Hi. I got a Luke's Link in the mail today. I started to take the bolt off the passenger side and this thin piece of steel that looks like a box wrench falls out. Looks like it held the nut originally on the back side of the track bar. I am guessing it is about a 21mm. Now I can't get a wrench up in the tiny little slot to hold the daggone nut.

Is there a 'special' narrow wrench to reach up in there? Do I need to grind a good wrench down to fit in there?

 

I think that is the piece that hits the frame and keeps the nut from turning when they impact the bolts in at the factory.

Can you tack weld it back onto the nut?

 

Yes that is the piece that holds it at the factory. A little bit of salt here in Ohio took its toll on it. It broke and fell off.

Should I grind out the hole bigger so a wrench will fit? I don't want to weaken anything.

 

no, use the same thing, you can get one from the dealer for about 10 bucks i think. i was always told its a bad idea to start trying to clearance those brackets being on the suspension end and all.

 

What part would I ask for so the parts guy would know what I am talking about?

Thanks

 

Same thing happened to my girlfriends 98 dodge 1500, i was able to "jam" a screwdriver against the nut and the axle housing to get it loose. To tighten it I did the same thing... Local dodge dealer wanted 12 USD for that nut...

 

SSV, Believe the part number at Dodge is 06502817, should be M14 X 2.0 pitch.

 

I have the pickle fork we used on old GM cars. I haven't been able to pop the tapered end though. Do I need one that has a wider gap? Or do I need a bigger hammer? I did hit my hand really hard with the hammer and it swelled up pretty bad but the swellnig is down now and I need to get this apart so I can put it back together.

 

are you having a problem with the drivers side or the pass side?
the first couple times i did the drivers, i used a large fork. i guess frome doing it, i now just use a large brass hammer and it usually drops free.
once you have the drivers side dropped, yuo can use the leverage of the bar itself to wiggle as you remove the bolt from the pass side.

 

I got the castle nut off with no problem. I can't get it to pop out of the taper.

(I had carpal tunnel surgery a few months ago and seem to have lost more strength and coordination than I expected. Maybe I will need to just beat on it a couple nights. I can tell that I can't swing the hammer right now with anywhere near the power I used to have.)

I was thinking about buying an air hammer and forks to fit it.

 

SSV, are you trying to use a tie rod end fork or a Balljoint fork?

It should be big enough to go through the stud with the U of the fork.

 

I bought a ball joint fork and it came right apart. The one I had was real close but it din't go around the stud. With the grease and rubber boot, I couldn't tell for sure what was going on.

I did cut about a 1/2 nch square to get a wrench on the nut on the passenger side of the axle.

Put all the tools away tonight. Will test drive tomorrow.