Progress Thread Finally got my first Fox Body - 1988 GT

[AeroCoupe]

If space is tight then get a brass drift and use that between the spindle and hammer.

Something like the 3/4” one here:

Amazon.com

 

[90sickfox]

I just saw you responded. Haven't been here in a while. Things have been great for me. Very busy but great ! Working on a bunch of home projects.

I like to take the caliper off first. Before anything else. Just to avoid stretching the rubber brake hose.

You should notice a difference in sound when the ball joint comes loose. I hope you've gotten that all sorted out by now.

 

[DudeStang]

I made a little progress tonight, on the driver side, finally.

I got the outer tie rod end disconnected from the spindle and removed the strut hardware, then managed to get the spring out without killing myself.


I’m not confident I got the ball joint moved enough but I assume (hope?) I can find a way to sort that out once I get the old LCA hardware out and pull the LCA and spindle out.

 

[DudeStang]

If space is tight then get a brass drift and use that between the spindle and hammer.

Something like the 3/4” one here:

Amazon.com

Didn’t even think of something like this. Thanks!

 

[DudeStang]

I managed to get the lower control arm, strut, and factory cc plate removed last weekend:


View: https://youtu.be/MlyHQIh4VvI?si=FcOkBCelKdk9SXo5

Still need to separate the spindle from the LCA…any suggestions on the best way to do that now that since it’s out of the car?

I might have a little bit of garage time tonight but I suspect even getting this one side done will be a long process due to time limitations/adult responsibilities this month.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Foot on the control arm, pull up on the spindle hard. Whack the side with a hammer.


Way easier to do this on the car with the spring helping push the arm down. Loosen the nut up, whack the spindle on the car. It will pop.

 

[AeroCoupe]

A jaw puller may work. Would be something like this:

https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-tools/parts-puller-installer/p/oemtools-5-ton-jaw-puller/141513_0_0?spps.s=531&cmpid=LIA:US:EN:AD:NL:1000000:TLS:19489353547&&CATARGETID=120054150001289970&CADevice=c&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwjeuyBhBuEiwAJ3vuoRzW1NYykl5vQ6-7GHwaNCEXgk9hKDYkHgnq-kJGG_-q0_CAFEwlIxoCrckQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Depends on what you have around you store wise where you can pick one up. Harbor Freight will have some if you get in a jam.

 

[DudeStang]

Celebrating Father’s Day with a nice morning victory…

 

[Cheapskate207]

I know you’re replacing the control arm.. but for future reference if you just whack the spindle with a hammer the ball joint will separate. It’s super easy and I noticed a lot of people recommended it. The benefit is that you don’t rip the grease boot. And it’s easier.

 

[DudeStang]

I know you’re replacing the control arm.. but for future reference if you just whack the spindle with a hammer the ball joint will separate. It’s super easy and I noticed a lot of people recommended it. The benefit is that you don’t rip the grease boot. And it’s easier.

Thanks. Yeah..I tried that multiple times while I still had the spindle/LCA on the car and off ether car. I don’t know if I just didn’t have the right hammer or couldn’t get a good angle on it (or both). I will try that again when I do the passenger side.

Here’s my latest short vlog explaining how I managed to get it separated finally but basically it was a combo of the pickle fork, a hammer, and elbow grease. The pickle fork also proved surprisingly helpful in breaking loose the outer tie rod end, even though that was also not connected to the spindle.


View: https://youtu.be/rcUa7ZUbPWI?si=-kmW03ES4NiQWuCA

 

[AeroCoupe]

On the passenger side do this. Remove the cotter pin on the ball joint, loosen the ball joint castle nut and get about a 1/4" of a space between it and the top of the spindle. Loosen the strut to spindle bolts but do not remove them and leave the nuts on them just barely loose. Smack the spindle where the ball joint passes through the spindle with a minimum of a 3 pound hammer. Be a man and hit that mofo. If you cannot access it directly with the hammer then use a large brass drift. Did I mention you should be wearing some good gloves for this? The pressure of the coil spring and the shock of the hammer will overcome the frictional force holding the ball joint and spindle together. When this happens the 1/4" gap will disappear immediately and now you need to place a jack under the end of the control arm with the ball joint. Jack the control arm up to relieve the pressure on the castle nut and remove it. Now remove the strut and move on to spring removal.

Removing the spring as you have experienced is dangerous. If I am replacing them I use the torch and heat them up which will collapse the coils and they will drop out. If you are not replacing them or do not have access to a torch then I would recommend an internal spring compressor that you can rent at any parts store or use a strap to control the spring because it will want to launch out of the control arm. You can also opt to put a jack under the lower control arm spring pocket, remove the lower control arm bolts at the k-member, and then lower the control arm very slowly. I am not fan of this job as it just sucks any way you do it. Lowering springs solve all of this as they are shorter and do not have all these issue and coil overs solve all the problems.

 

[Rdub6]

All of the above, plus I ran a length of rope through the spring and around the top perch as well as the lower control arm.
If for some reason it decided to fly out, at least the rope was there to hold things together before it takes out your face!