Lower Balljoint HELP

[lignorth]

Hello everyone. New here to the forum and a I have a question about removing the lower ball joint.
First off, I have a 92 nissan hardbody ext cab 4x4. The question is, I have the old ball joint loose and and unbolted.
When I go to move the ball joint up it hits the drive axel not allowing it to be removed. Does the drive axle have tobe
removed. Everything I have read and seen, no one has mentioned having to remove the drive axle.
Is there a trick to getting it out???? I do have the Haynes Repair Manual and nothing mentioned there also.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Rev_D21]

Welcome to NICO! Looking at the FSM I have to say it looks like the axle has to slide out of the hub in order for you to gain the room needed to take the ball joint out.

[lignorth]

Thanks for the welcome. After looking at it longer, this is what I determined had to be done also.
There is just no way that the ball joint will clear the axle.
But with that said, it is a learning curve that we all have to go thru.

Thanks again for your input.

[Rev_D21]

Be sure to check out our extensive collection of factory service manuals at www.nicoclub.com/FSM.
All are in pdf format. Let us know how it turns out!

[lignorth]

Well, I ended up taking the five bolts off that hold the axel shaft to the differencial and also took the locking hub off down
to the and including the "C" clip. When you do this, it allows you to slip the axel shaft back a little with out it coming out
of the hub all the way. This give enough room to get the lower ball joint out and install the new one.
I hope that this will help someone else that has a 4x4. Went ahead and put in a new upper ball joint while I was at it.
Went back to gether in a fraction of the time it took to tear it down.

The other side is going to be a hole lot easier.

Thanks again.

[Rev_D21]

Awesome! Post some pics of your rig when you get a chance.