HELP, ttb disassembly

[livetoride21]

alright so I recently stripped a 93 ranger 4x4 for all the running gear and am currently disassembling the dana 35 ttb so i can cut and turn the beams. I'm having two major problems, I can't get the lower balljoint on the knuckle to separate from the beam. I've tryed a pickle fork, heating with a propane torch and bashing like crazy. I don't have access to a acetalyne torch right now so does anyone have any Ideas how I can get these two separated without haveing to cut the balljoint in half? My second problem it the radius arms, I can't seem to crack the two clamping bolts loose no matter how hard I try, I'm using an electric impact and they just won't budge, should I just cut them off or is there an easier way? Hope someone can help me out, these things are really being a pain.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

For the balljoints....just keep beating....its only a taper press fit that you are trying to pop apart. I've never needed anything other than a 4lb mini sledge.

The radius arm studs have factory lock tight on them....hit where the stud threads into the beam with your torch for a while to soften the locktight.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

When you say two clamping bolts, I'm assuming that you're talking of the top and bottom bolts that hold the rad arm to the beam. Those to bolts have threadlocker on them from the factory, so heat will help.
Edit; sasquatch_ryda beat me to it.
Sometimes giving a good hit to the metal surrounding the balljoint will jar it loose, especially if you have pressure on the balljoint at the same time.
Goodluck,

Richard

 

[5.0B2]

Same, same with the ball joints. On the radius arm bolts I had to heat the dif.housings with a torch and use a 3/4' drive socket and breaker bar with a 6' long piece of gate post pipe as a cheater. The thread lock on them was the red stuff and took quite a bit of work to get them loose.

 

[livetoride21]

alright. well looks like i'll be going to get a bottle of map gas this weekend, and hopefully things will come apart. on another note, what did you guys do for the upper clamping bolt for the radius arm? the one where the spring bolts onto, my deep socket just isn't deep enough..

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Box end of an 1 1/8" wrench with a cheater pipe over the wrench.

 

[livetoride21]

alright, well I might haveto substitute that for a big wescott if I can't find a 1 1/8" wrench but thanks for the info. hopefully she'll come apart. good thing I'm not in a rush! haha

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

I'm guessing you mean an adjustable 'crescent' wrench? That will probably just round it off nicely for you.

If it really doesn't want to budge, put the 1 1/8" wrench on it and beat the wrench with a heavy hammer a few times. Usually does the trick.

 

[Destroyer000]

i just found a deeper socket.. and a big breaker bar.. that electric impact wont even come close..

 

[livetoride21]

I'm guessing you mean an adjustable 'crescent' wrench? That will probably just round it off nicely for you.

Aha ye I've had good luck with them in the past when necessary but i think I'll take your word for it and like i said try and find myself a 1 1/8" wrench

i just found a deeper socket.. and a big breaker bar.. that electric impact wont even come close..

Well I have a big breaker bar. just no deeper socket, and the electric impact has surprised me on many things up to date. you just gotta let it do its job for a little while, sometimes leaving it on for a couple mins on a stubborn nut and it just comes off .

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Canadian tire has them you can buy individually. That's where mine is from. Lifetime warranty ta boot.

 

[livetoride21]

Canadian tire has them you can buy individually. That's where mine is from. Lifetime warranty ta boot.

Aha ye I know, I'm just cheap. but never the less, I picked one up about an hour ago , along with some mapp gass and oxygen for my little bernzomatic torch. should be able to get everything apart this weekend with any luck

 

[GMillion$]

I just cut off the treaded stud so my shallow socket would work. lots of propane torching and my IR air impact gun sorted everything else out. then i ground the stud like a pencil and welded it back on, trying to keep it as straight as possible. probably shouldn't be the first thing you do, but if you're as smart as me, it'll seem like a good idea!

One one of my beams, some kind soul years ago decided to tack weld the bolt to the nut inside the beam, so i had to spend a bit of time with the die grinder to remove the weld. no idea why anyone would weld that bolt, though.

for the bj, i bought a 4x4 bj press from napa a while ago for $70. well worth it!

 

[livetoride21]

alright, so radius arms are off and ttb assembly is all disassembled except for the knuckles which I decided I didn't really need to take off for now. Friggin radius arms were a real pain to get off of the ttb arms. Heated em up with my little mapp gass/oxygen torch and then took a 10lb sledge to a 1 1/8" wrench until there were only a couple threads left. It was so seized. but never the less, goodbye stock radius arms! time for some extension

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Yeee haw!