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new pathfinder owner - axle questions


Honeybadger
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'ello people, '94 se-v6 4wd owner here with basically no mods other than wheels, chunkier all terrain tires, and a bullbar. the goal is to make it into a perfect all-purpose truck able to tow, carry people, be comfortable, be reliable, and off road a bit.

 

But it's a rusty and crusty old bitch. 108k miles, a recently broken odometer, quite a bit of rust starting to form, and I doubt it's ever had a service outside of oil changes. It probably sat for five years. And I paid waaaaay too much for it. Go figure.

 

First things: brake pads and rotors. Low and behold, the calipers are seized in the front. So, remanufactured ones are going in. CV boots are well and truly 'sploded. new axles are in my living room. Brembo rotors and EBC pads front and rear.

 

pulled the battery, wire wheeled off all the rust and used rustoleum's rust converter. welded in a new point for the battery tie down.

 

I'm in the process of yanking the old axles. I got all the 12 point nuts off, but cannot figure out how the hell I'm going to get the knuckle off. Do I need a puller? I hate only being able to work on my truck in the middle of the night. Makes parts runs impossible.

 

What parts of the suspension need to come loose from the knuckle? and in which ways? do I need to take the top swingarm off by the balljoint, or can I remove the four bolts around the balljoint and separate it there?

 

Mostly, I'm just asking because I don't want to break anything thinking that it's just corroded, when in fact it's welded and weakened, lol.

 

please help, been at it for two hours and I'm dead stuck. And I have a whole other wheel to do this to >_<

 

I've tried following the DIY's, but when it says "Detach tie rod end" I have no idea HOW to do it without damaging something, and I don't have a puller until I can go to the store tomorrow.

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From Seattle huh? new guys are popping up everywhere!

 

Detach tie rod end... as far as I know, one end of the tie rod is threaded onto a shaft, and the other end pops into a hole with a castle nut and a cotter pin. I could be of more help if I were looking at it.

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When you remove the tie rod you can do it 3 ways (that I know of at least). 1 is use a pickle fork but that will damage the boot on the tie rod and then you will need a new one. 2 you can get a tie rod removal tool for about 10 dollars or if your part store has a loan a tool program that works too. 3 and the way I used to do till I bought the tool, was to smack the knuckle where the tie rod is seated, this will usually pop it up. A mini sledge is good for this.

 

Yes you can remove the 4 bolts and separate the ball joint that way, be careful as they like to break and if they do it's new ball joint time, though it probably wouldn't hurt.

 

Also you will want to remove the shock absorber and the brake caliper as well. Wire it up out of the way to not damage the flex line.

 

I'm sure you know this but you must also remove the locking hub, and the snap ring that is exposed when you remove the hub. I would break the 6mm bolts on the hub free before jacking up the truck because it is easier. Also make SURE the allen key is seated all the way into the bolt as I have almost ruined a couple. I usually lightly tap the allen key in with a hammer.

 

HTH

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When you remove the tie rod you can do it 3 ways (that I know of at least). 1 is use a pickle fork but that will damage the boot on the tie rod and then you will need a new one. 2 you can get a tie rod removal tool for about 10 dollars or if your part store has a loan a tool program that works too. 3 and the way I used to do till I bought the tool, was to smack the knuckle where the tie rod is seated, this will usually pop it up. A mini sledge is good for this.

 

Yes you can remove the 4 bolts and separate the ball joint that way, be careful as they like to break and if they do it's new ball joint time, though it probably wouldn't hurt.

 

Also you will want to remove the shock absorber and the brake caliper as well. Wire it up out of the way to not damage the flex line.

 

I'm sure you know this but you must also remove the locking hub, and the snap ring that is exposed when you remove the hub. I would break the 6mm bolts on the hub free before jacking up the truck because it is easier. Also make SURE the allen key is seated all the way into the bolt as I have almost ruined a couple. I usually lightly tap the allen key in with a hammer.

 

HTH

 

 

Man, fast responses!

 

I got all 4 bolts out, but the arm isn't separating. does the ball joint just slide out? the part that pokes through the arm a bit.

 

Also, the castle nut is off, I cannot get that stupid threaded part out of the knuckle. can I just get a spreader and separate it? would that also work for the upper control arm?

 

shock bolt is free, caliper is completely detached. Doing the new calipers, rotors, pads, and axles all at once. timing belt and water pump next week.

 

I'm pretty sure in the next year or so I'm going to be replacing every bit of rubber suspension bushing.

 

And what is a pickle fork?

 

Silverton, you're only like 30 minutes away (greenlake) you should come help, heh. would have been nice to have a person switching between 2h and 4h so I could rotate the front driveshaft and get at those damn axle bolts.

Edited by Honeybadger
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ah, you're up north of seattle. That's not to bad of a drive. Maybe tomorrow, since I get off early (3pm'ish), I can come up and give you a hand if you're still having issues and still available.

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Man, fast responses!

 

I got all 4 bolts out, but the arm isn't separating. does the ball joint just slide out? the part that pokes through the arm a bit.

 

Also, the castle nut is off, I cannot get that stupid threaded part out of the knuckle. can I just get a spreader and separate it? would that also work for the upper control arm?

 

shock bolt is free, caliper is completely detached. Doing the new calipers, rotors, pads, and axles all at once. timing belt and water pump next week.

 

I'm pretty sure in the next year or so I'm going to be replacing every bit of rubber suspension bushing.

 

And what is a pickle fork?

 

Silverton, you're only like 30 minutes away (greenlake) you should come help, heh. would have been nice to have a person switching between 2h and 4h so I could rotate the front driveshaft and get at those damn axle bolts.

The control arm should just separate. You may have to give it a few taps to break it free but it should come loose! You'll know when it does too, make sure to support the LCA so it doesn't fall down fast and scare you like it did to me the first time I did it.

 

You see the part of the knuckle where the threaded part goes through? Hit that a few times pretty hard with a sledge hammer, that got mine loose. If not you'll have to get a puller :/

 

A pickle for is used to separate tie rods/ball joints. It's the quick and dirty way of doing it. I use that method because its faster but only when I am replacing parts because it ruins the rubber grease boots.

 

Here is a pickle fork:

 

otc-7266.jpg

 

Here is a tie rod separator:

 

This is similar to mine but they all do the same job.

 

otc-7315a.gif

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The control arm should just separate. You may have to give it a few taps to break it free but it should come loose! You'll know when it does too, make sure to support the LCA so it doesn't fall down fast and scare you like it did to me the first time I did it.

 

You see the part of the knuckle where the threaded part goes through? Hit that a few times pretty hard with a sledge hammer, that got mine loose. If not you'll have to get a puller :/

 

A pickle for is used to separate tie rods/ball joints. It's the quick and dirty way of doing it. I use that method because its faster but only when I am replacing parts because it ruins the rubber grease boots.

 

Here is a pickle fork:

 

 

Here is a tie rod separator:

 

This is similar to mine but they all do the same job.

 

 

I'll likely go the spreader route. I need a new tool set up here (full shop down in arizona,) and autozone junk is cheap and works for me. Can't afford new tie rod ends right now.

 

God, I was hoping this thing would be as easy to work on as my 240sx's were. Nowhere close. Though that could be just because half the bolts I remove are literally snapping in half from corrosion.

 

I can't do the "taps" at night, since I'm working in the street and don't want to piss off my neighbors, lol. Will give it some love smacks tomorrow with a deadblow.

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I want to know where you found a rusted out pathfinder in Washington. I didn't think rusted cars existed here. The only place mine is even hinting at rust is from crappy batteries.

 

I'm pretty sure mine sat for so long it started rusting. There's some under the rear seats, some under the battery tray, and a lot forming everywhere else

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3 jaw puller got that tie rod end off nicely. And Dennis was a massive help as well. took us about twelve hours (bad things kept cropping up) and lots of beer.

 

Next up, timing belt!

 

Also, where can I get an idler arm brace?

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