rickyellow zee Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Im in the club, where my shirt? I tackled the dreaded spindle pin this afternoon after buying my coilovers(already welded in). I soaked the spindle pins in PB blaster for an hour or so then started to operate. The retaining bolt and key came out with 2 whacks of the hammer. I backed off the nut so it was flush to the end of the threads then gave it 2 whacks. Out she goes. at that time I gave the spindle casing a bunch of mild taps to loosen the pin and break up the corrosion. I then put the hub assembly in a vise. I threaded both nuts on the spindle and tightened them together flush with the end of the threads. I then proceeded to hammer away. At first the spindle pin did not budge. I sprayed more pb blaster and let it sit for 20 minutes. I also tapped the casing again to loosen things up. After 20 minutes I started hammering again with a mini sledge. Boom she started moving its way out. No problem. I used a rod to continue tapping the pin out of the casing. The pin looks good and after I run a tap over it she should be re usable. Tommorow round two. Pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z240 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Congrats and welcome to the club. You were blessed with a level 2 pin removal apparently, still, no small feat. Feels good, don't it? Remember to clean and anti-sneeze the beejeezus out of that pin and hole when it goes back in. And note that the slot for the lock pin is not in the center when you put it back in. Short length to the front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickyellow zee Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Good to know. Thanks. BTW whats level 1 removal if Im level2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NgoZ Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Congrats, I personally wouldn't reuse the pin. Spindle pins aren't too expensive. And yes antisieze the hell out of the pin. I have attempted to remove spindle pins from 3 sets, so out of 6 pins, only successful on 4 and broke 1 spindle puller. Eventually may need to do another set on my current Z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z240 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 My utterly self serving and self defined 5 level spindle pin removal scale is as follows: Level 1. They were out before, and properly greased. Come out again with with nothing but light taps with a punch or pulls out with two fingers. Level 2. Some heat, some pentrating oil, some pounding required to make them move. No external puller, pounding does not distort threads. Level 3. Additional level 2 persuation plus the use if a self created, or loaned/purchased spindle pin puller tool. Level 4. Level 3 fails and you wreck the pin threads or the puller. Cut the pins to separate control arm from strut and take the strut housing to a machine shop to press the pin out in their 11,000 ton press. Significant money and time spent. Possibly some blood spilled. Level 5. Pin wins. Strut destroyed doing level 4. Buy another strut and/or control arm and return to levels 1-4 for next round of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Namor Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) Good to know. Thanks. BTW whats level 1 removal if Im level2? I'm going to say that mine was. I tried to have it pressed out with a 15 or 20 ton press, and it broke whatever the guy was using to press on it with (I had cut it flush so that I could carry just the spindle to the machine shop.) This was after heating the spindle up with oxy/acet to a glowing red color. Turned away from multiple machine shops and what eventually what did the trick was soaking the whole thing in PB blaster in a paint tray (completely submerged) for about 3-4 days. Even then it took quite a pounding with a sledge hammer to come out and took about an hour. *edit* I guess mine were level 4 lol I should also say, that just spraying penetrant fluid on was not enough. I was spraying it multiple times a day to try to get it in there good, with absolutely no progress. It took complete submersion before I saw the slightest movement from the pin. Edited June 9, 2015 by Namor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winstonusmc Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I had a level 3 on one side. Just used a combo of washers, large nuts, O2 sensor bungs to use the stock threaded section to get it out. The other side, not so lucky. Ended up cutting the pin and pressing it out of the strut housing. That was a very loud process of popping while on the press. I noticed after getting the pin out that where the retaining pin set, it was a little mushroomed out where the pin had been over tightened. I had to kind of grind the pin down in that area to get it to go back in. Then I took PB Blaster and soaked the strut housing till the pins easily slide in and out. Now just need some gas for my welder so I can finish the strut install. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickyellow zee Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Onto the other spindle today......Retaining pin out with no problems. I started hammering the pin but this time with a claw hammer as my sledge is at work. Its out to the point where the end of the threads are flush with the casing. Using a long bolt to tap the rest out is proving hard with a puny claw hammer so I wait till I get to work and commence the beat down with a manly mallet. Soaking in more PB blaster till I get to work. I will win....oh yes....muahaha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickyellow zee Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) Done! That wasnt so bad! Different lengths? Edited June 9, 2015 by rickyellow zee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z240 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Different lengths ??????? WTF! Impossible! Maybe your pounding shortened that one.... Not... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickyellow zee Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 Dunno! It is what it is. I need new spindle pins for sure. Beat up, battered, abused, toast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z240 Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Well I can help with a decent set of pins if you can't get a set from Nissan or from someone closer. Checked with Whitehead Performance? Drop me a note to z240@shaw.ca if you want some. $20 each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickyellow zee Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 Good man. I will let you know if I need em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winstonusmc Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 $20 is a good price. I think they are over$30 from MSA. I only had to buy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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