Having Trouble Removing Radius Rod - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

zeebad1 · 04-21-2012, 12:49 AM

I'm struggling with trying to get the outside end of the front radius rod loose from the spindle on my 2010.
I need to get it out of the car to change the bushings.

I have a pickle fork, but it hits the spindle, before it pops the stud loose.

I've also tried my air hammer on the end of the stud, and tried tapping it loose with a hammer too.

If worse comes to worse, I can cut the tips off of my pickle fork, but I really don't want to do that.

Anyone have any suggestions for knocking these loose?

TIA!

zeebad1 · 04-21-2012, 07:16 AM

Another part of this. I have damaged a couple of the rubber grease boots, and my GM service department just confirmed my suspicion that the boots aren't available alone.

Has anyone found a decent aftermarket replacement for these?

Thanks, Gary.

Parag · 04-21-2012, 05:53 PM

good luck. any pics?

zeebad1 · 04-22-2012, 11:11 AM

I finally got them.

I ended up taking 2 1" flat washers, cutting a slot in them so they would fit around the stud, and used them to "shim" the pickle fork. It still took a lot of force, but they finally popped loose.

I may use them from now on, because they tend to help to protect the rubber boot also.

I picked up some universal boots to replace the ones I damaged. Not the best, but better than the cut ones.

jeffny09 · 04-22-2012, 11:12 AM

i am having trouble with this too..cant remove that ball joint

jeffny09 · 04-22-2012, 05:27 PM

just cant get the ball joint out..this pickle fork sucks ..isnt there a tool to press it out the spindle?

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

zeebad1 · 04-22-2012, 07:59 PM

Here is what I ended up using to get them loose.......

I have a great appreciation of the air chisel. It has bailed me out many a time.

There is just too much room for just the pickle fork alone to work, so I ended up cutting a couple of 1" flat washers to use as shims. They didn't seem to cut the boot, as the pickle fork by itself did.

The design of the spindle doesn't allow any other kind of puller to be used, and I too started to damage the end of the stud from pounding on it.

I have never seen studs as hard to remove as these were.

Now if someone could figure out a simple method to press all of the bushings out, instead of chewing them out with a holesaw. I couldn't get a 20 T press to move them. I finally got the rubber out of the way, and split the metal rings with a sawzall. Once you get the blade "unstuck," they will drive right out with the trusty air chisel.

.

BMR guy · 04-23-2012, 08:57 AM

I have always hated pickle forks because they usually destroy the boot in the process. They really weren't designed to save it. Typically if the joint was coming apart, it was being replaced so it didn't matter if the boot got tore up in the process. Unfortunately most of the cars today do not have serviceable joints, if the joint wears out you have to replace the entire assembly.

Typically a ball joint can be knocked out by simply backing the nut off to the end of the stud and knocking the joint loose with a nylon dead blow hammer or brass hammer. The nut protects the threads while knocking the joint loose. The worse case scenario is that you damage the nut which is much easier to source and replace then a boot. On the Fifth gen, the stud is not threaded all the way to the end but I still leave the nut on the thread to protect it while driving on the stud. I couldn't tell you how many times our project cars have been taken apart this way and the joints are still fine...

blackonblacksls · 04-23-2012, 01:05 PM

They do make tools for this. That work way better than those.

http://www.google.com/m/products/cat...=0CJEBEPMCMAA#

04-21-2012, 12:49 AM	#1
zeebad1 Drives: 2010 2SS/RS M6 Black on Black Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Northern IL Posts: 99	Having Trouble Removing Radius Rod I'm struggling with trying to get the outside end of the front radius rod loose from the spindle on my 2010. I need to get it out of the car to change the bushings. I have a pickle fork, but it hits the spindle, before it pops the stud loose. I've also tried my air hammer on the end of the stud, and tried tapping it loose with a hammer too. If worse comes to worse, I can cut the tips off of my pickle fork, but I really don't want to do that. Anyone have any suggestions for knocking these loose? TIA! __________________ '71 Z/28 RS Mulsanne Blue w/Black stripes, 2002 SS M6 Pewter w/ stripes Daily driver 2010 2SS/RS M6 Black on Black 2013 K2500 Duramax CC Black on Black

04-21-2012, 07:16 AM	#2
zeebad1 Drives: 2010 2SS/RS M6 Black on Black Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Northern IL Posts: 99	Another part of this. I have damaged a couple of the rubber grease boots, and my GM service department just confirmed my suspicion that the boots aren't available alone. Has anyone found a decent aftermarket replacement for these? Thanks, Gary. __________________ '71 Z/28 RS Mulsanne Blue w/Black stripes, 2002 SS M6 Pewter w/ stripes Daily driver 2010 2SS/RS M6 Black on Black 2013 K2500 Duramax CC Black on Black

04-21-2012, 05:53 PM	#3
Parag Drives: 2010 camaro 2SS LS3 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Denver Posts: 1,334	good luck. any pics? __________________ stage III cam, 4.10's, custom CAI, suede headliner 461 RWHP, 422 RWTQ

04-22-2012, 11:11 AM	#4
zeebad1 Drives: 2010 2SS/RS M6 Black on Black Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Northern IL Posts: 99	I finally got them. I ended up taking 2 1" flat washers, cutting a slot in them so they would fit around the stud, and used them to "shim" the pickle fork. It still took a lot of force, but they finally popped loose. I may use them from now on, because they tend to help to protect the rubber boot also. I picked up some universal boots to replace the ones I damaged. Not the best, but better than the cut ones. __________________ '71 Z/28 RS Mulsanne Blue w/Black stripes, 2002 SS M6 Pewter w/ stripes Daily driver 2010 2SS/RS M6 Black on Black 2013 K2500 Duramax CC Black on Black

04-22-2012, 11:12 AM	#5
jeffny09 Drives: 2010 camaro Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: new york Posts: 5,618	i am having trouble with this too..cant remove that ball joint __________________ top 10 reason why real men drive stick. 10. A manual transmission is the ultimate in control 9. You can use automotive jargon and not sound like a total tool 8. You can't spell "manual" without "man" 7. Manual transmissions prove you can do more than one thing at a time 6. You can't drift in an auto 5. You can't pull fancy moves in an automatic 4. You get better fuel economy with a stick 3. You’ll never look like a chump if you can drive stick 2. Manual transmission cars are faster 1. Women like a guy who is good with his hands.

04-22-2012, 05:27 PM	#6
jeffny09 Drives: 2010 camaro Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: new york Posts: 5,618	just cant get the ball joint out..this pickle fork sucks ..isnt there a tool to press it out the spindle? Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2 __________________ top 10 reason why real men drive stick. 10. A manual transmission is the ultimate in control 9. You can use automotive jargon and not sound like a total tool 8. You can't spell "manual" without "man" 7. Manual transmissions prove you can do more than one thing at a time 6. You can't drift in an auto 5. You can't pull fancy moves in an automatic 4. You get better fuel economy with a stick 3. You’ll never look like a chump if you can drive stick 2. Manual transmission cars are faster 1. Women like a guy who is good with his hands.

04-22-2012, 07:59 PM	#7
zeebad1 Drives: 2010 2SS/RS M6 Black on Black Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Northern IL Posts: 99	Here is what I ended up using to get them loose....... I have a great appreciation of the air chisel. It has bailed me out many a time. There is just too much room for just the pickle fork alone to work, so I ended up cutting a couple of 1" flat washers to use as shims. They didn't seem to cut the boot, as the pickle fork by itself did. The design of the spindle doesn't allow any other kind of puller to be used, and I too started to damage the end of the stud from pounding on it. I have never seen studs as hard to remove as these were. Now if someone could figure out a simple method to press all of the bushings out, instead of chewing them out with a holesaw. I couldn't get a 20 T press to move them. I finally got the rubber out of the way, and split the metal rings with a sawzall. Once you get the blade "unstuck," they will drive right out with the trusty air chisel. . __________________ '71 Z/28 RS Mulsanne Blue w/Black stripes, 2002 SS M6 Pewter w/ stripes Daily driver 2010 2SS/RS M6 Black on Black 2013 K2500 Duramax CC Black on Black

04-23-2012, 08:57 AM	#8
BMR guy Drives: 2010 1SS Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 1,002	I have always hated pickle forks because they usually destroy the boot in the process. They really weren't designed to save it. Typically if the joint was coming apart, it was being replaced so it didn't matter if the boot got tore up in the process. Unfortunately most of the cars today do not have serviceable joints, if the joint wears out you have to replace the entire assembly. Typically a ball joint can be knocked out by simply backing the nut off to the end of the stud and knocking the joint loose with a nylon dead blow hammer or brass hammer. The nut protects the threads while knocking the joint loose. The worse case scenario is that you damage the nut which is much easier to source and replace then a boot. On the Fifth gen, the stud is not threaded all the way to the end but I still leave the nut on the thread to protect it while driving on the stud. I couldn't tell you how many times our project cars have been taken apart this way and the joints are still fine...

04-23-2012, 01:05 PM	#9
blackonblacksls Drives: 2011 2ss/rs Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: houston Posts: 531	They do make tools for this. That work way better than those. http://www.google.com/m/products/cat...=0CJEBEPMCMAA#