olie05 Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 I'm still working on my spindle pins. Today I went out and got a 12ton press and hacked off the rear LCA. Even after removing the spring and strut mount I found the strut to be very awkward to situate squarely on the press. Since I couldn't get it straight the made in china ram started to bend to one side from not pressing squarely on the pin. Can someone describe or post pics of how they set their struts in the press? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 1) Talk to machine shop. Describe the job. 2) Get quote for said job. 3) Pay in advance for said job. 4) Drop off control arms with spindle pins. 5) Wait 3 days. 6) Go pick up parts and try to placate a very bewildered machinist. It worked for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4nsm0l3m4n Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 1) Talk to machine shop. Describe the job.2) Get quote for said job. 3) Pay in advance for said job. 4) Drop off control arms with spindle pins. 5) Wait 3 days. 6) Go pick up parts and try to placate a very bewildered machinist. It worked for me! Worked for me too! Although they had it done for me in a couple hours.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexicoker Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 Maybe I got lucky... but I had sprayed mine with WD-40 a few days in advance and after a few hits with a lead mallet, they both came right out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 Maybe I got lucky... but I had sprayed mine with WD-40 a few days in advance and after a few hits with a lead mallet, they both came right out. You got VERY lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 can you post some pics of the press you're using? I got another guy to help me and we just held it in place, no special bracing required. Also took over 1000lb to get them out. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted January 22, 2010 Author Share Posted January 22, 2010 Finally got my spindle pins out!!! I'll describe the process for the sake of the thread: First I disassembled the struts so that there was very little weight hanging off the spindle pin end of things. Then I went to a shop with a sturdy 20 ton press. This is much better than the press I bought because it has some telescopic rods that keep the ram assembly perpendicular to the jack. (mine was allowing slight misalignment) We placed the bottom of the strut on top of a piece of aluminum that had a hole that was about 5mm larger than the spindle pin and we machined a piece that was about .5mm smaller than the pin. We applied full force with the press... and nothing happened. We brought out the oxyacetylene torch and heated up around the spindle pin. More pressure... and finally it budged. We had to keep the strut/hub hot to continue to remove the pin, otherwise it would stop moving. I have replaced the pin with a 5/8x10" bolt. I'm NEVER putting stock spindle pins back on my car. Judging from all the corrosion on the pins when they were removed, I can guess that mine were up there among some of the "impossible" pins. This is the most effective way to do it. We even tried an air hammer with no results. Good luck to anyone trying to remove their pins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube80z Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Make sure to use a liberal amount of anti seize when you put it back together. Even a 5/8 bolt can get stuck over time. Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoov100 Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 No one has tried soaking them for 24 hours in a bucket PB blaster? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 I didn't use a bucket, but I definitely sprayed pb blaster over the accessible spots (both ends and lock pin area) several times before attempting to do anything with the pins. I really don't think it helped at all... but maybe a bucket would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shika805 Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 aerokroil, worked for me... two hit with a wood piece between it and the hammer!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoov100 Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 I didn't use a bucket, but I definitely sprayed pb blaster over the accessible spots (both ends and lock pin area) several times before attempting to do anything with the pins. I really don't think it helped at all... but maybe a bucket would. when i removed the spindle pin from a friends s30, we put the spindle in the vice and put the control arm on the bench to counter act the force of hitting it with a hammer, then we bought a gallon of PB, broke out the oxy/acy torch, got the metal VERY hot, poured some PB on it, let it soak for 7 minutes, took a 10 pound sledge whacked it for 5 minutes. Ended up repeating that process about 4 time and it finally came out. When i pulled my own spindle pins by myself, I got two gallons of PB in a small bucket and let the entire spindle soak, from a couple inches on the control arm to the entire spindle itself for about 24 hours, then i put it in the press. after about 30 minutes with the torch and even more PB, it came out fairly easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 when i removed the spindle pin from a friends s30, we put the spindle in the vice and put the control arm on the bench to counter act the force of hitting it with a hammer, then we bought a gallon of PB, broke out the oxy/acy torch, got the metal VERY hot, poured some PB on it, let it soak for 7 minutes, took a 10 pound sledge whacked it for 5 minutes. Ended up repeating that process about 4 time and it finally came out. When i pulled my own spindle pins by myself, I got two gallons of PB in a small bucket and let the entire spindle soak, from a couple inches on the control arm to the entire spindle itself for about 24 hours, then i put it in the press. after about 30 minutes with the torch and even more PB, it came out fairly easy. I'm pretty sure the heat was what got your spindle pins out, not the PB blaster. Like I said earlier, we let the pin cool down after we had only removed it 1/2 way, and when we put it back in the press it wouldn't move. Once we got it back up to temp it slid out like butter again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazeum Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Thanks guys for the ideas I'm going to do mine very soon. Based on comments, it seems easier to just cut the pins at described in the Atlanticz web page and replace them with new ones I've already got. Don't PB enlighten with fire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoov100 Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Don't PB enlighten with fire? very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimal310 Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 I just got a spindle pin pressed from a local machine shop and he said he put down about 20 tons to press the pin out. after bending a few "Rams" he finally got it out. Charged me $30 though!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shika805 Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 wow, i didnt know how much trouble these spindle pins were, glad mine went out fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Empire Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 I'm into mine for $130 at the machine shop, and he cracked the spindle itself in 2 spots. Welded it all up for me but still useless. Ended up grabbing another pair from someone local, and now i can't get the damn strut out of the tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimal310 Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 wow, i didnt know how much trouble these spindle pins were, glad mine went out fine. well the other 5 spindle pins I've pulled came out with my puller with a good amount of force but this one just drove me nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
streeteg Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 so not looking forward to doing this. I hate when projects get held up due to nonsensical issues such as spindle pins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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