Spindle Pin Woes

[Jeff G 78]

chaztg, As far as I know, the spindle pins are still available. MSA just sells the OE Nissan parts, so they are one in the same.

fuzze, the outer bushings do degrade over time. The ones I removed from my '78 were shot. Other reasons to remove the pins would be to replace bent control arms, upgrade to adjustable arms, paint/powder coat suspension parts during a restoration, etc.

[BTF/PTM]

I'll add a +1 for heat and lots of penetrating oil. I just pulled my suspension apart today and, possibly due to my z being a rust-free version as previously mentioned, both spindle pins came out without a fight by using heat on the strut body, liberal application of penetrating oil and a 2-pound hammer on a long bolt to drive them out. Not to be outdone, Karma hit back by granting me one pin with a stripped end thanks to whoever had previously fiddled with the car. I have to buy new pins anyway. Oh fortune, how you mock me...

Speaking of which, I'll pose a related question. If a spindle pin is in good condition when it comes out, does it require replacement?

[SteveJ]

I don't think I would re-use a 40 year old spindle pin.

[Hardway]

I am happy to see my thread is still being used as a resource to owners In regards to where to get new pins, I ordered mine from MSA as I was ordering some more parts at the same time and they actually had the best price. Was it all worth it in the end? Hard to tell since I only drove the car about 50 miles after doing all the work before I sold it. Since I was replacing everything else and I wanted to strip and paint everything I needed to get them out. The current owner loved all the work I did and the documentation and pictures helped to prove its value. If I had to do it over again I would, especially now since I have all the tools and knowledge. If anyone in the Austin area ever needed a hand with theirs I would help them out.

[Darrel]

If the threads are in good shape and not deformed by using a hammer, then all you should have to do is file down any knicks or deformed areas especially around the lock pin are. Then use anti seize on the pin and in the strut housing.

[Travel'n Man]

OK - Just finished the spindle pins - bushing replacement (this thread helped tremendously).

I'm glad it is over. If I had to do it again I would NOT buy a spindle pin puller. Stripped it out in about 30 seconds and wasted $60.00. Buy your spindle pins and your new bushings. Get a hacksaw (if they will not come out by hammering the crap out them) and cut them out. One you get the Lower Control Arm (LCA) separated you will need to press them out or beat the hell out of them with a drift to get them all the way removed. Once you have the spindle pins totally removed next you have to get a 1" door hole drill and drill out the rubber of your bushings. Once you get the inner collar drilled out with your door hole saw on your skill saw, go back to your hack saw. Cut your bushing housings into thirds. Once cut you can pop them out with a chisel or screwdriver.

Once your LCA and strut housings are all cleaned up you will need to debur or sand inside your housing where the spindle pin goes back in. I used a round file 6" in my electric drill. Cleaned up the spindle pin housing on both the strut housing and the LCA. The pins are directional so be sure to put the end with the color dot facing the front of the car. Put some anti-seize on the pin, line everything up and make sure you have the pin cut out facing the correct direction for the spindle pin lock.

Of course easily said after the fact but this has taken weeks to get the dis-assembly - destruction - POR15 - reconstruction and finally satisfaction of getting the job done.

Hope this helps somebody out there.

[Jeff G 78]

I still haven't given up on my puller design that I've been talking about making for a few years. I finally got a section of 1" acme all thread and now I just need to actually make the tool. The small, cheap tools will fail, but the right tool, I think, will make the job easy.

[Travel'n Man]

The puller I used was the one from Hybrid Z that had sole hundreds................it's just no match to the frozen metal to metal from 1970 something...............naturally I used some anti-sieze lub when I slide them back into place.

[Zed Head]

A design that spins the pin while pulling might have some benefits. When the pin is pulled straight out the rust particles can wedge in the small spaces, and the high spots can gall the points that they can't get past. Spinning allows things to find their happy place, along with doing a little grinding on the high spots, and lubing up every surface.

I had good luck threading old mag wheel lug nuts on to each end of my pin and spinning the pin while beating it back and forth. It got looser and looser until it could be punched out with a long bolt.

[mgood]

Here is a picture of what I had made. I would now add a thrust bearing between the washers. also if you can get a heat treated all thread rod I would. It took some work to get them out, mine seemed to be stuck on the bushing sleeves. I would drill holes in the rubber between the sleeves and it will separate from the od and id sleeve's quicker.

[Travel'n Man]

POR'd and finished Just got to bolt up and torque down

[Walter Moore]

The real problem spindle pin removal is related to the locking wedge bolt in the middle. If someone has overtightened that wedge, or tried to drive the pin out without removing the wedge, the pin will be swagged into the housing. In that case I really doubt that any threaded pin puller is going to break it loose. It was all that a 30 ton press could do to push the cut-off center section of my pins out of the housing.

If I ever have to do this again, I will save myself the time and trouble of trying to pull them intact. Just buy new pins, cut the old ones with a SawsAll, and press out the remantants.