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Brake Rotor Removal - Suburban 2500 4WD

loosen the nuts on the ball joints but don't take them off. Then hammer on them if they won't pop loose then you'll need a good quality pickle fork to drive in and seperate them. Once seperated then supprt the lower a arm with a floor jack. Take the nut off and clmp the threaded part with vice grips, to steady it while you sawsall it. after you've sawsalled it you should be able to pull the knuckle assy straight out.
 
ak diesel driver said:
loosen the nuts on the ball joints but don't take them off. Then hammer on them if they won't pop loose then you'll need a good quality pickle fork to drive in and seperate them. Once seperated then supprt the lower a arm with a floor jack. Take the nut off and clmp the threaded part with vice grips, to steady it while you sawsall it. after you've sawsalled it you should be able to pull the knuckle assy straight out.
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Got it. Have all the tools now. Parts are on order. This will go down next weekend. Thanks!
 
jrsavoie said:
I have used stud remover sockets on rounded heads with good luck before.

If you are replacing the bearing assembly and axel assembly I'd use the torch and heat things up a might. I'd stay away from the ball joints unless you are replacing them also. I've been having to replace my ball joints at about 230,000 miles but have many that are over that.

Don't buy the new Cardone axles. They are made in China. The Cardone rebuilts are done in Philidelphia I believe.
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230,000 miles on ball joints?!?! I get 40,000 on mine, New bajoints everytime i go in for tires!
 
tanman_2006 said:
230,000 miles on ball joints?!?! I get 40,000 on mine, New bajoints everytime i go in for tires!
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As you can see in my pics, the boot on the lower ball joint is cracked. If I'm this deep into it, I'm replacing everything. I'll end up close to $1000 in parts, but this would have easily been a $3000+ job at the dealer. This will give me peace of mind for the next 150K miles.
 
I don't see how you guys get your ball joints to last so long. I just got mine done at a shop for $500 including alingment but that was just the uppers. Everytime I take my truck in to get a flat fixed or new tires I get a call saying my ball joints are cracked out. I am starting to think they are cutting them! I only let them install made in USA parts and make them show me the boxes.
 
tanman_2006 said:
I don't see how you guys get your ball joints to last so long. I just got mine done at a shop for $500 including alingment but that was just the uppers. Everytime I take my truck in to get a flat fixed or new tires I get a call saying my ball joints are cracked out. I am starting to think they are cutting them! I only let them install made in USA parts and make them show me the boxes.
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More than 3 shots of grease per oil change will blow the seals out. Cracked or leaking seals do not mean the joints are bad. Raise the truck and put a tire iron under the tire and pry the tire up and let it down. Have a friend feel or watch the joint for movement. The front ends are wear items.
 
The procedure to remove the axle shafts in the shop manual is to remove the upper ball joint and torsion link, Then slide the half shaft toward the center of the Truck. The lower control arm needs to be under pressure, to add more clearance to the cv joints.

I've done this and it works.

This gets it so you can remove the lower ball joint nut and remove the spindle.
 
jmiller said:
The procedure to remove the axle shafts in the shop manual is to remove the upper ball joint and torsion link, Then slide the half shaft toward the center of the Truck. The lower control arm needs to be under pressure, to add more clearance to the cv joints.

I've done this and it works. this is the type of info I'm looking for.

This gets it so you can remove the lower ball joint nut and remove the spindle.
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Thanks, removal order was my next question. Not familiar with the torsion link. Is that the vertical rod connecting the lower A-arm to the sway bar?
 
Big T said:
Thanks, removal order was my next question. Not familiar with the torsion link. Is that the vertical rod connecting the lower A-arm to the sway bar?
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Yes it is. I've gotten all of my half shafts out by taking the bottom of the shock lose, disconnecting the tie rod end and losening - in most cases - or fully disconnecting the torsion link. I didn't have to pop a ball joint to get the axle out.
That was on our 96 Suburban and 98 Suburban.
Also if the front axle assemblies you get come with the gear on them remove it before you install them. It's a pain in the butt to work around and they come off very easily.
 
WarWagon said:
Yes drill out or grind the rivets to get the ball joints off.

You should get 16 new studs if they are not in hand. I doubt you will have luck pounding them out being that rusty. Reassembly with the old rusty studs can also be a pain.
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The new bearing hubs come with studs pressed in. I got them from the MIBBarings link posted here. Made in USA Timken for $149.99 each plus shipping, ended up being about $321. Nice shiny new stuff going in will give me peace of mind, til something else goes.
 
I don't see how or were you could press fit a ball joint onto the upper A-Arm. It's held on by 3 rivets and 1 bolt:

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The replacement ball joints come with 4 grade 8 bolts.
 
Big T said:
The new bearing hubs come with studs pressed in. I got them from the MIBBarings link posted here. Made in USA Timken for $149.99 each plus shipping, ended up being about $321. Nice shiny new stuff going in will give me peace of mind, til something else goes.
Click to expand...

The studs are already pressed in? Does that mean the rotors are now installed by sliding them on instead of pressing the studs on through the back to attach the rotor? If I didn't miss something, wouldn't you need different rotors/calipers/steering knuckle in order to make it all work?

My hubs and ABS sensors are shot and I've been trying to find an inexpensive way to convert to a slide on rotor design. I'm heading over to the link now to see.
 
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