Can't get Spindle off, HELP!!

[Thump_It]

Since I'm getting new A-arms I went out to the garage last night to take off my stockers, everything was going smoothly til the heim joints. I could not get the spindle off for the life of me. Whats the trick, without any kind of specail tool. Also, how easy is it to get the Bearing Carrier out of the Swinger? thanks for the help.

[ZRider400]

you'll need a balljoint seperator.

and for the rear carrier, usually a few taps on it will make it slide out .

[WhiteZee]

you can just use a hammer, i would get a plastic shot hammer if i were you, so you dont damage the spindles. you need to leave everything hooked up like normal, but make sure you remove the tire and the castle nut on the ball joint you are removing. it seems to work better if you try and get it in a bind, and hit the spindle from a weird angle. we changed a-arms last week, and noticed that you can beat the crap out of the spindle and it wont break loose, or you can use one good blow to the spindle if you have the balljoint/spindle in a bind and it will pop right out.

[FatBoy Racing]

dont beat on your quad in the garage! do it on the trail!

A couple years back there was a good thread on this subject, but I'm not sure how to find it now its been so long, but here's basically how I do it;

You need an open-end wrench to fit the nut(s). Break upper and lower nuts loose but do not remove them. Then find a deep socket (or combination of sockets) to use as a spacer between the upper and lower nuts. The socket should be big enough to go over the threads of the ball joint, but not big enough to go over the nut. Leave a little slack in the joint you want to remove, then loosen the other against the back side of the socket(s) to push one against the other until it pops free. It's hard for me to describe, but basically, you're using the socket(s) as a spacer to have something to move the nuts against, which will pop it free.

As I recall, I used one deep socket, and a larger regular socket to close off the open end of the deep one so I had a surface to 'sqwish' against.

I just don't see the point in banging away at something you've probably got at least 8 grand into!

Good luck!

[FatBoy Racing]

i just did a search of the steering and suspension forums, and found several threads describing this proceedure, if mine is too confusing. just search for 'ball joint removal' and you'll get half a dozen threads that cover this topic.

have fun!