Removing Spindle - Order of Operations

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Creedmoor

Recovering Fordaholic
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Need to remove drum spindle so I can install a disc spindle. 1968 Barracuda. OEM drums all the way around. Car is up on stands. Rubber brake hose removed from metal line.
Is this the correct order?
1. Separate tie-rod
2. Separate upper ball joint
3.Separate lower ball joint
Do I need a jack slightly under the lower ball joint so any torsion bar pressure won’t shoot it down hard when the upper lets go?

To install just reverse, using the jack to lift the upper into place?

Thanks for any advice so I won’t damage myself or the car!
 
unwind the t-bar adjusters to pull all the tension off the bars. you'll probably want to pull off the shocks so you can work unencumbered as well.
 
If you SAFELY support the lower control arm, you can do as you described.

The shock and/or the upper control arm bumper limit the down travel.

By supporting the lower control arm all the torsion bar pressure is supported but that support, and the rest of the suspension will be under no pressure.

I recently had to do the same to temporarily remove the front drum backing plate.
 
Back off the torsion bar adjusters, count the number of turns so you can put them back where they were so your ride height doesn't change.

Remove the shocks, just easier to hook everything back up that way.

You'll be changing out the lower ball joints completely too because you're going from drums to disks, so hopefully you have those along with your disk spindles and brake components.
 
72bluNblu said:
Back off the torsion bar adjusters, count the number of turns so you can put them back where they were so your ride height doesn't change.

Remove the shocks, just easier to hook everything back up that way.

You'll be changing out the lower ball joints completely too because you're going from drums to disks, so hopefully you have those along with your disk spindles and brake components.
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Yep, have all new US made parts for this swap. New lower ball joints are Rare Parts brand-made in the late 90’s.

So, T bars backed off, upper bj separated before lower bj - or does the order matter?

Hoping to do the “smack the upper with a hammer” separation maneuver. Will that work with no T bar tension?
 
Creedmoor said:
Hoping to do the “smack the upper with a hammer” separation maneuver. Will that work with no T bar tension?
Click to expand...
i don't condone doing it this way, but if you must...

keep the tension on the t-bar, pull the drums and junk so you have room to operate, remove the shock, crack the ball joint nut and leave it with a few threads on the stud so that when it cracks the nut will catch the spindle and the whole assembly doesn't fly off and hit you in the dick.

here's the problem with that modus operandi... you only get one of the ball joints under tension to assist in separation, so like, choose wisely. and have a separator tool handy.

pro tip: keep the lower arm on the car to deal with that ball joint, otherwise you need a heavy table with a good vice or you'll be chasing the arm and floppy joint all over the garage floor fussin' fightin' and cussin'
 
Creedmoor said:
Yep, have all new US made parts for this swap. New lower ball joints are Rare Parts brand-made in the late 90’s.

So, T bars backed off, upper bj separated before lower bj - or does the order matter?

Hoping to do the “smack the upper with a hammer” separation maneuver. Will that work with no T bar tension?
Click to expand...

Nope, you need torsion bar tension for the "smack it with a hammer" operation to work. And really for that to work you can't be supporting the lower with a jack either, because you need the ball joint under load and the control arm able to move.

But like @junkyardhero said, you can only do that once per side anyway, so, you're going to need a pickle fork or ball joint tool anyway. And if you have those, well, why release the ball joint with the suspension under load and invite the possibility of something jumping out to bite you?

Not the the FSM is always the only way to do it, but it says loosen the adjusters first. I agree on that one.
 
72bluNblu said:
, so, you're going to need a pickle fork or ball joint tool anyway
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Have to disagree with the pickle fork.

A ball joint tool is so much less hard on the parts.

The FSM actually has the directions to make a tool.
 
Dana67Dart said:
Have to disagree with the pickle fork.

A ball joint tool is so much less hard on the parts.

The FSM actually has the directions to make a tool.
Click to expand...

Disagree all you like, I've used them and they're just fine if you know what you're doing. The ball joint tools are easier and better if you have them and have access to get them in place, which isn't always possible in certain situations. Pickle forks work great as long as you're not too attached to the ball joint boots, and typically are less damaging to the casting than just smacking it with a hammer. But that works too if the only goal is to get stuff apart.

I've used all of those methods, comes down to the right tool for the job and the situation.
 
Here's a nifty trick someone posted on this site a while back to separate upper balljoints.

1709865234508.png


1709865144751.png
 
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junkyardhero said:
i don't condone doing it this way, but if you must...

keep the tension on the t-bar, pull the drums and junk so you have room to operate, remove the shock, crack the ball joint nut and leave it with a few threads on the stud so that when it cracks the nut will catch the spindle and the whole assembly doesn't fly off and hit you in the dick.

here's the problem with that modus operandi... you only get one of the ball joints under tension to assist in separation, so like, choose wisely. and have a separator tool handy.

pro tip: keep the lower arm on the car to deal with that ball joint, otherwise you need a heavy table with a good vice or you'll be chasing the arm and floppy joint all over the garage floor fussin' fightin' and cussin'
Click to expand...
Gotcha. I was told the violent hammer way was less prone to damage the rubber boot. I’m not replacing the upper bj since it’s in good shape, so that’s important, but so’s my dick. I do have a bj tool, so I guess I’ll use it on both bjs. Never messed with the torsion bars. Hope the adjusters aren’t rusted/frozen. I’ll start soaking it in PB in the morning.
 
Creedmoor said:
Gotcha. I was told the violent hammer way was less prone to damage the rubber boot. I’m not replacing the upper bj since it’s in good shape, so that’s important, but so’s my dick. I do have a bj tool, so I guess I’ll use it on both bjs. Never messed with the torsion bars. Hope the adjusters aren’t rusted/frozen. I’ll start soaking it in PB in the morning.
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smort, noice. get that loosie juice on there pronto.

since you're R&R'ing the lower, you can go full ham on it. i just never seem to have luck popping them with violent percussion and wind up using whatever torture tool mangles them best.

but i can understand not wanting to do the uppers and pay for replacements. a few well placed whacks with the BFH can usually pop those and as long as you're not crosseyed and batting lefty you shouldn't mangle anything too bad. but if you've got the tool, use it.

treat a t-bar just as you would a spring under pressure and you'll come out alright.
 
Creedmoor said:
Gotcha. I was told the violent hammer way was less prone to damage the rubber boot. I’m not replacing the upper bj since it’s in good shape, so that’s important, but so’s my dick. I do have a bj tool, so I guess I’ll use it on both bjs. Never messed with the torsion bars. Hope the adjusters aren’t rusted/frozen. I’ll start soaking it in PB in the morning.
Click to expand...

Less likely to damage the rubber boot, yes. More likely to damage something else, also yes.

It can work great, but it can also go spectacularly wrong.

Dana67Dart said:
Not a pickle fork in sight

View attachment 1716218095

View attachment 1716218096

View attachment 1716218097
Click to expand...

Wow really?! I’m shocked that the factory service manual shows the use of the factory tool and not something else. Oh, wait…

If you’ve got more money than skill or experience just buy the factory tool for every single car you own, no sweat off my back. Good luck should you ever encounter a situation when the factory tool doesn’t work for some reason, I’m sure that’s never happened :rolleyes:

Pickle forks work just fine if you know how to use them. Can they cause damage if used incorrectly? Sure. So can a lot of things. Are they always the best tool for the job? Definitely not. But they can be pretty useful when used properly.

There’s a lot of things that aren’t in the FSM that work just fine. And of course, if your car isn’t 100% stock, there’s a lot of stuff in the FSM that’s not necessarily right at all.
 
i mean when you need the tool for the secondary axle spring retention calibrating disc on a 1947 M1A2 Armored Dowangus, a screwdriver with a notch ground into it just won't do.

good thing i was a television repair man in a previous life.
 
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