Originally Posted by Charles Lavoie
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.


Sounds like another rough night.

When you get a ball joint spinning with the nut as you're trying to pull it off (which almost always happens), use a clamp to push the knuckle back up. It tightens the ball joint to stop it from spinning without damaging anything. Sorry you resorted to vice grips, but luckily the UCA comes out very easily with the other stuff out of the way.

Not sure why you couldn't get the axle out with the upper ball joint detached. It's worked for me every time. Or were you trying to pull the axle out with the knuckle still attached to the upper ball joint?

1995 TSi AWD
11.7@119 1.8 60' - Curse of the Bad Driver
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