ProwlerGT's 3000GT Revival Thread - Start Up

[ProwlerGT]

the First Strut Is Off - Passenger Side !!!!! Whoooh Hhooo ! Now If I Can Just Get The Damn Ball Joint Nut Off So I Do Not Have To Undo The Hub/knuckle Bolt I Will Be Great !!!!

[ProwlerGT]

Looks like that ain't happenin. I can't get the ball joint bolt off without removing the hub/knuckle. OH well. Off to the store for a freakin huge ass socket.

[ProwlerGT]

A moment of victory !!!!!

Put my sister to work cleaning the wheel well for rubberized undercoating !

Put my sister to work cleaning the wheel well for rubberized undercoating !

[ProwlerGT]

I can't believe that I have to remove that CV joint bolt to get the ball joint on the control arm off. Does anyone else know something I don't know here? Below is the pic from my car and the pic from the manual and to me it sure as hell looks from the manual that there is a lot more clearance between the ball joint boot and the knuckle. Do I really have to remove that big ass 32mm bolt releasing the knuckle to get to the ball joint ?

[ProwlerGT]

Well since I'm not getting a lot of participation here I decided to post elsewhere to get some answers. LOL - For purposes of inclusion I put what I got here:

Originally Posted by Joel_CA

Loosen the ball joint nut as far as you can until it contacts the cv axle, break the ball joint free (which will drop it down away from the CV axle), then continue backing off the nut. If the male side of the balljoint starts spinning with the nut as you continue to back it out- push down on the control arm as you back off the top nut. The socket that the ball joint sits in will hold it from spinning when you push down the control arm.


J

Very smart. I should've thought of that. Ahhh, but I'm just a bit confused on how to remove the ball joint in this situation whereas I don't have one of the low clearance removal tools. I guess I just have to pry/bang it out huh?

[ProwlerGT]

Originally Posted by JeffWVR4

You may need a "pickle-fork" tool and a large hammer to break the joint loose. You have to use a ball-joint press to get the joint out of the lower control arm. There's a circlip on there too that has to be removed first.

- http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread....31#post4067531

Yeah, pickle fork seems to be the best idea for this right now cause its just too jammed in there. I'll try to wedge out the clip first to make it easier, but the new ones have clips so I'm not too concerned with the condition of the old one.

If anyone is wondering this web site has great ball joint tools for our cars (separators very similar to the one in the manual) for a much lesser price than it is to rent one at Autozone... but I do realize you get that back.
http://www.kingtonytools.com/search....ll&joint&menu=
http://www.kingtonytools.com/product...sp?ItemNo=1336
http://www.kingtonytools.com/product...p?ItemNo=F0412
http://www.kingtonytools.com/product...sp?ItemNo=1914
http://www.kingtonytools.com/product...sp?ItemNo=1038

[ProwlerGT]

Originally Posted by Joel_CA

If you have the luxury of an air compressor, an air hammer with pickle fork attatchment will make quick work breaking the ball joint free. A few well placed blows of a hammer on the base of the knuckle assembly (surrounding the male end of the ball joint) can also pop the ball joint free. I wouldn't recommend it though since you can do some major self-induced damage if you miss. Be carefull not to fuck up the ball joint boot with the pickle fork... oh wait a minute, it already is!....

J

I do have an air compressor and an air hammer (might be an air chisel though; gotta check), but I'm not sure what attachments I have for it. I do have a heavy gray metal mallet/hammer that I think will work. Its like a smaller sledge hammer to me.

I rented a pickle fork (bj separator) from AutZone tonight as well as a couple different pullers for the rear shocks as well.

I am confused on the CLIP for the BJ; simply does the clip act as insurance to keep the bj attached to the arm? or does the clip simply keep the dust cover on the bj? Obviously I haven't disassembled it yet.

[Alex3000GT]

That clip keeps the ball joint in there. The dust shield is held on separately by being squeezed on. The clip must go once you have the hub separated from the control arm/ball joint.

If you don't have a 15+ pound sledge, definitely get one. The pickle fork works by applying strong lateral force. Do not try to wiggle it up or down, it wont do anything but bend the pickle fork. Wail on that thing like 10 times in a row really hard, and POP. It'll separate.

Sorry I completely forgot about the whole pickle fork thing. It's been august since I last did this .

[ProwlerGT]

Update for purpose of inclusion in this project/thread: Caps#:41317 Mitsu#: MB663346 rear ball joint cover - OBSELETE - Just found out from dealer today. Does anyone know if the front bj covers work for the rear bj's as well? - In any case I'm going to lube everything up with one of those litium grease spray cans and the small red straw that comes with it. Figure I can wedge it inside the rear bj covers. I guess people just don't need these that much, nevertheless after I'm done with the greasing I'm going to rubberize undercoat over the ball joint covers especially now that I know they are OBSELETE. I dunno about you guys, but its kinda scary that some of these parts for the undercarriage are going obselete and we only have POLYs at 3SX to go with.

[ProwlerGT]

OHhhhhhhh my GAWD ! LOL - I just cannot believe that after all of this is said and done I'm going to have to bring my car into the shop for a flat repair. It is still holding air just fine n all, but I noticed today by accident that there is indeed a big ole nail in one of my tires. Even as I'm DONE with my car I won't be able to RIP LOOSE with it on the road until I get it out of the flat repair shop. SHIT!!