Ok. Another day from hell. I only expect it to get worse...

Tried the lower ball joint again. No go. Tighten it back up. I then loosen the upper ball join to near the end. I whack and whack... took forever.. but it finally dropped. It's not enough to get the axle out. I go to remove the nut completely to drop the knuckle.. the whole ball joint thread is spinning with it. I had to clamp it using vice-grips (on the solid part of sleeve, not threads) to remove the nut.



I got it off. Cleaned the nut and the ball joint thread. That lock nut goes on nice till it gets to the locking part. I am never going to get that on tight once I get the knuckle back up.

Annoyed.. I move on and try the LCA again. The impact with U-Joint can't do it. I get under the car with a combination wrench and a rubber mallet. I whack away fully expecting the wrench to give. after 5 minutes a creak. few more minutes.. I am getting some movement. Now take the impact to it.. voila. LCA drops!
One end out.



Now on to the inner cv. Nothing. I can't get it to budge. Big flat head, prybar, won't release. Knocked my elbow hard under the car >.< .... As the boot is torn anyway, I pull out the rest of the drive-shaft leaving the inner cup attached to tranny. Figure I'll tackle it another time. (Question: Can I pull tranny with that part still attached and remove after it's out?)

Off to start removing the exhaust. Lugnuts have been used to attached the O2 to Downpipe. Barely room for the socket on the driver side. I manage to get it off with impact. Sweet!

Passenger side bolt is being stubborn. I had to grind down a 1/2 17mm socket to get it in there. Impact won't move it. break out the breaker bar, loosen, tighten, loosen, tighten, I get about 1/4" undone and ...... SNAP. Expletives follow.



I removed the bolt for 1 hangar and then decided to call it quits. I am gonna yank off all the hangars and remove the entire exhaust. (clean and High temp paint black)

I sit there staring at the exhaust manifold thinking.. &^@%#&*^.. I have to get the O2 housing off now.. as I play with the turbo, three of the 4 Manifold to turbo bolts wiggle. I could loosen them with my hand. (part of my slow spool issue?!!).



Guess I will just pull the turbo and O2 housing out together. Of course, I don't have a 12mm 12 point socket for the arp bolts.

I am exhausted (pardon the pun)

Please let tomorrow be better.