Toyota Tacoma

[CaminoRacer]

Pro-tip: pickle forks suck. Get a ball joint tool from Harbor Freight. Looks like this:



It'll save you an hour and a lot of frustration

[Eye of the Tiger]

BFH always works, too.

[giant_mtb]

Well, I already have the fork ordered.  Been looking for a reason to buy a 3lb sledge.

Either way, can't I just use the BJ press kit to both push the old ones out and press the new ones in?

[CaminoRacer]

You have to break the "seal" between the ball joint and spindle with the pickle fork or that tool I posted. Then use the press to remove it from the control arm.

[giant_mtb]

Ahhhh yeah.  I gotcha.

Pickle fork, ball joints, and tie rod ends arrived just now.  Looks like I'll try hammering and pickling.  If that doesn't work for some reason, I imagine the auto parts place rents those separators out as well as the press kits.

[Cookie Monster]

+1 to Alex. I tried to use a pickle fork on the RX7. Gave up and just used the HF tool instead and it popped right off.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Pickle forks are good for ... pickles.

[giant_mtb]

Well shit, I guess I bought the wrong damn tool.

We don't have a Harbor Freight or equivalent.  Either way, I'll probably just rent out both the BJ press and separator tool from O'Reilly so it'll be sure to get done.  I'm hoping to knock this project out on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Shiiiii do I need to remove the shock/spring?

[giant_mtb]

Gave up on this pretty quickly.  Everything sucks.  Need air.  Rented tools for nothin.  Manliness defeated. Wallet will have sads. 

[CaminoRacer]

Welcome to the club

[giant_mtb]

At least you got farther than me.

I shall sit here and stare and drink in defeat the beers I intended to consume whilst happily skipping along in a magical world of no rust and fasteners that come lose when you think them to. This dream has failed me.

[shp4man]

At least you got farther than me.

I shall sit here and stare and drink in defeat the beers I intended to consume whilst happily skipping along in a magical world of no rust and fasteners that come lose when you think them to. This dream has failed me.

Ya, I think you have to take the upper arm completely off.  Sorry about that. Same thing happens to me when I try to do algebra. 

[giant_mtb]

On the plus side, I bought myself proper truck jack stands and a properly reaching service jack so I don't have to stack 2x4's and shit under stuff just to get the thing up in the air.

The tire change jack that comes with the vehicle cannot raise it enough to get the wheel off the ground without at least one 2x4 under it. Kind of, uh, defeats its purpose.

[giant_mtb]

Ya, I think you have to take the upper arm completely off.  Sorry about that. Same thing happens to me when I try to do algebra. 

I don't think either control arm needs to be removed.  The BJ press c-clamp fits with plenty of room up in there.



But yeah, just too many stuck fasteners to want to deal with it.  Need to remove the sway bar end links to fit a socket and breaker bar under the UCA to get the BJ out...and I know that one's stuck as frig 'cause I attempted taking my sway bar off once before.  Couldn't get the upper brake caliper bolt out, so I didn't get far...lol. I need a longer breaker bar.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Air tools and lifts make everything possible.

[giant_mtb]

Air tools and lifts make everything possible.

Indeed. Some day!

[CaminoRacer]

The shop will probably remove the arms and use a hydraulic press to do the BJs. A little more work but easier.

[AutobahnSHO]

I skipped like 4 pages, but bonus points if you get the jack and mount it to the hood....   

[68_427]

use a hydraulic press to do the BJs.

[CaminoRacer]

[giant_mtb]

I skipped like 4 pages, but bonus points if you get the jack and mount it to the hood....   

I'm guessing you mean the hi-lift...nah, not gonna get one.  And I wouldn't mount it to the hood...it would be subjected to any and all road spray and reduce outward visibility.

If I assemble any sort of recovery kit, I think it's gonna be focused around a More Power Puller.  Expensive, but unbelievably strong...so much nicer than a cheap come-along.

https://www.wyeth-scott.com/

[giant_mtb]

This guy knows wussup.

https://youtu.be/jAzl8k9S4k8

[Rupert]

That guy knows... something. 0_o

I like all the different tires on that truck. Really shows they know what they're doing.

[Rupert]

I'm guessing you mean the hi-lift...nah, not gonna get one.  And I wouldn't mount it to the hood...it would be subjected to any and all road spray and reduce outward visibility.

If I assemble any sort of recovery kit, I think it's gonna be focused around a More Power Puller.  Expensive, but unbelievably strong...so much nicer than a cheap come-along.

https://www.wyeth-scott.com/

IMO a shovel is more important than a come-along, but I assume you know that.

[giant_mtb]

IMO a shovel is more important than a come-along, but I assume you know that.

Well yeah, a shovel is kind of a given with the hatchet/sledge/shovel trio.  Shovel is the last one I need to obtain at this point.  I'll have the shovel well before I drop $350 on a come-along + rigging, if it makes you feel better.

I'm just talking about a come-along for when all else fails.  If anything, it's a confidence boost and I'd be more comfortable going deeper/further knowing I have a fairly surefire way to extract if I have to...don't have to go too far to be out of Phone a Friend range.

[Rupert]

I would consider a Hi-Lift (and its careful use) too, honestly. I don't have one because generally if it starts to look sketchy, I just don't go there, but it sounds like you're interested in going further than the sketch-zone transition. Also good chains for all four wheels; that is something I do have. My philosophy of tire chain use is, if you have to put chains on, eh, how about just... not. But good to have if conditions change or you make a mistake.

[giant_mtb]

Only thing with a hi-lift is that there aren't many useful places to jack from in stock form.  I don't have rock sliders or anything, and the front bumper is all plastic.  Only thing I could really get under with a hi-lift is my hitch receiver.   Or they have an adapter to lift at the wheel.

I generally avoid sketchy shit, too.  But I'd like to be prepared.

Never thought about tire chains. 

[AutobahnSHO]

Was joking about the hood, always seems like trying too hard.

[Rupert]

The hood is a shit place to mount a jack on a modern car anyway. Anti-aerodynamic, visibility is shitty enough as it is, hood struts won't stay open with all the extra weight. In the bed, on the back, or if you're desperate, on the roof, depending on what you're driving.

[AutobahnSHO]

The hood is a shit place to mount a jack on a modern car anyway.

Correct. Which is why I see the bros doing that and just hope they never rearend me so I have a jack in my neck...