I need some tips, do to me getting nowhere fast...

How does the dust cap come off?

How do you break the spindle free from stubborn upper ball joints, 3rd night ive tried getting it off... its a no go, plus my tools suck.

Use a screw driver to pry the dustcap loose. I usually use channel locks once the cap has moved a bit. Don't ask me how the concours resto guys do it though, my dust caps usually look like crap.

If you are talking about the upper ball joint (where the spindle is attached to the upper control arm) you can find some how-to in this thread (http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107510).

Have fun!

Get yourself a pickle fork from the autoparts store and a big hammer and go to town.

The dust cap comes off ALOT easier if the spindle is removed first. I got my ball joint off finally, took alot of time :( More than it shouldve im sure! I painted my spindles and the inside and outside of the dust plate, they werent PERFECTLY clean before paint. Can this stuff chip off and get caught up in brake components/ pads? Its Caliper paint.... wasnt sure if it would even be worth painting the inside of the dust plate.

Pickle fork wouldve been nice! Nothing a hammer and crowbar couldnt handle...

The dust cap comes off ALOT easier if the spindle is removed first. I got my ball joint off finally, took alot of time :( More than it shouldve im sure! I painted my spindles and the inside and outside of the dust plate, they werent PERFECTLY clean before paint. Can this stuff chip off and get caught up in brake components/ pads? Its Caliper paint.... wasnt sure if it would even be worth painting the inside of the dust plate.

Are we talking about the same dust cap, the one that covers the wheel bearing? There are some on eBay now if you need new ones, just click here (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8010391106&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT) :D Anyway, don't worry about the paint. Even if it comes off, the only thing that will happen is that the parts will look ugly, it won't really harm anything.

who paid $490 for dust caps......I have some swamp land for sale

Damn! $490, What the H! :^O

wow I just won the auction

what a deal

now I will have new dust caps under my center caps :clonk:



















no it wasn't me :D

For those of you who are young, and think you'll be working on cars for more than a few more years, I'd break down and put one of these (http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=12183&group_ID=1643&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog) in your tool box. Dust cap removal takes but a couple seconds usually, and for stubborn ones, a couple taps with a hammer on the tool will get the cap off, undamaged. :cool:

For those of you who are young, and think you'll be working on cars for more than a few more years, I'd break down and put one of these (http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=12183&group_ID=1643&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog) in your tool box. Dust cap removal takes but a couple seconds usually, and for stubborn ones, a couple taps with a hammer on the tool will get the cap off, undamaged. :cool:now I feel old
when I bought mine - the were only like 30 bucks
that was over twenty years ago

For $50, I'll keep using the screwdriver method... never damaged one yet.

I use a good stiff putty knife first to get enough from for the screwdriver to slide under. Like Derek said for $50 I'll stick with my method.

Mac is $42 and Matco is $38, I've seen them for under $10 at places like Tool Web.

I bought mine back when I worked in a garage

it was worth it since I did that work every day

being that I've grown thrifty in my older years - and am no longer a grease monkey

I would not have bought one just for the once in a while time that I would need one either

I bought mine back when I worked in a garage

it was worth it since I did that work every day

Same here. But if you can get a knock-off brand for cheap, it'd be worth it, IMO. Saves all sorts of frustration if you have a tough one. You own one, you know. ;)

I bought a dust cap tool about 30 yrs. ago $10 I beleve,Has a little knob on the side so as to tap w/hammer to get the stubborn ones off.BFH does the job on the spindels,one good wack! and they fall off.Don't really like the pickel fork.
-Steve