I'm working on bearings, brakes, etc, but I'm having trouble getting the inner bearing seal off. Any suggestions? I've torn the rubber part & bent the metal part of the inner seal. I need to get it out. Screwdriver didn't work, a painter's tool didn't work, 90 degree pliers didn't work - any other ideas.

I've found a lot of rust and mud everywhere. Any suggestions on the best way to clean everything (I'm trying to use a brass brush on some things [dust shield and inner seal that is bolted to the dust shield], but even that is not progressing well). I had to use a tie-rod separater to pry the wheel hub from the rotor.

To put the ball-joint spacers in, do I need to disconnect the tie rods &/or the lower ball joints (take the spindle off completely off)? I'm wondering if there is a way I could just turn the spindle to get enough room.

well, got mad enough to pull a few muscles and got the seal out

To install the ball joint spacers, you only unbolt the upper ball joint. If you take the nut off the top stud of the shock, it will make things a little easier.

OK, thanks, that'll help.

can anyone tell me how much grease is enough. There is tons of grease inside the hubs and on the bearings. I thought it was put some grease in the hand for the bearings and then a light coat on the hub.

Things just keep on getting better. My control arm bushings are disintergrating (luckily I already got some energy replacements). My cheapo angle grinder won't work to put in the spacers (it's brand new), Home Depot doesn't have a pipe that will fit over my torque wrench so I can't get the upper control arm shaft off (instead of dimpling the nut a little, they have the entire part that was knocked in flat against the metal center so I can't get anything behind it even if I had a breaker bar so I used a dremel-like tool with a cut-off wheel to get rid of the dimpled part of the nut), & I'm bending my pickle fork because the upper balljoint is in so tight (of course I've ruined the boot while trying to get the fork in). Yep, tons of fun. Any suggestions?

So, if I were to take the upper arms in to a local shop to have them get the nuts off and press the old bushings out, how much should that cost (going rate)? Should I just have them retorque & dimple the nuts after installing the new bushings?