turbonat240 Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I'm starting to ''play'' with the spindle pins on my '73 and I'm also wondering how the hell is the center locking bolt supposed to be removed?? I removed the nut and washers but then I thought how am I gonna unscrew it... I'm not so keen on taking the vise grips right on the threads. So I got my TIG out, screwed the nuts back until flush with the end of the threads, did a nice hot tack weld on the end, sprayed it with liquid wrench and came back 6 hours later and nothing is moving. Well I felt it move a bit but like twisting like it was gonna break! I don't want it to break and have to drill it out.... is there a trick to it? I just took a picture and I think I can see that the threads don't even go all the way up into the strut housing. It looks more like a stud coming from the inside even though this makes no sense. Is there something I'm not getting ? I have been reading for days about the spindle pin removal but this little detail is not covered in any tread. Thanks ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 a torch is your best bet for getting out a rusted bolt. Heat up the area around it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallnet Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Sir Take a small hammer and tap it out from the bottom where the nut fits. The locking pin is just that, it's driven in then sinched into place by the nut/washer. this wedges against the spindle pin. Once you remove them the real fun begins. I didn't reinstall them in the 2 cars I had. I threaded the locking pin holes to cap them off with plugs, greased the hole and pins real well before installing and then installed the spindle pins as floaters like other car makers did. I never had a problem after doing this. Good luck. pallnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 (edited) It's not threaded (oops). It is a tapered pin with threads on the end only, to hold it in place. Like the pins on older bicycle cranks. You'll have to cut the nut off and just tap it straight out the other side. If you're good, maybe you can save enough threads to keep it. It's purpose, I assume, is to keep the spindle pin from rotating or sliding back and forth. The trick, on the one left, is to back the nut off but leave it on the last few threads, then tap on the nut to break the pin free. Edit - pallnet beat me. Re post #2, the torch will still come in handy when you're trying to get the spindle pin out. Old mag wheel lug nuts also, they have the same thread as the pin and will take a beating. Edited January 7, 2012 by NewZed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbonat240 Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the quick answers . So if I understand well the locking bolt (stud) goes completely through the strut housing and is locking the pin from the side ? And thanks for the trick about the old lug nuts. I'll probably try this ! Edited January 7, 2012 by turbonat240 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 This is what the spindle pin locking bolt (wedge bolt) looks like (actually, this is one from an old tractor, but its the same design): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbonat240 Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 Thanks. After finally understanding what I was looking at it took 5 minutes to get them out. Then about 3 hours for the spindle pins themselves . I made myself a puller for less than 10$ and all went smoothly. I got lucky as the threads of my puller lasted just long enough to do both pins(even with a lot of grease) but it's completely destroyed now! Photobucket is not coooperating right now so I'll post some pics later tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbonat240 Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 Here is what I tried first, hammer on lug nut (guess which one!). Then I went to the hardware store and bought a threaded bar 3/4 x 12'' nut and washers. I cut the thin round top of an old lug nut, welded the bar on it and grinded two flats on the lug nut for it to slide but not spin inside the old rectangular steel tube I had laying around (10'' long). I put a lot of grease on the bar and inside the tube before I started turning. At first the tube deformed under the pressure but didn't go past this point and I had to squeeze the tube with vise grips to prevent the lug nut from opening the tube and spin inside After a couple of loud ''booms'' and quite a bit of wrench turning I got them out !! And they are in pretty good shape so I'll re-use them along with the locking studs (on which I'll have to clean the end of the threads a bit). Just as I was finished with the second pin the threads on the 3/4 bar were so ''eaten'' away by the pressure on them that the nut gripped on the threads and the whole thing started turning... The tool is scrap but it got the job done!! I'm not fully decided yet on the bushings I'll use for the control arms(rubber or poly). My concern is the noise and harshness. I'm gonna do my coilovers install soon and I'm keeping the stock top insulators for this very reason. I guess I can go with poly bushings at the bottom since the top mounts will dampen a good part of the noise? And do they skweek a lot? If someone could share his thoughts / experiences regarding this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letitsnow Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I really like my poly bushings, I've had no squeaking and the ride is quite good. Noise isn't much more, if any. I'm using the stock upper isolators as well. The ride is very firm, but it's still good, better than a friends 240sx with coilovers and better than a 2500HD dodge truck. IMO The difference between the stock shocks/springs/bushings and my coilover springs/bilsteins/poly bushings is truly amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbonat240 Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 Nice. Thanks for the feedback! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letitsnow Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Use lots of the silicone grease that comes with the kit, buy more if you think you need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 It is a PITA trying to get the stock outer LCA bushings out to replace them with poly. On my next car I will leave them stock-so totally not worth it. If you do remove them, burn the rubber part out with a torch, then carefully cut out the outer metal casings with a hacksaw. Do not try to press them out-I ruined a set of LCAs trying to press out the bushings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letitsnow Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 The atlantic Z club write up on them is very helpful, it's what I used when I did mine. Something that might throw you off, both control arms are the same, they can go on either side, one's just 'upside down' from the other. I spent about an hour figuring that out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbonat240 Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 Honestly I tried to check the stiffness of the stock bushings just by putting back the spindle pin through one and prying it. They seem not too soft as there is not that much thickness of rubber. But... while everything is apart I wish to do as much as I can (and want to) upgrade-wise so that I won't be doing it again in a couple of years. Especially around the spindle pins !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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