The washer on the bolt head is just to keep it from slipping off the ball joint stud. I see I'm not the only one making tools.lol I'm working on figuring out the ball joints. i'm going over to the Harbor Freight store to see what they have. As far as the top bolt, I think if you take the top shock bolt out first the lever will move more so the bolt will clear. I'm assuming your body panels are off already. For the bottom ball joint, I took a piece of thick wall pipe that the joint would fit through and put it against the bottom of the a arm (after I got it off) and put the arm in a press. Leave the rubber boot on the joint and push on the stud, it will come right out. The upper is a different story. You will have to drive a medium size screwdriver down (about 1/8 to 3/16) between the side of the boot and the arm. Pull it to the side and up at the same time, the boot will jump up on the other side. Pull the boot off and put a pipe or socket on the "body" of the ball joint and push it out. The stud pushes through the a arm, DO NOT push on this stud, push on the body after you get the boot off. Now for the top bolt in the push rod. You will have to take both top and bottom bolts out of the shock, so you can move the cam arm (or what ever you want to call it) over enough to get the top bolt out of the push rod. Don't forget when putting it back together, to put the upper a arm on then the top bolt in the push rod first. I took the numbers off the bottom of the arms and wrote them down on paper so it would be easy to tell what came from what side. Also mark the head of the bolt and frame on the top a arm so you can get the aliment back close when you put it together. One more thing, When you tighten the a arm bolts, have the arm at about the same angle as it will be when the weight is on the wheels. Well another thing that may help, the guy that chromed my arms, chromed it with all the bushing still in the arm. Don't try to press them out. Maybe we should move this to the Technical Questions & Answers! ------------------ Check Out My Scrapbook
obi-wan	Hi Jan, I have a set of these out on loan right now. They should be back in just a few days. If you want to use them I can send them to you when they get here just let me know whare to send them, Obi-Wan
MDProwler	Piddler, Good info for sure. I will be pressing mine out today but was concerned about pushing on the stud of either of the ball joints. I also have everything marked and have a ton of pictures during each stage of disassembly.
Piddler	To all reading this thread. You can still get the lower joints at the dealer. Now would be a good time to install the new lower joints. Mine had never had the recall done on it. The guys at the dealer are friends of mine. They ordered me new lower joints, I gave them my old ones and they gave me a new set of lowers. ------------------ Check Out My Scrapbook
ed monahan	Gary, are you having the front end bronzed?
MDProwler	quote: Originally posted by ed monahan: Gary, are you having the front end bronzed? Copper Wipe that smile off my face dammit!
MDProwler	quote: Originally posted by ed monahan: Gary, are you having the front end bronzed? Copper Wipe that smile off my face dammit! . . . . . . . shhh- i got to be careful-jeffy might be watching This message has been edited by MDProwler on 01-16-2006 at 07:02 PM
catfish	ive got the pipe bolt and nut,will give it a try.im only removing the lower to replace my chrome cover.do i need to loosen the shock or just push out the lwr.joint and remove pushrod. ------------------
Piddler	If I understand what you want to do. You just want to drop your lower A arm down. With the wheels off, just remove the bottom bolt from the puh rod, take the nut off the lower ball joint, push the stud out of the knuckle. But then again. I guess you could leave the push rod bolted to the lower A arm, remove the nut from the stud on the lower A arm, push the stud through the knuckle, that would make the upper A arm and knuckle go up. The push rod would hold the lower arm in place and you could just pick the knuckle up off the lower arm. When pressing the stud out, it only has to move about 1/8 of a inch, then it will be free. ------------------ Check Out My Scrapbook
Piddler	Now I have some new info to add to this post. When we set my front end back up we used the setting in the book. That didn't work real good. It wanted to pull a little to the left. Carried it back to my buddy's front end shop today. We made a change in the way it says to set the front end. Here is what works best for me on my Prowler. For the Caster Left - 3.00 Right - 3.32 Camber Left and Right - 0 Toe In Left - +1/32 Right - +1/32 Rear Camber Right and Left -1/4 Toe In Right and Left 1/32 Toe In Car drives very good now. Hope this helps
xtreme prowler	Does anyone have any photos of the process of removing the knuckles ? I need to get mine off to get powdercoated and wanted to make sure I do it right.... The A-arms are staying on, just want to get the knuckles off..
catfish	no photos,using the tool above you should be able to push both joints out,leave nuts in place by a few threads, do one and pop it loose and do the other.if that doesnt work take lower off first,put jack under lower arm,put end of tool on arm,because lower joint is already out and push against arm,should work.take photos if it works. ------------------
xtreme prowler	quote: Originally posted by catfish: no photos,using the tool above you should be able to push both joints out,leave nuts in place by a few threads, do one and pop it loose and do the other.if that doesnt work take lower off first,put jack under lower arm,put end of tool on arm,because lower joint is already out and push against arm,should work.take photos if it works. Thanks Jan... I'll make up a tool this week probably give it a shot next weekend... got to take the strut and the tie rod end off also... is there any tension on the strut when I jack up the front ?
catfish	no tension,the big manual says to also loosen the opposite side at the bottom when removing.to get the hole to line up,use a floor jack under lower arm to help align it.w/o th jack under the arm,you will never get it to line up. ------------------
xtreme prowler	once I get to it I'll take some pictures to help others that may go this route... hopefully they won't be of my bloody fingers..lol... Appreciate your help Jan, you got me doing all kinds of things with the car... I can even change my own fan belts now...
xtreme prowler	man.. I'm stuck, can't get the nut off the top stud that holds the top of the knuckle on.. Help !