How long does it take to swap spindles?

[BlackFox5.0]

I am thinking about doing the spindles on my car and a '94 Tomorrow, I have a small compressor (like a 5 gallon) and an Impact gun, I think I can get a hold of an air ratchet, not sure, but I don't really need one, the impact gun is the most important thing.

Thing is I want to get this done, and my father doesn't want to help me out with it till spring I just want to do the front end for now since I have everything I need to do it..... I'll be doing it in the driveway, with a jack and jackstands, I'm figuring maybe 3-4 hours to get it done, sound good?

 

[Mustang5L5]

Just the spindles alone? Assuming you can break the nuts, probably 1-2 hours.

It really is only 4 nuts. Two big ass ones on the strut. The castle nut and the tie rod nut.

Impact tools make the job fly.

I heard tomorrow will be a very cold day...might want to reconsider doing this tomorrow

 

[stang22]

Jack the front end up and put it on jack stands. Remove wheels. Place the jack or wooden blocks underneath the a-arms to make sure they don't move on you. If you have a spring compressor, USE IT. The sway bar will still be holding the a-arms in place. Remove the tie rods ends. Take the calipers and rotors off. Remove the 2 bolts that bolt the strut to the spindle. Remove the spindle bolt from the ball joint and remove the spinde. When you are done, go backwards.



Tim

Everyone will have a different method/technique, this is just the way I would do it. It should take about 1 hour per side, going at a safe workable speed.

 

[Mustang5L5]

The way i do it is different. Most of the time the spindle won't break free of the ball joint.

WHat i do is LOOSEN the two two strut bolts and then back the castle nut out but still leave it threaded on. Then i unload the suspension so that the spring is pushing the control arm down as far as it will go. Then i give the a-arm a nice whack with the hammer next to the ball joint. The spring plus the whack will help crack the spindle loose.

Then i block under the a-arm and put the springs weight on it. Remove the spindle and replace.

 

[stang22]

The way i do it is different. Most of the time the spindle won't break free of the ball joint.

WHat i do is LOOSEN the two two strut bolts and then back the castle nut out but still leave it threaded on. Then i unload the suspension so that the spring is pushing the control arm down as far as it will go. Then i give the a-arm a nice whack with the hammer next to the ball joint. The spring plus the whack will help crack the spindle loose.

Then i block under the a-arm and put the springs weight on it. Remove the spindle and replace.

There is a tool that will seperate the a-arm from the spindle that you can get at AutoZone, but the above method should work just fine.

 

[BlackFox5.0]

If I can I might put a chain on the spring before I lower the control arm, I've never done this before, but I'm really good at taking cars apart, and fixing them and whatnot, I've done all the work to my car myself, with some help from my father when we use his lift at work to make things go faster/easier.

Mike, it's always going to be cold it's December! I gotta do it sometime, and I will only have time tomorrow, Sunday is F1

The only thing I am concerned about is getting the car aligned, I can do it at work, but I'd be doing it myself, and I haven't aligned a car on my own at work, but I've helped out and watched how things work....I hope the tierods don't pose a problem.

I'm putting '97 spindles on a '94, all I can do is HOPE that they bolt right in.....also got PBR brakes for it too

 

[BlackFox5.0]

There is a tool that will seperate the a-arm from the spindle that you can get at AutoZone, but the above method should work just fine.

You mean a fork? A nice hammer always does the trick

 

[Mustang5L5]

Mike, it's always going to be cold it's December! I gotta do it sometime, and I will only have time tomorrow, Sunday is F1

Yeah, but it sucks working on cars outdoors when it's so cold. I want to bolt this strut tower brace in so badly but no way in hell do i want to work on my car in this weather. Wait til after Xmas when i make my big order to summit...i have a while closet full of stang parts waiting for warmer weather

 

[BlackFox5.0]

I have a bunch of parts for my 5-lug, all I need now is my Caliper brackets, taking so long but I want to get the front out of the way since it is easier....and I can do it wihtout a lift

I will only do it if the air tools I have will connect to the hose on the compressor, sometimes they don't....

 

[Matt90GT]

10 minutes.

Oh wait, I have coilovers. Sorry. hehe

Back the castle nut to the last thread on the balljoint or tierod then hit that with a hammer. No forks needed, no torn boots that way!

 

[BlackFox5.0]

I put both of them on today, I just have to bleed the brakes and adjust the steering, and put the wheels back on, I am going to try to give it an alignment at work...looks good so far, I think I will do my car after New Years