OK, so I got started on the lift this evening and I have run into my first hurdle - How the heck do you get that cotter pin out of the ball joint?! This thing isn't budging. I am thinking of just cutting the darn thing off and drilling it out, but I am nervous about damaging the castle nut. Whoever put this one on looks like they took a hammer and drove the eye into the hole a little - it is below-flush to the side of the castle nut.

Also, I'm having a little trouble with one of the torsion bar bolts. With my impact wrench set as high as it will go (500 ft-lbs) this thing won't move. I sprayed it down with liquid wrench again and decided to try again in the morning. I'm getting nervous, though because the bolt is starting to round over some.

I hate these little problems that you run into on projects like this! Any suggestions?

Use 6 point sockets. Use a breaker bar and about a 4'-6' cheater bar.

Joe

use "pb blaster", let it sit for a minute. heat the fastener with a propane torch and repeat.

For the cotter pins, smash them out the other way with a hammer then grab the "eye" with vice grips.

IF THE COTTER PINS ARE STICKING OUT ENOUGH TO GET A STRAIGHT HIT AT USE A SMALL PIN PUNCH AND THEN GRAB THEM AS CHRIS MENTIONED ,WITH A PAIR OF VISE GRIPS AND PULL , IF YOU CAN,T GET ANY KIND OF HOLD ON THEM JUST TAKE A WRENCH THE CORRECT SIZE PREFERABLY A SIX POINT, AND GIVE A QUICK JERK ON THE NUT AND IT WILL SHEAR OFF THE COTTER PINS , THEN WHEN YOU REMOVE THE BALL JOINT TAKE A SMALL PIN PUNCH AND TAP THE COTTER PINS OUT , THE NUT IS A LOT STRONGER AND HARDER THAN THE PINS, THEY ARE PRETTY SOFT ,DO THEM ALL THE TIME THAT WAY, TAKES TO MUCH TIME MESSING WITH THEM . JERRY

Well, I worked all day and have managed to get almost everything torn off the front and back that is going to be replaced. I ended up drilling out the cotter pin on that side. The one of the other side came out pretty easy. The torsion bar FINALLY broke loose after I heated it up until the whole assembly was smoking, then I hit it hard with a hammer a few times, and hit it with the impact wrench and it came off. When I would use the breaker bar, it was actually stuck so bad that it would turn the whole "half circle" seat piece out of the seat!

I can tell you that those two things ended up being the LEAST of my problems, though! The ball joints were both seized on the knuckle and I ended up tearing the boots on them. Also, the rear shocks were a son of a B to get off. How did Isuzu expect ANYONE to get to those top nuts?! I ended up cutting them off with the sawzall through the little seem on the wheel well! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" /> Oh, and I also cut the driver's side spring in half with my angle grinder because I couldn't get the rear to drop far enough to get it out because the upper link would just rest on the gas tank, but you had to get the spring out of the way to disconnect the upper link! As an engineer, I just can't see why Isuzu allowed a vehicle to make it to mass production that is so un-user friendly to work on! Besides, the idea of your "articulation limiter" being your gas tank skid plate is kind of rediculous.

At any rate, I fought all day with it and am not as far along as I was hoping, but after getting into it, I am farther along than I thought I would be! I'm pretty excited about tomorrow, though. I am set to pretty much just start putting the lift on and putting the vehicle back together. Ieven managed to get new ball joints ready to pick up tomorros and already had my fulcrum pins pressed into the new UCA's. I'm expecting things to go fairly smoothly tomorrow with the exception of the brakes, drivers side upper link, and actually getting the UCA's installed again with all the shims back in place. Still yet, I'm excited and everyone that has helped and that I have talked to the last couple of days (I've been to Advance about 8 times over the last day or so!) are ready to see the end results. I'm starting to think I might actually get this thing put back together in time for work Monday! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Keep the faith - and don't forget to update your signature when you're done <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />


<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Looks like I ran into a problem. THe holes for the ball joint on the UCA are not lining up properly. I have already had the fulcrum pin pressed in and am considering having the center hole lengthened to fit the bolt. What do you all think?

Yeah just mark and drill it. That will be fine. Odd that it's off that much. Calmini is supposed to have very good quality control.

Joe

One other thing is that I can't seem to get the new track (lateral) bar to fit. It measures 37.5" eye center to eye center, which is exactly the same as the stock one. Measuring from the mounting point centers appears to be 38" even. I have tried lifting the axle in all kind of different angles and can't get it to line up. That is the last piece in the rear before it is complete...

Are you using the Calmini track bar extension? It will fit if you are. Try connecting it to the extesion first, then lift the left side of the axle until it lines up. Also too late for it now but I hope you used some silicone grease on the UCA bushings. Otherwise you will be a squeaker.