Control Arm Replacement - Inner BJ Just Spins

[cornercarver]

Gang,

Attempting to replace my front control arms this weekend, but finding the inner BJ is just spinning when I turn the nut.

Any tips on keeping the BJ from spinning?

[ELCID86]

Gang,

Attempting to replace my front control arms this weekend, but finding the inner BJ is just spinning when I turn the nut.

Any tips on keeping the BJ from spinning?

“BJ is just spinning when I turn the nut.”! On any other forum...!?

Can you grab it with vice grips to keep it from spinning? What about an air wrench—might overcome the BJ spin. (Sorry I don’t recall how much room there is to access it).

[cornercarver]

“BJ is just spinning when I turn the nut.”! On any other forum...!?

LOL - yeah, realized that after I posted it.



Can you grab it with vice grips to keep it from spinning? What about an air wrench—might overcome the BJ spin. (Sorry I don’t recall how much room there is to access it).
No way to grab it with vice grips. A buddy of mine suggested putting a jack under the BJ to put pressure on it and keep it from turning. Going to try that...

[holyc0w]

https://static.fjcdn.com/gifs/Grandpa_e3efae_976974.gif

[slater]

The shaft of the BJ (keeping it PC here ;)) is keyed on the top for I think a 5 or 6mm hex. That will allow you to hold it and break the nut free.


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[cornercarver]

It is, but that means getting two hands into a space where I can barely get one as it is.

I’m going to try the jack trick first. If that doesn’t work I’ll try the hex (which, by the way, I’m not sure will fit. The top of the nut and BJ shaft are heavily rusted.) It took me a while just to get a socket on the nut. I accessed the nut from the engine bay because doing it from underneath looked a lot harder. I was able to sand the sides of the nut to remove the rust but I don’t see a way to remove the rust in the hex keyway. I also don’t have a 21mm box end wrench, so this is going to have to wait until next weekend. 🙁

[Sockethead]

Use the jack. I've used that method for decades :)

[slater]

It is, but that means getting two hands into a space where I can barely get one as it is.

I’m going to try the jack trick first. If that doesn’t work I’ll try the hex (which, by the way, I’m not sure will fit. The top of the nut and BJ shaft are heavily rusted.) It took me a while just to get a socket on the nut. I accessed the nut from the engine bay because doing it from underneath looked a lot harder. I was able to sand the sides of the nut to remove the rust but I don’t see a way to remove the rust in the hex keyway. I also don’t have a 21mm box end wrench, so this is going to have to wait until next weekend. ��

bummer. it is definitely a tight space! i ended up getting a hex key in the top, and braced it; and used a long 22mm box end wrench, because i also didn't have a 21mm. :) the length gave me the leverage i needed, but it also meant i could only get about 1/16 of a turn at a time - it took about 10min to just get that one nut off. this was on a friends' car.

when i had the engine out of the Touring and swapped the ZHP front subframe/rack/etc in, i just did it without the engine in - way easier. ;)

[cornercarver]

Use the jack. I've used that method for decades :)
I'm going to try that first...and if all else fails I'm just going to use a nut splitter. I don't have time to F around with rusted nuts.

bummer. it is definitely a tight space! i ended up getting a hex key in the top, and braced it; and used a long 22mm box end wrench, because i also didn't have a 21mm. :) the length gave me the leverage i needed, but it also meant i could only get about 1/16 of a turn at a time - it took about 10min to just get that one nut off. this was on a friends' car.
I'm picking up a 21mm wrench this week... I watched a couple of YouTube vids and they said the same thing; takes forever to get the nut off because you can barely turn it. I figure I'll just use the box end wrench to break the nut free, then use a socket driver w/extensions from above to take it the rest of the way. This approach should work pretty well on the driver's side, but the passenger's side is so tight to the strut tower it may not be feasible...

[slater]

I figure I'll just use the box end wrench to break the nut free, then use a socket driver w/extensions from above to take it the rest of the way. This approach should work pretty well on the driver's side, but the passenger's side is so tight to the strut tower it may not be feasible...

the only problem with that method is that it's a nylock nut, and as such it will still spin the BJ shaft until it's almost all the way off. so you really need to hold the shaft in place 95% of the way.

[Sockethead]

A jack should put enough pressure on the tapered joint to do that....

[cornercarver]

As it turns out, the ball joint was not spinning; the nut was turning but it didn’t look like it was moving up the threads so I assumed the former.

Now I have a bigger problem; the BJ’s appear to be frozen (rusted?) in place. No amount of striking the nut and/or pickle fork makes it pop. This applies to both the inner and outer BJ.

I’ve given up for tonight, but I left the pickle forks jammed in place with a few good whacks in hopes that constant pressure overnight might make them pop.

Suggestions?

[ELCID86]

Mine were a real bear to get out and I didn’t have much room to swing a sledge as it was on jack stands. Had to get my 20-something son to beat on it some... use Penetrating Blaster?

[slater]

As it turns out, the ball joint was not spinning; the nut was turning but it didn’t look like it was moving up the threads so I assumed the former.

Now I have a bigger problem; the BJ’s appear to be frozen (rusted?) in place. No amount of striking the nut and/or pickle fork makes it pop. This applies to both the inner and outer BJ.

I’ve given up for tonight, but I left the pickle forks jammed in place with a few good whacks in hopes that constant pressure overnight might make them pop.

Suggestions?

that's good news about the nut!

as for the joints not budging... here's what works for me:

1. harbor freight ball joint tool. ;) this works the outer one, but won't fit on the inner one. if you don't have this (which i'm guessing you don't ;)), proceed....
2. place pickle fork in tension on the outer joint. loosen the nut (i use my impact gun for these), but do not remove; leave it just barely threaded on. with a 5lb sledge, strike the side of the knuckle where the ball joint shaft goes through (so you're hitting the cast iron). about 10 good solid whacks usually does it; the ball joint will literally 'pop' out. remove the nut.
3. for the inner joint...place pickle fork in tension, and strike the side of the control arm, just outside the ball joint. don't hit the subframe because it will bend. ;) you can alternate with hitting the control arm and the end of the pickle fork; this should do it.

:cheers

[cornercarver]

Thanks for the tips! Gonna’ give it another go tomorrow. I don’t have a BFH so I’ll probably make a Home Depot run to grab a 5lb sledge.

[cornercarver]

I ended up using a combination of pickle fork, BFH and torch to heat the spindle where the outer BJ connects. Inner BJ was easier; just a pickle fork and a few whacks of the CA near the BJ made it pop. So glad this is done. Front end is much more taut with the poly fcab’s too. Now the rear end feels comparatively sloppy. :facepalm Oh well... It’s an improvement anyway.

32978

[danewilson77]

I ended up using a combination of pickle fork, BFH and torch to heat the spindle where the outer BJ connects. Inner BJ was easier; just a pickle fork and a few whacks of the CA near the BJ made it pop. So glad this is done. Front end is much more taut with the poly fcab’s too. Now the rear end feels comparatively sloppy. :facepalm Oh well... It’s an improvement anyway.

32978Good work homey

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