Daughter's car is giving me fits.

[OldSub]

My daughter has a 1990 Mitsubishi Galant LS that needs new CV joints.  I have the service manual pages from Mitchell that explain how to take it apart, but I'm stuck and its not apart.

On both sides both the ball joint and the tie-rod end will not separate from the spindle.

Any one have any tips or experience that might help me?  

I've tried a pickle fork which I was sure would do the job, but it hasn't been enough to break anything loose.

My collection of pullers doesn't include anything that will work on the tie-rod and the proximity of the ball joint to the CV joint is so tight I can't see a way to get a puller in the area.

What am I missing?  I've done other cars and its been a couple hour thing.  This one has now been a couple days and its still not coming apart.

[chimp koose]

Get out the BFH and another one . rest one hammer against the spindle by the ball joint/tie rod and hit the other side hard with the other hammer a few times . This will often be enough to vibrate the ball joint/tie rod end in the taper enough to unseat it . Then the pickle fork should work if it is needed at all.

[wayne petty]

i have also unbolted the lower control arms from the bushing ends...  so i did not have to break the ball joints loose...   its more bolts.. but sometimes easier...

did you unbolt the sway bar end links..? they will unless both wheels are hanging hold the control arm up and make it really hard to separate the ball joint..    not impossible.. but hard...


one thing...    i have had terrible problems with the 90 galants.. where one capacitor in the ECM will fail...  taking out the whole thing..

there is only one in there thats rated at 14 or 16 volts..  when it goes.. byby.

since mitsubitshi gets a large fortune for the ECMs..    if you have not had to pull it..   you might want to remove the ecm and examine the caps on the mother board.. its just one that goes.  usually leaks electrolite..

just a heads up....

wayne

[OldSub]

Sorry for the slow reply, a side-effect of my medications took me down for a couple days.

I'll give the BFH approach a try and if that doesn't quickly get me going I'll unbolt the controls arms and maybe the steering rack.

I've thought about looking for an ECM for this car at the local u-pull-it just to have spare.  I've heard its not a good piece.  She bought this car without consulting me while living in another state.  Its not something I would ever have chosen to work on.

Thanks guys!

[wayne petty]

I'll give the BFH approach a try and if that doesn't quickly get me going I'll unbolt the controls arms and maybe the steering rack.

just leaving the key in a position so you can turn the steering wheel... or knocking out  a tie rod end from the steering arm...

i hope thats what you were talking about...


if you have not already done it.. just take the bushings loose... much faster...

[OldSub]

Unfortunately its too late to leave the key in a position where you can turn the wheel.  I might have thought of that if I had driven the car into the shop, but she drove it and then locked the doors.  

With the brakes disassembled you can't push the brake pedal (unless applying for Team Smart admission), and you have to push the brake on this car to turn the switch.  I guess it may be faster to put the brakes back together than fight with the tie rod ends.

The tie-rods at the steering arms are stuck hard just like the ball joints.

When you say bushings I'm assuming you are referring to the control arm bushings?  Just want to be sure I understand.

I won't be able to work on it again until tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow morning Pacific time when most of you will already be stopping for lunch...

Thanks for the help!

[wayne petty]

take a look at a replacement control arm...

a 2 or 3 bolt clamp that holds the rubber bushing...

a single bolt that goes through the other bushing...


http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/drm/520-837/image/4/

it thats a vented rotor....   put the lug nuts back on just the rotor... just snugged... sometimes you will need to add a short stack of 9/16 washers.. so you don't bottom out the lug nuts on the shank of the

stick a cold chissle.. or a screw driver into the vents and against the caliper bracket...

this will prevent the hub from turning and allow you to loosen or tighten the Cv  shaft nut...

i am also taking that you have a decent breaker bar...


these are 22 bucks at autozone...

http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/grn/38002/image/4/

they are slightly different than other breaker bars.. as the bar handle has the single eye... and the swivel head is on both sides of the handle eye... a much stronger design than a normal craftsman version.. i have had several of these for years... NOT broken one.. i have broken several craftsman versions.. broken several torque wrenches when i was stuck without it trying to get a tight lug nut off..     since they are at most autozones.. when i am without.. i know i can usually get one..    makes loosening head bolts easy also...



you will need this image also.. it shows how it all fits together and the proper torques...


http://repairguide.autozone.com/znetrgs/repair_guide_content/en_us/images/0900c152/80/03/82/85/large/0900c15280038285.gif




oh... and one last huge thing where a lot of people screw up...

see the retaining ring..

http://repairguide.autozone.com/znetrgs/repair_guide_content/en_us/images/0900c152/80/03/82/58/medium/0900c15280038258.gif

when installing.. the gap in the ring has to be at the TOP... so it will be below the surface of the splines.... if the gap is down.. or on the side... the ring tips will be bent back and it will not go all the way in..

leaving them out.. is a really bad idea... it lets the joint slide out past the sealing area... leak all your transmission fluid out..   guaranteed to cause major problems...

use the center of the CV shaft like a slide hammer to drive the inner joint home..  it should slip in really easily...  sometimes .. i have to hold the shaft totally straight.. and use a hammer to drive it home... but... again.. if the clip hangs up... you are going to really get in deep....

[OldSub]

I already have the CV shaft nuts off.  Was smart enough to loosen them before lifting the car.  

The stabilizer mount is a little different on the car I'm working on.  A bent strap forming a u-shape, attached to the control arm at both ends of the u.  The stabilizer has a link with joints at each end, and getting those apart was easy compared to the rest of this job.

I have a very similar looking breaker bar that I think came from Harbor Feight.  It with a five foot cheater bar slipped over it has never failed to turn something.  And I haven't broken it yet.

It looks to me like three bolts and one nut and the control arm drops free.  

I had looked pretty hard at the CV joint illustrations and text, but had not looked at the suspension parts.  I found the attached page which looks just like the suspension I'm dealing with.

Thanks!