How do YOU disconnect LCA from ball joint?

[ras06LGT]

Here's what I did for my stuck ball joints. Worked really well.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/ball-joint-replacement-learn-my-mistakes-224523.html

[ashwinearl]

 

If you haven't resolved it yet, just clean out the old bolt with progressively larger bits, then use a through bolt and a nut on the other side.

 

O.

 

I'm in the same boat right now. I tried the drilling route, but kept braking drill bits off in the bolt. The hardened steel of the drill bits stuck in there made drilling it out less of an option.

 

per advice on another thread, I ordered an entirely new knuckle. I'm going to try again with new knuckle, new ball joint, and reuse existing wheel hub/bearing.

[apexi]

That should work, just don't forget the top knuckle bolt adjusts your camber, so try to mark its position before you remove it.

 

Also, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have (rent) a pitman arm puller on hand to remove the ball joint from the lower control arm, like GTTuner mentioned earlier. I think that's what I used to remove the ball joint from the lca.

 

Also, I'm new to cotter pins and castle nuts, but I would at least have 2 new cotter pins on hand as well, nut sure if the ball joint comes with any hardware. 1 castle nut and cotter pin for the ball joint, and another pair for the tie rod end that attaches to the knuckle.

 

*Also, I think I needed a puller to remove the tie rod end from the knuckle. I don't remember if I used a pitman for that or what, I'm new to using pullers.

[ashwinearl]

We just completed a ball joint replacement after hitting the hurdle of breaking the pinch bolt off. We had issues with drilling the pinch bolt out because drill bits kept breaking off in the bolt, which theselves are hardened steel.

 

I took the advice of other threads and purchased an entirely new knuckle off ebay. I also got a new wheel bearing to be safe and that was a good move too. If I had to do it again, I would go ahead and get a new dust/heat shield. That way, the entire knuckle, hub bearing assembly (HBA) and heat shield can be removed as a single piece and put aside.

 

The Harbor Freight pitman puller worked like a charm to separate the ball joint from the control arm. Since I was discarding the ball joint anyway and replacing with a new one, more destructive methods could have been used, But it was like butter to use that tool. Similarly, we used it separating the tie rod from the knuckle.

 

We did try to salvage the original hub, but when using a slide hammer to separate it from the original knuckle it split apart. The bearings were totally shot in there anyway., but we did need to fully separate the HBA body from the knuckle in order to reuse the break heat/dust shield.

 

There is no better feeling then putting together new parts with nice coatings of antiseize.

 

The new ball joint has helped a lot with rattling over bumps and steering vagueness This was the drivers' side and it is now pulling to the right which still feels loose. I think it needs a new ball joint too.

 

I have another chance to see if I can get that pinch bolt out on the other side. Maybe try some heat this time, or just plan on it breaking and going the route I did today. This route avoids two major hassles of separating the ball joint from the knuckle and removing the pinch bolt.