Jesse OBrien Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 I searched. Promise. Since I didn't find any good info on removing the rear lca from the strut/hub assembly so I can replace the bushings when I searched here and my hayne's manual, I decided to go on the safe side before melting the old bushings out and ask. I'm mostly asking if there's one single threaded rod that runs through the entire LCA, or if there are two smaller ones on each end (more like the inner side of the LCA). If I just have to yank the bushing out without having good access to it, I'll torch it (carefully) and slide the replacement in. You can see the bolts I'm talking about here: Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoov100 Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 I wish I could sit here and tell you, that they will easily come out. But as one of the few draw backs to owning a z car, it is one piece. And a COMPLETE PITA to get out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Did you try and remove the spindle pin as it sits?? If so, it will never budge. Did you notice that wedge pin located in the middle of the spindle pin, that must be removed. It looks like you removed the nut and washer off of it, now just smack it on the threaded end and it will loosen it enough to pull out. BTW, it's one piece that's threaded on each end aprox 1" or so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse OBrien Posted February 7, 2010 Author Share Posted February 7, 2010 Awesome, that's exactly what I needed to hear. Time to break out the bigger hammer, and toss a nut on the end of those threads (I'm re-using the bolts, at least). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CArFAn Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 I have a 12 ton press you can come by and use tomorrow before 2:30pm. Let me know if you need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse OBrien Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) Well I don't have a way down there, and sure as hell don't plan on carrying my rear suspension on BART, and can't take work off tomorrow (especially tomorrow, in fact). Anyone know where I can get a couple of replacement bolts that would go in there? I have no problem ordering new ones so I can whack the hell outta these, and just put new bushings on new bolts. Come to think of it, I do have a tap and die kit. I could always just thread the ends of a regular rod... On a very related topic, I remembered I had this site bookmarked (which I'm sure many of you are familiar with already, and he's probably wandering around hybridz somewhere as well): http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/suspension/rearend/index.html That writeup just rocked my socks and made my day. I had totally forgotten about it, so if anybody else ends up doing bushings this is pretty much just for reference. Edited February 8, 2010 by drummingpariah atlanticz link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olie05 Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Just went through this. Here's what you have to do: Click on search. Type in "spindle pins". Then spend the next 2 days reading about everyone's spindle pin sagas. GOOD LUCK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse OBrien Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 I just didn't know what term to search for apparently, I thought spindle pins were only in the front, I was all confused by the terminology. Got a process that gets them out pretty easily. The new bushing kit came with sway bar bolts, so I'm putting the threaded end of the old sway bar bolt against an end of the spindle pin. The other end of the spindle pin is facing down (but not resting against the ground, I used a pair of jackstands to hold up the spindle). I put a little piece of an old sway bar bushing in between the old sway bar bolt and the spindle pin, and whack the crap out of the sway bar bolt. I'll draw up a diagram when I finish, assuming the one good spindle pin stays good by the end of it. One of the spindle pins was bent before I even got to it, so I have to replace that one at the very least. The other looks to be in good order, but I'm testing my removal method on the bad one just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 (edited) Looks like you got it figured out. I wrote the below while you were writing above... "Those "bolts" are actually the threaded ends of the same long rod. Called a spindle pin. The AtlanticZ site shows the worst case, going ahead and destroying the pin by sawing it in to three pieces, then driving each piece out. I just destroyed one two days ago, unintentionally, trying to use the nut on the spindle pin threads to pull itself out by stacking washers. It came part way but then a problem arose. The pin material is weak, the threads stripped. Then the end snapped off on the second try with the remaining threads. But the second one came out after putting a lug nut on each side, (same thread size and more threads plus a cap to beat on), and beating it back and forth to loosen it up (described on atlanticz) and spraying with Liquidwrench down the lock pin hole and on the ends. Then using a long rod to drive it through. It took a very large amount of force, a three pound mallet at high velocity, and some time to get them out." Edited February 8, 2010 by NewZed Timing is everything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse OBrien Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Yeah, I did come across some pretty bad cases all-around. Right now I'm focused on getting the bushings out, and I think I've come up with a pretty decent solution: I started by using that same sway bar bolt and a few sockets as spacers, and just applying tension to it by tightening a nut on the end. That didn't work out so well, since the sway bar bolt isn't exactly the sturdiest long-skinny bolt ever. However, the theory is sound, so I started digging around in my spare bolts bin for something a little burlier. I found one (will post pics later, don't remember where it came from, might have been a motor mount bolt from a Honda, at least that's what it reminds me of). The important part is to get a bolt/nut combo that's thin enough to fit through a 1/2" drive hole (3/8" will suffice, but this is a lot of force, so go with the stronger sockets if you've got them). Put a smaller socket on one end, and a 24mm on the other end (24-26 will probably work, I used a 24mm). Add washers, spacers, whatever you've got so that the nut will thread and apply tension. Finger-tighten the assembly, and line up the large socket so it doesn't touch the bushing (just the lca around the bushing) and the smaller socket is only touching the bushing. Apply liquid wrench/pb blaster/wd-40 liberally. Apply time and more corrosive lubricant. Apply time again, then more corrosive lubricant. Don't rinse, but repeat as many times as you have time for. Put some safety glasses on, and wear gloves, and tighten it down 'till the bushing pops loose or slides out slowly. Mine slid out eventually. It took some time, and I'd tighten it a few threads, add some lubricant, let it sit for a few minutes, then repeat. I considered hitting it with a hammer while it sat, or just tapping the housing in hopes that it'd help wriggle the bushing loose, but I think it's more likely to wriggle the socket assembly loose so I decided against it. reference pic of final assembly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrayZee Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I was thinking about making a tool that would be like a thread adapter with two female ends. One would thread on to the pin and the other to a slide hammer. You could then pull them from the rear while still in the car. How do you guys think that would work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=114142&highlight=spindle+pin+rental Here is a puller that seems very popular. I have not seen the design but apparently it works. I think it has the typical gear puller concept behind it, but pushes the rod through the hole. Of course, it takes away the fun of digging through your stuff to make your own extracting device. A slide hammer puller might work if the threads would hold up. I forgot to mention that the first pin actually got stuck in the bushing. I had to heat up the LCA and burn the bushing out with the pin in it. So if you're pulling the pin to replace the bushings, you might as well apply heat to the LCA from the beginning. If you're working on the struts and want to save the bushings, a tight collar on the pin to hold the bushing in, while you pull or push, might be needed. I pounded the second one out while it was on the car. There is room to swing under there. One of those might work also - http://www.amazon.com/Desa-International-494C-Remington-Driver/dp/B000W80SZ2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blown77Z Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 (edited) I had the best/worst of both worlds when I did my Q45/Modern Motorsports LCA swap last year. One spindle pin came out great! I hit it about 4 times and it slid right out. The other spindle pin, well........it got cut into 3 pieces I had already bought brand new spindle pins and lock bolts so I didn't care if I destroyed them or not. When I put the NEW spindle pins back I bathed them in anti-seize for a future build Edited February 22, 2010 by Blown77Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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