Install of Shocks gone wrong!! need a bit of guidance

[GOR1LA]

This weekend i was home moving my parents shit, since they sold the house. Thought i'd tackle the springs and shocks. I found the how to on LS1. SOOO i figured i would start with the hardest one first, front passenger. Start tearing into her and broke the sway arm bolt. ( When i had it aligned the guy broke it and said nothing, so when i tore into it i broke it clean off again) So a quick stop at autozone and i was back at it. Started on the upper ball joint and i can't remove it from the spindle arm, its stuck in there!! How do i remove?? The how to, said to use a pickle fork?? which i have no idea on what that is, so I tried to pry it a bit but she is welded in there good from 10 years of driving. Other then this minor problem which i have no idea on how to fix it. everything is ready to come out. Hopefully someone has had this problem and can tell me what to do, to get this off?

Any thoughts would be a big help
Thanks guys

[OIF1VET]

I'm sort of confused here.. When I did my front shocks and springs(and Formula Z's) all we did was remove the 4 top bolts on each shock and the 2 bottom bolts on each and pulled it out as 1 unit. Then spring compressor, remove top nut(good luck probably going to be rusted on) and reverse...

[s.reef]

I used a crow bar and really put my weight into it...popped right off

[Formula Z]

are you at home nick? maybe i can come over and give you a hand if you are in rockford. or if you wanna shoot over here, i have all the tools and an air compressor. i do not have a spring compressor for the fronts although so we would have to take those to a shop or rent/borrow a spring tool. good luck and let me know

[phoenix_rising]

If you are having problems with stuck nuts or bolts I recommend heating them up with a torch (Acetelyne or other) just until they are cherry red. Then while they are hot get the wrench / scoket on there. You might also try using an impact tool rather than a hand tool as well (Impact wrench or impact gun)

[9T8W66]

To pop the ball joint without using a pickle fork remove the cotterpin and lossen the castle nut until it's partially above the stud then use a block of wood and a deadblow hammer and knock it out of the steering knuckle. If using the pickle fork be careful not to tear the boot.
Good luck with the top shock bolt as their usually rusted solid and a bear to remove.

[1BADAIR]

no reason to remove ball joints
disconnect anti sway bar.
remove 2 nuts from master and pull it out off the studs
2 torx, 4 nuts and 2 13mm bolts
then the lower bolts

[GOR1LA]

Hey mike i was in Rockford when i did this but it was 8 oclock at night,, and i didn't have my computer to ask for help. wish i did though. I tried a bfh but it just laughed at me. I think ill have to get a pickle tool from auto zone and try it next weekend, since ill be going to Detroit and having kolin and few guys help me do this. If i heat up the spindle, will i screw up the rubber ball joint? And if the nut is rusted on to the shock ill just go buy 2 new strut mounts and call it a day.

I was just wondering if i was doing something wrong aka forgot to loosen a bolt or something. But apparently i just wasn't putting enough weight behind it.

Thanks boys for the help

[Phantom409]

You can get a Pickle Fork from Harbor Freight.
They are just west of 131 on 28th st. on the far East end of Rogers Plaza if you are going to be around GR.

[1BADAIR]

the balljoints dont need to come off but i would think about getting new upper mounts because the strut nut most of the time doesnt come off

[ITSSLOW]

Mine came right out. Fred and I didn't have any issues at all.

[meissen]

For what it's worth - this is a pickle fork:

[Lucky SOB]

Nick, when are you coming out here and where are you working on it?

[prorac1]

I didnt know you had to seperate the ball joint to remove our struts? Eric L

[Formula Z]

you dont! an impact is your best bet