Can't get steering knuckle off...

[ke5eua]

I'm at the point in the boot replacement where I need to get the steering knuckle off. Problem is the upper bushing holder won't budge.

I read the deuce step by step guide and according to it, it should just come right off. Ok, yeah I'll keep that in the back of my mind for the other side.

I'm about ready to take a big sledge to it but I'm afraid I will end up breaking it by doing that. I already have to get new bushings for the steering arm, I messed the threads up on the drivers side by not thinking clearly before I took the hammer to it.

I applied pb blaster to the plates, around the bolt holes, and pretty much everywhere on the top of the knuckle.

 

[Recovry4x4]

It's been 20 years since I've owned a 5 ton. Does this have studs on the top that go through a steering arm? If so they have tapered bushings that are undoubtedly gripping the studs. Let me know as I have a couple of ways to remove them.

 

[ke5eua]

This is what it looks like.

Edit: I've taken a chisel around the edge and it won't budge.

 

[NDT]

The tapered bushings mentioned above are frozen in. After removing the drag link, I would hammer down on the end of the steering arm and then hammer up from underneath. Rather than heavy blows, keep at it for 5 or more minutes, to break the rust bond.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Did you unbolt them? Lol, no just kidding. If you can wait a couple days I will come by on my way back through and show you how to do it. They do have tapered split bushings that grip the studs.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Agreed on the tapered bushings. A chisel will do nothing but harm to your cause. In addition to the method mentioned there 2 other ways commonly used. One is to reinstall the nuts until they are flush with the stud on top and tack weld them together. From there you can back the stud off. The way I've always done it was to put the nuts back on just to protect the studs then hammer horizontally on the corners of the steering arm. The metal flexes enough to pinch the tapered bushings off. These can be a super pain initially but once you develop a method and understand hownthe grip, not too big of a deal.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Michael, you should be able to hit it on the sides with a hammer to shock load it and it'll come off. There is a method to doing it successfully. Just pounding on it won't likely work. Like I said, I don't mind helping you if you can wait. Don't want to see you damage anything else unintentionally.

 

[ke5eua]

I would like to get it finished tomorrow, but I don't really see that happening.

Yeah when I noticed the chisel wasn't doing a thing I stopped to avoid damaging it.

I thought about hammering out the bolts and reseating them when done but decided against it.

I tried to shock it, but I don't think the little 2.5 hammer did to much shock on it. After the steering arm mishap I decided not to get the big boy out again.

Since I'm all showered up for the evening and don't want it to actually come loose and just hang on the guides I'll do it in the morning. I'll try and give it some love taps on the arm to see if it will loosen.

The wife already isn't to pleased with me. I was at the shed messing with an air valve for the sand blaster and jokingly told her she wasn't going to be happy with me. The next thing she said was priceless, word for word, "if you tell me you have to buy another **** part for that thing out there it will be me or the truck"

I jokingly said the truck wouldn't be to comfortable to sleep in now that I've taken out the bench seat. She still isn't amused. Good thing for me she popped her shoulder out the other day so it still hurts so she can't throw heavy things at me. She did however move the inner shaft out of frustration, and all I could do was plead with her not to drop it on the concrete, lol.

She loves me, and actually made an account here. She just hates how much big boy toys cost to maintain. I can't have a cheap hobby. Between ham radio and this, I think I need to pickup knitting, lol

 

[73m819]

Take a heavy piece of pipe a bit bigger then the wedge , put a heavy plate across one end, the other end down around the wedge retainer, HIT the flat plate with a BFH (8 or 10 lb short handle), keep doing this and the wedge retainers WILL walk out, KEEP the wedge retainers WET with pb blaster, this will take a while but WILL work.. Once it starts to move, drive a small wedge in the seam., it is out then

 

[Coffey1]

She would really be po if you told her you would miss her.

 

[RAYZER]

She would really be po if you told her you would miss her.

I thought about saying that to my wife but then I'd be missing her!

 

[73m819]

I thought about saying that to my wife but then I'd be missing her!

And you would get VERY hungry.

 

[RAYZER]

And you would get VERY hungry.

I would be eating grubs and berries, i would have to live in the Taj!

 

[73m819]

I would be eating grubs and berries, i would have to live in the Taj!

No she WOULD get the Taj

 

[RAYZER]

No she WOULD get the Taj

Nooooooo!!

 

[marchplumber]

Lemon,pepper,and some garlic. Oh yeah, ketchup! With those few items almost anything becomes edible!

God bless
Tony

 

[Rmtaunton]

Heat , then a little water , doesn't need a lot of heat just mild then water , about 5 times and it will pop loose , that's my two cents has always worked for me

 

[Mike929]

Take a heavy piece of pipe a bit bigger then the wedge , put a heavy plate across one end, the other end down around the wedge retainer, HIT the flat plate with a BFH (8 or 10 lb short handle), keep doing this and the wedge retainers WILL walk out, KEEP the wedge retainers WET with pb blaster, this will take a while but WILL work.. Once it starts to move, drive a small wedge in the seam., it is out then

I tried the hammer method but didn't work for me. My brother had a little pneumatic chisel tool thing that he had, but instead of the chisel it had a flat punch like tip on it. He used it to tap(vibrate) the top piece, and the cones released and walked up the bolts. Second using the pb blaster to help them release.

After the cones released, everything came apart with no effort.

 

[162tcat]

The method I've found works best is to get a small flat head screwdriver and tap it into the gap in the wedge parallel to the stud. It will break it loose and spread the wedge enough to pull it right off with the screwdriver still pinched in it. Repeat 3 more time and your done, no damage and no bloody fingers or knuckles.

 

[Jeepsinker]

To quote Mr. Carnac... "Amateurs"...