Rear Spindle Pin

[Captain Obvious]

Welcome to the spindle pin club.  

These people who build spindle pin pullers and think that's the answer... Now you know the truth.

[grannyknot]

9 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:

These people who build spindle pin pullers and think that's the answer...

Except this one, @Careless built it, it will pull the pin or the threads, Thor's hammer.

 

[EuroDat]

I think these tools are a good choice for spindle pins that are in any kind of salvageable condition. The spindle pin (drivers side) in those photos looks just like my drivers side spindle pin, but Careless' is a little rusty at the front lower control arm joint.

I don't doubt the quality of the tool Careless made. It looks great and the bench vice square cut thread is the way to go for sure. The problem comes down to a really seized spindle pin will require so much force that the threads on the spindle or the tool, depending on hardnees of the threaded bar will give way and strip clean.

Hardway documented his ordeal in his thread. I think my ealier post repeated my advice (post #7) in Hardways thread 6 years ago?

 

[Mike]

Yep, this is a right of passage for any Z owner..  I believe there was a loaner puller tool floating around for a few years.  Anyone know what happened to it?

[Careless]

On 8/3/2019 at 1:41 AM, EuroDat said:

I think these tools are a good choice for spindle pins that are in any kind of salvageable condition. The spindle pin (drivers side) in those photos looks just like my drivers side spindle pin, but Careless' is a little rusty at the front lower control arm joint.

I don't doubt the quality of the tool Careless made. It looks great and the bench vice square cut thread is the way to go for sure. The problem comes down to a really seized spindle pin will require so much force that the threads on the spindle or the tool, depending on hardnees of the threaded bar will give way and strip clean.

The photos you see there are of my spindle pin tool being used on one of Chris' spindle pins.

Think back to all the spindle pin photos you've witnessed, and you may recall that the actual part that goes through the spindle bore is not particularly rusted to sh*t. It's always the bushing collars that hang up the pin on both ends (or the pin is just tweaked a little- in which case; god help you). It's pretty much the same on any car that has bushing collars in an old bushing pod. That's almost always where the bolt is seized.

When I used this tool on the car I made it for, I had to heat up one spindle pin so that the bushings would melt inside the control arm and allow the pin to pull the collar through the bushing. I also heated the spindle cast iron itself quite a bit with a MAPP torch. The other side eventually popped loose out of the collar on its own, but really the best way to go about it being stuck on both ends is to preload the side with the tool and use an air chisel with a flat headed anvil on the other side. The combined forces will ensure you aren't stripping threads and you're pushing it in the right direction. In total it probably took me about 20 minutes for that one without having to bust out the air chisel.

It seems like Honda is the only company that goes through the trouble of splining/hobbing/rifling the shank of their fasteners to allow lubricant to remain between the pin/bolt shank and the collar to prevent this from happening- but even in certain climates it doesn't prevent the same problem completely, it only allows the corrosion process to take longer to become a pain in the arse.

Edited August 21, 2019 by Careless

[Jeff G 78]

I finally got to try my spindle pin puller last night.  I made it years ago using high quality 1" acme threaded rod and a front strut bearing.  Granted, the car isn't super rusty, but it worked great.  I had the RH pin out in less than 2 minutes once I got the wedge bolt out. 

I'm doing a rear disc conversion on my race car, so I pulled the stub axle and spindle pin.  I will replace the wheel bearings and outer control arm bushings while it's apart.  I was pretty happy with the job.  The hardest part was cutting the peened sections off the axle nut without touching the stub axle threads.

Tonight, I will pull the LH side apart and then start pressing bearings.  The real test for the puller will be on the spare corner modules I have in storage.  Those came off a really rotted car and they are likely going to need to be cut and pressed out.

[gundee]

4 hours ago, Jeff G 78 said:

I finally got to try my spindle pin puller last night.  I made it years ago using high quality 1" acme threaded rod and a front strut bearing.  Granted, the car isn't super rusty, but it worked great.  I had the RH pin out in less than 2 minutes once I got the wedge bolt out. 

I'm doing a rear disc conversion on my race car, so I pulled the stub axle and spindle pin.  I will replace the wheel bearings and outer control arm bushings while it's apart.  I was pretty happy with the job.  The hardest part was cutting the peened sections off the axle nut without touching the stub axle threads.

Tonight, I will pull the LH side apart and then start pressing bearings.  The real test for the puller will be on the spare corner modules I have in storage.  Those came off a really rotted car and they are likely going to need to be cut and pressed out.

Being a race car will you be going back to the stock control arm and new pin or an adjustable aftermarket control arm? Just curious.

 

[Jeff G 78]

Just now, gundee said:

Being a race car will you be going back to the stock control arm and new pin or an adjustable aftermarket control arm? Just curious.

 

As much as I'd like to go with Apex or T3 arms, I will stick with stock arms for now.  Someday, I might switch though.  The pins should come out super easy the next time around.  The engine work, brake upgrade, wheel upgrade and complete vehicle rewiring project is all the wallet and clock can handle this winter.

[HappyZ]

I went thru the same thought process, but decided on the stock arms as well.

[crayZlair]

I made this video about 9 years ago............................

Project FP 240Z Part 5

Spindle removal starts at 7:00

Edited March 12, 2020 by crayZlair
added text for clarity

[gnosez]

There is no reason to put the locking pin back in. In fact a threaded rod works just fine instead of a spindle pin. I have the T3 RC arms in my race car which has over 180 track days. The threaded rod that came with the RCA is still working fine and I see no reason that a similar rod couldn't be used in a set of stock arms.

[Jeff G 78]

19 hours ago, gnosez said:

There is no reason to put the locking pin back in. In fact a threaded rod works just fine instead of a spindle pin. I have the T3 RC arms in my race car which has over 180 track days. The threaded rod that came with the RCA is still working fine and I see no reason that a similar rod couldn't be used in a set of stock arms.

I'm torn on the wedge bolt.  My RH one was pretty beat up, so I either need to buy new ones, or leave them out.  If I leave them out, I will likely silicone over the hub holes before I ever put it back together to keep moisture out.  If I put them back in, I'll antiseize them well.  

Does yours have a threaded rod, or a bolt like their web site shows?  I don't think a threaded rod would be a good idea.  The threads are never going to be as tight a fit as the pin's smooth shaft and it could cause play in the joint.  Any movement will equal slight toe changes under either cornering or accel/decel.  I looked at the T3 site and their bolt has a smooth shank for one rod end and the hub, but the other rod end sits on the threads.  I think they should have sourced a bolt with a longer shank, but at least the hub and one of the two rod ends are supported.  You can actually see in the photo how the threaded end is slightly smaller OD than the shank.

Apex Engineered arms have a similar design as T3.  Again, I would have used a bolt with a longer shank.  Nissan would never engineer a joint like that nor would any other auto manufacturer.