This weeks 4 day project is as follows:
Front wheel hubs
Ball joints
Tie Rod ends
Half Shafts

Followed by Alignmet and new front tires.

Any suggestions before I start are appreciated.


PB Blaster is on the job now.

Ok its 6pm and finally warm outside.
The Hubs are off (thank God for 24" breaker bars).
Ball Joints replaced...Grinder,Drill,punch.#&*@...30 minutes each side give or take.
Half Shafts out...Way easier than I thought.


Tie Rods...Well they may be a problem...Outers frozen to inners...cant seem to get
enough leverage to start it off.

Please Help (suggestions or come on over beers on me LOL..)

Start off with a good PB soaking, and tap all the parts with an 8-oz hammer to encourage the penetrant to creep in between the parts. Let it sit with the PB overnight if possible. Leave the tie rod joint connected to the knuckle. A regular open end wrench may want to slip on the lock nut. Sometimes holding a heavy hammer against one side of the nut and striking the opposite flat will break loose a rusted nut. If you don't have a large enough line wrench, you could try an 18" pipe wrench on the lock nut. Don't worry about chewing it up; you will get a new lock nut with the new tie rod end.

If the outer joint is stuck on the rod after the lock nut is loose, more PB and tapping (this time on the outer joint around the rod) and more time. PB is great stuff, especially if you give it time to work.

Thanx Bill, I am loving Pb Blaster...This stuff rocks

I'll "adjust" the connection between the inner and outer ends a little and hit it with the PB again...

Time not an issue...Next 3 days off and only reassembly left (except Tie Rods)


Thanx again

I'll update tommorow.

hmmmm, are you sure you want to offer that

Where are you in Michigan, we have a few members around that may be in an area close enough to help out

Well its all back together and running...the Alignment is done and the front end feels super tight.

The passengers wheel does not rotate freely.
The alignment guys think maybe something is bound up or the differential is going.


Any suggestions guys?


PS My wife wants to know if LOL stands for " Lite or Lager"