[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by ajsalida

I did not replace the TS ball joint on either side when I did the Strongflex bushings, they were fine. I used an ordinary 2-jaw puller to carefully remove the TS arm and tie rod ball joint from the spindle when I did the L axle so as not to damage them.

The comment about the CA ball joint top nut being hard to get to applies to both sides. It sits right under the outer CV joint boot, and the nut is recessed deep into the spindle casting snug on one side and around the base of the nut, so it is difficult/impossible to get a socket seated with a ratchet without crushing the boot out of the way. I couldn't. An ordinary box wrench won't fit in there either due to the nut being so close to the side of the spindle. I think they make a special thin wall offset wrench that fits but I don't have it. Once I had the axle out it was easy though. I used a pickle fork to remove the LCA ball joint from the spindle once the nut was off and that destroys it. A standard puller has nowhere to fit. I'm not sure I could get to the R hand side CA ball joint nut without damaging the boot, so I'll just leave it for now unless I find that special wrench somewhere.

Something interesting, the Lemforder lower CA's had a smaller ball joint top nut than OEM. OEM was 23 mm (15/16th's) and the Lemforder was 7/8ths. I don't know if the thread size was also different. Plus it was a true nylock nut and OEM was not. I think removing it again if needed will be easier.

This is a good DIY for the front wheel bearings, but it shows a lot of what you have to do to remove the axle and various CA's if needed. To do the axle you have to remove the brake disc, caliper & bracket, heat shield, then the TS arm, LCA, and tie rod ball joints from the spindle. Then pull off the wheel carrier. I actually removed the inner bolt and nut from the LCA at the subframe, left it hanging, and did not remove the LCA from the spindle until the axle was out due to the nut/boot clearance issue. I am glad I did not have to fab any special tools, though I did use a wheel spacer bolted to the carrier to have something to grab with a 3-jaw puller, to pull the carrier off the outer spline shaft on the axle. I was lucky there was no corrosion in the carrier or on the shaft. I did clean it up with a wire brush then lubed everything with axle grease. New axle slipped in by hand which was fortunate, you need a special tool to press it on if it won't. That would have sucked.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=870124

Bumping an old post...

But if you weren't replacing the ball joint, why didn't you just leave the TS arm on the car, and press the bushing out with a cup/pusher type setup?

Is that not possible?