Need Help Removing Johnny Joints

[62LostInMn]

Planning to replace these and the bushings at the axle end. The nut came loose easy enough, but beyond that these things are locked in - cannot budge either one.

Any tricks I can use that won't destroy the finish on the tubes? I have a heat gun - not sure that will get hot enough. I soaked them overnight with mass quantities of PB and tried to loosen while still attached to the axle housing. Much more force and I'm afraid of bending the mounting tabs.

I ordered new, complete joints figuring this end might get destoyed...

 

[Clutchee]

Pipe wrench and forget about finish.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Remove the poly bushings and sleeve from the other end and run a bar or pipe through the eye. Bar/pipe will give you extra leverage. Otherwise, pipe wrench it.

 

[62LostInMn]

Yes - big pipe through the bushing end and my big-axx pipe wrench on the johnny. That'll be the plan for tomorrow evening.

Gracias!

 

[YardPig]

Then slather it in anti-seize so you can spin them by hand next time!

 

[62LostInMn]

I was really surprised - expected to see anti-sieze. Almost seems like they used loctite instead...

 

[Devil's Slide Doug]

This an old thread. I recently tried to adjust one of the metal tech Johnny joint lower arms. First of all, I’m not too worried about the finish because they are already covered in rock rash (and are replacements for the stock arms that were bent and kinked from rock crawling). Initially, I had the arm in a vice and heated the s*** out of it with map gas torch but could not get it to budge. I was worried about breaking the vice/toppling the work bench. So put a monkey wrench on the Johnny joint, wedged it under a tire and used a 5’ bar on a pipe wrench and with all 200lbs was able to slowly twist it (with great difficulty).