[Shotimes] halfshaft removal from the knuckle

[ianf@eden.rutgers.edu]

30mm socket-may as well buy it for a few bucks

Whenever I have needed to remove a stubborn halfshaft, I "zip" the nut 
off with my superhuman strength arms and use a hammer to "tap" the 
halfshaft out of the spindle while pulling the spindle away from the 
car. Obviously you want to make sure the end links, tie rods etc are 
removed at this point. (strut pinch bolt too). Get a new nut from Ford 
or at the very least use loctite on it the old one. This is one of 
those torque to stretch or stretch to torque things that will actually 
loosen up.

I've never had to remove a halfshaft from a spindle to pop a strut out 
so you might want to double check everything that you are doing now 
that its a new fresh day. :)

Ian

> Greetings all,
> 
> I'm helping Rich (remember the Help in KC post?) replace the struts on
> this 95 ATX. We got the front passenger side done last night, and the
> driver's side 95% disassembled. We had to quit as we were unable to 
get
> the strut out of the knuckle with the halfshaft still connected. We
> barely got the passenger side out in the same manner; the only reason 
we
> could come up with is the driver's side has a shorter shaft between 
the
> joints, thus giving us less range of movement.
> 
> He's going to rent the large socket (36mm?) to take the nut off the 
end
> of the shaft. The Helms also mentions a puller type device that bolts 
to
> the wheel studs. I have only seen this tool in use once, while at Tim
> Dahm's helping to extract my quaifed MTX. I've asked about renting it 
at
> parts stores in the past and just get blank deer in headlights stares.
> Is it really not needed? Will we be able to get the halfshaft out of 
the
> knuckle by just removing the nut?
> 
> TIA for any insight,
> 
> 
> Justin Schick
> silver 92 SHO in KC MO
> 194k and counting quickly
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