do i have to separate the ball joints??

[MikeB]

You can drop the control arm at the center. There are two U bolts that hold the cross shaft to the engine/front suspension crossmember. There is a lot less drama if you go that way.

The only trick is that when you go back together you have to hit the small alignment pin with the locating hole in the cross shaft. I usually mark it before I take it apart to help line it up during assembly.

K

That's what the service manual shows. But it is a PITA to get the shaft back up the correct location. Before you start to compress the spring, be sure to chain a coil or two to a control arm so the spring won't go flying if the jack loses control of the control arm.

 

[Keith Seymore]

That's what the service manual shows. But it is a PITA to get the shaft back up the correct location. Before you start to compress the spring, be sure to chain a coil or two to a control arm so the spring won't go flying if the jack loses control of the control arm.

That's why I mark it first. I usually put a white stripe on the cross shaft so that it gets on the retaining "cup" as well.

K

 

[smoothandlow84]

Just seperate the ball joints to remove the coils. It's much easier. Hell most of the time all you have to do is loosen the castle nuts and take a quick whack with a mallet to the control arm. The compressed spring will help seperate the upper ball joint from the spindle.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

I usually pop the lower.

 

[smoothandlow84]

Yeah....either way for me at least it's easier to seperate the ball joints then to screw around with the lower control arm. At this point I have it down to a science.