Can't get spindle off of 89 4x4

[EastVanDamager]

I have an 89 ranger 4x4 2.9L. I have the front end apart to re-do the pads, rotors and wheel bearings, just for some routine maintenance.

I also want to take the spindle off to replace the spindle bearing, because when I put it in 4wd I can hear a 'crunching' sound from the passenger side (and occasionally when turning in 2wd). After I took off the hub and rotor and was able to wiggle the end of the axle inside the spindle, the passenger side definitely wiggled more and felt 'rougher', which leads to me to believe that's the culprit (although I'll probably replace both sides while it's apart and like I said before, routine maintenance).

However I can't get the spindle to budge. According to the Tech Library ( http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/spindlebearing.html ), to remove the spindle requires removing the 5 retaining nuts and maybe giving the spindle a tap with a mallet.

Well, I've given the spindle more than a couple 'taps' with a hammer and a block of wood and lots of penetrating oil around the edges and the studs, and nothing. I even tried making an impromptu puller by using a scrap ring of metal as a spacer in between the rotor and the steering knuckle and tightening on of the lock nuts. And since I don't have the proper 4-prong tool for the lock nuts (only a hammer and punch) all I've succeeded in doing is mangling my locknut, while the spindle remains firmly attached to the steering knuckle (and yes, I do plan on buying the proper 4 prong tool).

Am I missing something, doing something wrong or is this thing just being really stubborn ? Thanks.

 

[dennis461]

Beating on it with a hammer will make it un-round.
Then you'll need a new one.
You need to start with a 1/4 inch wide chisel sharpened to a knife edge.
Tap that down into the seperation line between the spindle and the knuckle.
When the line starts to part, move up to a larger chisel.
Work around, not all in one spot.

I put a picture in the post below, a similar thread...


http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79836

 

[Boggin]

what i done was place a jack right under the spindle, then with another jack, jack her up probably6-7" up over the jack under the spindle, and let the jack come down with a smack so the spindle hits off the other jack, done that and then beat on the top of it with a hammer so it would come off evenly. done that 3 or 4 times than its nothing to it. i took spindles off lots of times and this was the easiest way

 

[trail B2]

I took a flat piece of steel laid it on there and beat the heck out of it with about a 2lb hammer.Hitting the top and the bottom worked it off.Once you get it off a little way you can get a chisel under it[One on each side works better] but it's recessed to start with. I was like you thinking this can't be how this is supposed to work but it finally came off.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Get a slide hammer with a spindle puller attachment and save yourself a lot of headache....

 

[Boggin]

i couldnt get a spindle puller to work.
yes my way was destructive but o well i had a spare

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Explain how you could not get it to work?

 

[Jspafford]

Is there much to explain? I used an old spindle nut to beat on that way I didn't booger up the threads.

 

[Boggin]

i couldnt get the "teeth" to fit behind the spindle to pull it out, but when i got the spindle out enough to get the teeth behind it, then it was just as easy to shake it a bit an pul it off by hand. the 'teeth' were to think. but that might be just one kind of spindle puller but that one was junk and done me no good only waste time

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Teeth behind the spindle? You were using like a 3 jaw puller then?

A spindle puller threads onto the spindle itself where the locknuts go, then you use a slide hammer to yank the SOB off there. Works every time without beating the shit out of it.

 

[Boggin]

ok that sounds reasonable, yes i was using the thing with like 3 claws that clamped behind the spindle and like big bolt threaded in the middle of the axle shaft to pull the spindle off. sorry for the misunderstanding

 

[BeaterMan]

ive had this problem before and in my case, the spindle had to be destroyed to get it off- pounding on it with a 3 foot bar. Mine had actually welded itself to the knuckle from the bearings loosing all there grease and getting really hot. After that i ALWAYS put anti-sieze on the lip that goes on the knuckle and since i've been doing that, never had a problem.

 

[Will]

Pounding on it is a bad way to pull those. They fit tightly and when you are beating on the end, the force is all the wrong way. You had this as a kid, right?

The tool Squatch shows is the right way. Wham-Wham and it's off. All the force is going where it should go instead of beating up the threads, ovaling the spindle, pissing you off and if you are lucky, jarring the damn thing loose.