Cobra4B Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Last night I got the LR suspension all apart and the hub/bearing out.... it was one of the hardest things I've had to do to a C5 (I've done heads/cam work, did a targa Z06, etc.) probably because I've never changed a rear hub. I printed the instructions from Jake Latham's website, but they prooved lacking in 2 areas. First - The lower balljoint nut wouldn't turn past a couple turns w/o spinning the balljoint shaft. Due to the proximity of the 1/2 shaft, after much trial/error, I cut a T40 torx bit in 1/2, slipped it in, then held it in place with a tiny 1/4" wrench and finally got the nut off. Second - On a 2001 w/ 120k miles that's never been apart just whacking the 1/2 shaft spline w/ a mallet wasn't going to do anything.... had to dig out my 3-armed pulley puller and go to town.... after much fighting and WD-40 it came out. So.... I know people change these at the track quickly.... what's the trick I missed? Would unbolting the UCA give me clear access to the lower balljoint stud? Any other tricks to getting the hub assembly off the 1/2 shaft end in an easier manner? Or, due to the age of my project car, is the pulley puller and lots of lubrication the best method? Thanks for any help... -Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sperkins Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Wish I could help, but I've yet to do that job. I'm sure Mark will chime in. He's done it several times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vettedoctor Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 The lower ball joint nut can be removed by putting a jack on the bottom and use a long pry bar to go from the inner mount point of the upper a-arm to the knuckle and pull down. This should push down on the lower ball joint stud hard enough that you can remove it. Once you get the nut off and the joint separated then loosen the tie rod end and you can swing it out of the way. I usually just use an impact to get the hub bolts off, just remember to clean them off and put some lock-tite on them. When you have to tighten the lower ball joint just use the same method as above and you should be able to tighten it no problem. That'll be a beer when I see you at Nationals in 2011! Joel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra4B Posted July 13, 2010 Author Share Posted July 13, 2010 I'm having a hard time visualizing that.... I gather that you're putting pressure on the top of the balljoint stud via the prybar to stop it from spinning? Not seeing where the UCA would allow me to put downward pressure on it??? Would disconnecting the UCA alltogether and tilting the nuckle toward teh rear of the car not yeild a direct line to the top of the balljoint stud? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vettedoctor Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Here's a photo of the prybar in the correct location to put pressure on the lower ball joint. If you push up on the lower lower a-arm with a jack or something and pull down on the prybar it will put enough pressure on the lower ball joint for you to tighten the joint. I think my best time replacing a rear is about 30 min. Hope this helps. Joel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra4B Posted July 14, 2010 Author Share Posted July 14, 2010 Well I figured it all out.... 1. Remove brake caliper and bracket (maybe you dont have to do this, but Im putting stoptech lines in anyway). 2. Remove shock 3. Take toe-rod end loose. 4. Remove parking brake cable/bracket 5. Remove rotor 6. HERES THE KEY - Disconnect the upper balljnoint. This allows you to pull the spindle out and down while rotating and you can get the axle shaft out of the hub, then you have 100% clear access to the lower balljoint. 7. Remove lower balljoint connection the spindle is free/clear. Took me 45 min or so... mostly wiating for PB blaster to soak in really good so I could get the fused on rear rotor off. Oh all I needed to seperate the upper balljoint was a small c-clamp. Much much better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falcon Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Well I figured it all out.... 1. Remove brake caliper and bracket (maybe you dont have to do this, but Im putting stoptech lines in anyway). 2. Remove shock 3. Take toe-rod end loose. 4. Remove parking brake cable/bracket 5. Remove rotor 6. HERES THE KEY - Disconnect the upper balljnoint. This allows you to pull the spindle out and down while rotating and you can get the axle shaft out of the hub, then you have 100% clear access to the lower balljoint. 7. Remove lower balljoint connection the spindle is free/clear. Took me 45 min or so... mostly wiating for PB blaster to soak in really good so I could get the fused on rear rotor off. Oh all I needed to seperate the upper balljoint was a small c-clamp. Much much better Good info! Now I won't have to cuss and bitch so much the next time I have to change one. BTW, to get the rear rotor off, have you tried the method of putting the car into neutral while it is on jackstands, and putting a socket on the axle nut and spinning the socket counter clock wise to see it spin right off? That's what I do on my car, but I have to change the rotors so frequently, they aren't fused on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra4B Posted July 14, 2010 Author Share Posted July 14, 2010 I'm not following how that would work... wouldn't that just take the axle nut back off? If it didn't how would it make the rotor come off? The 1/2 shaft is inside the hub and the rotor rides on the outside? Normally I never have issues w/ brake rotors, but this had been on forver and were fused to the hub faces. I had the car in neutral and per the OEM manuals spun them by hand while pulling, then would stop and beat on them w/ a rubber mallet. Eventually they came off. I ruined the LR one the night before becuase I got fed up w/ it and tried to pry it off w/ my pickle-fork Oh.... if/when I have to do it again I may just remove the two upper control arm bolts and remove the nuckle/hub/UCA as an assemby vs. taking the upper balljoint apart. But, I think now that I've had it all apart and will clean it all up it won't fight me anymore. Had lots of fun last night trying to pull in my new ARP studs.... their splines are bigger than the OEM studs so they basically cut their own path. I wasy trying to hold the hub by hand and I could only muscle in 2.5 before my left ar/hand was just too tired/sore. I finally figured out I could clamp them in my vice vertically (clamp the hub flange) w/o doing any damage to them or marring them. This along w/ some anti-seize on the washers allowed me to pull them in fairly easily w/ a large open ended wrench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falcon Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 (edited) I'm not following how that would work... wouldn't that just take the axle nut back off? If it didn't how would it make the rotor come off? The 1/2 shaft is inside the hub and the rotor rides on the outside? The rotor is attached to the hub which is spinning. The power necessary to spin the axle is less than the torque holding the nut on (~135#"). Remember, the xmission is in neutral so when you spin the socket, the axle, along with the diff is turning. I know, I know! There are no threads on the rotor or anything like that. The first time I saw Norbert Watts do that I was dumbfounded. It was like magic. It just spun right off with each revolution of the socket just like it was screwed on. I do it now whenever I change the rear ones so that I don't get the rotor stuck on the e/brake shoe and get it wedged. If your car is still on the jackstands, try it tonight. You'll be amazed. Again, if it's galled on, I don't know if this will work. Edited July 14, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra4B Posted July 14, 2010 Author Share Posted July 14, 2010 Well I have it 100% apart so I can't, but next time I have to change a rear rotor I'll try that for sure! If Norbert does it then it must be good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varkwso Posted August 9, 2010 Share Posted August 9, 2010 You definitely found a way. I have gotten it down to a half hour or so when the sun is not beating me down...my minions are even faster... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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