TAAT End Cover CAUTION Ball Joint Removal (SA9132S; see also Input/Output Shaft Nuts)

[onehoop]

(part numbers listed were specific to my 1996 SW2--they may or may not apply to other years/transmissions)

There are several threads that recommend removing the automatic transaxle end cover without adequately describing the process. You end up lowering the cradle and jacking the transmission to get it out, but you also have to remove the ball joint from the steering knuckle to gain sufficient clearance. There were a couple of posts that indicated you could walk it out by turning the wheel back and forth but I ended up bending my output shaft feed tube through this method.


In the second photo, you can see the bend in the tube and the brake line that I used to try to bend it straight. I was able to get the transmission back together without forcing it, but my P0734 code persisted despite the new seals.
(gasket 21001684, cotter pin 11076681, output shaft seal 21001662, output shaft seal ring 21002488, o-ring 21001615. see also associated procedure: input shaft seal x2 21002684, gasket 21002372, and see also associated procedure input/output shaft nuts 21001680 and 21001679)

The FSM and Chilton's say to use tool SA9132S or equivalent to separate the ball joint from the lower control arm (LCA). The Ball Joint Separator tool is a specialized pickle fork with a threaded nut to push the ball joint nut out of the ball joint. Saturn Parts would not sell me a SA9132S or any tool for that matter. He did tell me that they ordered their specialty tools from Kent Moore. I don't know how many different configurations they have, but it almost has to be this one (pictured upside down):

That one is listed for over $300, so I assume that they are no longer made. I bought a generic one from Harbor Freight but was not able to make it work. At issue is the clearance above the nut and the width of the joint. The clearance above the nut is about a quarter inch or 6mm. They had one at Napa tools that looked to be made by the same design as the Harbor Freight one, so I did not purchase it.
The clearance may actually be less because you can't take the castle nut off the bolt without taking apart the ball joint. The width is difficult to determine without destroying the ball joint's dust boot. I had estimated it as 1-5/16" but that is actually the top of the dust boot, the joint is actually less, see the disassembled photo.

Some would recommend using a generic pickle fork and replacing the dust boot. I was afraid to damage anything, so I tried to approximate the instructions found here in these two threads.
http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/sho...nt+control+arm
http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/sho...highlight=axle

Mine was particularly sticky, and I was having a hard time getting a good angle with the hammer. So I ended up using a large pry-bar (4') for leverage and a smaller pry-bar to help push the knuckle outward against the LCA. I turned the wheel to the left and approached the LCA and the knuckle from the front of the wheel. I was glad enough to have the large pry bar that I didn't take it back, although it cost more than twice as much as the 3'. You could also take a shorter angle from behind the wheel (turned slightly right), but I had already removed the end cover and was afraid to damage the exposed transmission (under the aluminum foil in this photo).


The final photo should be the angle that I took from the front of the wheel using both pry bars. The smaller pry bar is pushed lightly toward the center of the car to push the knuckle away from the Lower Control Arm--just enough to take the pressure of the LCA off the ball joint. The larger pry bar requires a lot of force to push the LCA & Sway bar down off the knuckle.


Hopefully that all works out and helps some more people out! If your local Saturn has a output shaft feed tube 21003199, I'd appreciate you picking it up for me! Otherwise, I'll be driving this SW2 without overdrive until I can find a satisfactory P&P J/Y. I'm super-bummed because I would've bought a Suburu but wanted the smugness from superior gas mileage. Without 4th gear, I have equivalent gas mileage with no AWD and less clearance... Truthfully, it could be related to a couple of things internal to the transmission anyway, so replacing the transmission would be the way to go at this point for me (if that were financial viable). However I don't plan on putting enough highway miles on the car to justify the cost, so that makes me less willing to improve the car through other means. The new motor mount is still on my to-buy list, but the stereo may never get upgraded, for instance.


Peace,
M@

PS I saw a different ball joint separator as part of a $50 kit that may also work in a print ad for harbor freight, but it was after I'd already gotten past the ball joint separation so I didn't investigate. See the B/W diagram attached as a guide.

[onehoop]

A recommended/related thread
http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=119382
had this additional hint for reassembly:
"if the cover does not seat, rotate the axle to help align the tubes with the bushings in the shafts"

[OldNuc]

Harbor Freight sells that ball joint tool for about $20.00 and it works just fine thank you.

[fetchitfido]

Pretty sure I tightened the input & output shaft nuts on a '96 Sl1 w/o doing more then dropping the cradle a bit. Had to unbolt those shafts from the cover to get clearance to get it off but had no problems other then that.

Also, didn't need a special "thin-wall" 23mm socket, just bought one from Fisher/Federated and it fit fine.

As for the ball joint, I just use a 6-8ft bar, wedge it under the subframe, sit on the far end and while attempting to bounce I beat the knuckle with a 3lb hammer. Kinda slow but it works.

[Zero_DgZ]

I did it on my '02 without having to remove the ball joint. I only had to lower the cradle by about an inch, and the end cover came off easily. If I remember right, I did take the brake caliper and rotor off, though.

[rc1488]

Nice debrief with pictures.

You'll have to buy that part from the dealer or getsaturnparts.com might have it. Its a specialty part so they most likely need to order it.