Front Control Arms refuse to come out of spindle!

[RaiderSS]

I have hit this these things with a brass sledge hammer, wood block and even a head but butt and it wont freakin budge!!!!!

Any one else do the front control arm bushing upgrades? How did you remove the arm? I got both radius rods off pretty easily but the control arms just hang off the spindles laughing at me.... I'm no small or weak man but they are

[SUX2BU]

Use a regular hammer and put something under the spindle. That way you get some counter force when you hit it. Took me one good solid hit to get them out.

[BMR Sales]

Hey Eddie those things can be a pain to get out of the spindle. The last car I did I threaded the nut back on the ball joint and hit the nut with a brass hammer and they popped out. Just make sure you put the nut on so the threads don't get messed up.

[JusticePete]

Did you get it out?

[Synner]

I beat the crap out of mine a few days ago and it still wouldn't release. Soaked it for 3 days, heated it, pounded on it. Nothing. I even bent a c-clamp that came with a ball joint removal kit.
Finally gave up and started doing the sways instead.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Synner

I beat the crap out of mine a few days ago and it still wouldn't release. Soaked it for 3 days, heated it, pounded on it. Nothing. I even bent a c-clamp that came with a ball joint removal kit.
Finally gave up and started doing the sways instead.

Steel Ball Joint Stud + Aluminum Knuckle =

With the car on jack stands it is really hard to get a good swing and solid strike. On a lift with plenty of room to work they are still struggle. For those that just won't move we use the blunt tip in an air hammer.



It will guber up the tip of the stud and scar the knuckle, but it will come out. When the arm is out, you can clean up the what is left of the stud tip on a bench grinder. This works for both the radius and LCA.

If you are removing the front lower control arm to replace the inner bush, maybe it is a good thing the arms were stuck. The front lower inner control arm bush from the factory is damn good. It is a barrel style ferule that rides on a very thin layer of dense rubber. During our R&D we cut one apart.




Unless you are building a full on race car, the bush should not be replaced. I keep the pieces on my desk to remind me that Chevrolet is getting very good and we are going to have to be on top of our game to stay ahead of them

[Synner]

I was just trying to do the radius bushes I got from your x-mas special. I knew it was time to quit when I wanted to use the hammer on more than just the stud. So a bunch of beers got finished but not the radius rods.

What i got from your post was I need to find a way to buy more tools without the wife knowing.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Synner

I was just trying to do the radius bushes I got from your x-mas special. I knew it was time to quit when I wanted to use the hammer on more than just the stud. So a bunch of beers got finished but not the radius rods.

What i got from your post was I need to find a way to buy more tools without the wife knowing.

or order on line and have them delivered to your neighbor so you can borrow them.

[RaiderSS]

I finay got the Control Arms out by leaving the nut on the tip to increase hammer contact, put a juck under the spindle for counter force and they finally came out after angleing the sterring for the most clearence. Problem is leaving the nut on i beat up the thread on the passenger side arm.

Im taking them to my machine shop on my lunch break today. Hopefully they can repair the thread after pressing out the old bushings.... Everything else in the BMR front pro bushing kit I finished this weekend, radius arms, steering rack insulator and the prothane motor mounts.

I also picked up the famed camaro5 strut monut insulators (aka toilet flush gaskets) that I will install when the car is back on the ground...