4Runner 4Play

Hey Guys....Just a quick question. I've been pretty busy lately, got the new Mazda 3 GT and I tell ya... what a blast. Only crappy thing is, it's got a bloody governer in it!!! fuel starts to sputter at around 220km. Oh well, I "guess" thats a good thing. Anyways, the Runner is now on blocks in my garage. The front end is all ready for the installation of the B.J. spacers. The upper A-arm has been ground out to the point where they will just pop in. The thing is though, the original studs (4) on the top of the spindle are wicked stuck. I've left WD-40 and the like on it for days, threw it in a vise, I can't get them out. So I decided to put the spindle back in the front end and jack the lower arm up a bit. Then take a BFH to the top of it and try to knock the studs out from the top. The only thing that happened was that I knocked off the zerk fitting. How on earth can I get these out? Ideally I'd like to do it myself and not have to take it to a shop , but if I have to...
Any ideas? Suggestions?

Cheers, Lee Hathaway

AxleIke

you can put it in a vice?

If you can still do this, you might try putting a socket on the backside of the stud, and pressing it out in the vice. The socket will allow the stud to slide out.

I got mine out with the BFH, but it was damn hard.

Good luck

mikes350

hey lee, i just went through the same thing , the studs are pressed in so you'll have to hammer them out , sounds like your on the right track , you'll have to hit them pretty hard , i broke all eight studs when removing the nuts from them so i had to use a punch and hammer , not much fun , i actually ended up having to drill two of them out since they wouldn't hammer out , just keep hitting them , it works , oh and remember to check the upper a arm tire clearance before driving , i had alot of rubbing

BLKNBLU

iTrader: (1)

I vote with Ike. If you can get it to a vice... well, what he said. If not try the same thing with a socket but use a C-clamp as your press instead of the vice. (hate to rub it in but mine came out pretty easy)

4Runner 4Play

Cool, thanks for the replies guys. yeah, I'll try the socket approch. I didn't even think of that! BTW d'ya guys like the b.j. spacers? good, bad, ugly? Mikes350.... you HAD alot of rubbage? What did you to to get rid of it? I wanna go wheeling!!!!!!
Cheers, Lee Hathaway

AxleIke

They are okay. Good for moderate wheeling, i tend to break more stuff with them.

One thing to watch out for, if an alignment shop tells you that they can't align your truck because of the spacers, tell them they are full of it and take your business elsewhere. Your truck can be aligned just fine, do don't worry about it.

mikes350

to fix the rubbing i bought 3.75 backspaced 15x8 black steelies and a set of 32x11.5 mt/r's ,haha , the stock rims on my runner had 4.5 backspacing i belive, (might even be 4.75) running 235 75/15 mich ltx's so with the ball joint lift the upper a arm rubbed against the tire i try'd grinding the a- arm down which worked to clear the tire but they still rubbed on corners due to tire roll , i'm thinking of cutting the a arm back and welding in a new piece or finding some 1/4 inch wheel spacers so i can run the other tires still if needed , you'll have to put your tires on and see how much clearance you have or need

workinprogress

how do the bj spacers work?and where do you get them? i had never heard of them until i joined yotatech.but now im a little curious.oh and how much lift ?

Robert m

iTrader: (2)

SDORI

Blizzard

When I put mines I tried with a BFH, WD-40, heat, vice and finally I had to ground down with the angle grinder and then drill 4 of the 8 studs!

If I'd known this I'd have bought new ball joints!

David

dwh91102

Yeah the way I have done it both times is to leave the spindle still attached, and beat the studs out with a 5lb beater. When I did my buddies we got new balljoints, and they came with bolts instead of studs, so It was a plus.

4Runner 4Play

Hallaluyah (sp? lol) We have sucess!! Thank you very much guys! The vice and deep socket was the way to go. And holy crap! the studs were unreal tight!! But thankfully I can get back to work now!
Again, thanks yotatech! you guys rock!!
Cheers, Lee Hathaway

4Runner 4Play

Sweet!!!! Finally Done!... Well, at least for now. Not bad, eh? Obviously the first two are from tonight, but the third was this morning at 7:30am. Just finished buttoning up everything. Toook er for a "little" cruise around the block! Yup, Spacers are in, and the OME's? Wow!! Very tight. But so smooth at the same time. Btw,in the third one, those aren't clouds in the background. It's the sweet NorthShore mnt's and all those trails were beckening me!! I swear!! I could hear them going.... Come drive over here! Climb this mountain, Go thru this giant mud pit! It was one of the things that made me work even faster! Cant wait to get out tommorow!
Quick Numbers: 37-1/8'' Front 37'' Rear. Keep in mind tho, the rears full of junk ready to go on a dumb run.














Seriously!!!