Problem Balljoints -- tricks for removing from knuckle?

[rdp2n]

Having trouble freeing the balljoints from the knuckles. Removed pinch bolts, castle nuts, and used puller to free b/j thread from control arm. But how to free the body of the b/j from the knuckle. Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

 

 

Rob

[compsurge]

Aside from putting the control arm back on, jacking it up and pounding on it with a rubber mallet, you could buy or make a ball joint tugger tool similiar to this one:

 

http://turninconcepts.com/product_info.php?products_id=1134

 

It has a tube that threads onto the ball joint bolt, has an external thread that is tightened with a nut to pull on the ball joint. If you have a tap and die set, you can make this fairly easily with the right pipe..

 

Also, liberally apply PBlaster.

[sense of nature]

5 Lb dead blow hammer

[Osei]

Haven't yet had the pleasure yet, but good sources over on USMB say the Harbor Freight tool works well.

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/370x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_4324.jpg

 

O.

[rdp2n]

OK -- Thanks, guys, but I'm now at my wits end over these ball joints. I have the driver's side free from the control arm -- but that's it. Neither side will budge in my attempts to free the b/j from the knuckle housing. I have damaged both threads and am trying hard not to damage the car with my 3 pound sledge which I am trying to bring to bear directly on the knuckle housing. The whole job has been a disaster and a cock-up. (Sheesh -- what are these guys at Fugi industries playin' at? On Volvos all you do is undo a coupla bolts and off it comes).

Other threads have suggested trying a second pickle fork. So reluctantly I got a second yesterday (reluctantly because I have never had any success separating b/js with these things) and I'll give that a shot at the weekend.

Other Plan B (stupid??) thoughts going through my head:

1 -- Drilling horizontally through the body of the things with as wide a drill bit as possible, installing a large bolt and using that to bash of as best I can with my sledge.

2 -- Dismantling both sides and taking the knuckles to a shop to have them pressed out (a ton of extra work I didn't wanna get into).

3 -- Replacing the knuckles (extra work, trouble and expense).

Any comments on which Plan B will best get me out of this hole? The one thing I have going for me is that this is an "extra" car and can (and probably will) sit in my driveway indefinitely. But I'd just like to make a little more progress before I expire ...

[BAC5.2]

Loosen pinch bolt, tap knuckle with an air-hammer while pulling down on the LCA.

 

Works like a charm, even on stuck ball joints.

[compsurge]

Which part of knuckle is applied air hammer? Pinch bolt location?

[BAC5.2]

Yep. Obviously, don't hit the pinch bolt. But that area.

[rdp2n]

OK -- They're both out -- and what a relief.

I removed both pinch bolts with no problem and generous lashings of PB Blaster were used liberally at very regular intervals. On the driver's side the b/j was released from the control arm using a b/j screw puller. The castle nut and b/j thread were still good -- so I screwed it back on. The plan to get the b/j body out of the housing was to belt the control arm using a 4 feet length of 2 x 4 and a 3 pound sledge hammer. To get the angle at which the control arm was forced down more or less parallel to the angle of the body of the b/j I needed to get the end of the close to the tip of the control arm. So I released the lower brake caliper bolt, raised the caliper and positioned the tip of the 2 x 4 close to the tip of the control arm, as adjacent to the b/j as possible. Then I wedged the control arm to the extent of it's travel with a pair of b/j forks and belted the 2 x 4 probably 2 or 3 hundred times in total. Didn't need to go the gym that day. Didn't pop out -- came gradually and excruciatingly slowly.

 

On the passenger side it was an ugly mess. The castle nut and thread were stripped from the beginning. The attempt to release the b/j from the lower control arm with the screw b/j puller failed and the b/j stem became bent and the thread destroyed. So then I tried a similar strategy to the driver's side, praying that the b/j would come loose from the upper housing first. Wouldn't ya know it -- the lower b/j - control arm freed up first. To release the upper b/j body from the housing I tried upward drilling extensively -- destroying the b/j and getting nowhere. I even drilled a 1/4 inch hole through the body inserted drills, bolts and bashed downward to attempt to get the b/j out of it's housing. Ripped out the ball from the joint. Then I eventually got the empty body out of the housing using a 1-ft long 1 and 3/4 inch wide, cold chisel from Lowe's. I worked the chisel evenly around the perimeter of the empty body and gradually, gradually it came loose. Good tool, last resort. Thank Goodness.

Bottom line -- it's a good idea to keep the b/j in good condition (castle nut, b/j thread). If all else fails work at opening the gap between the housing and the b/j lip with a hefty chisel and a 3 pound sledge.

Thanks again for all comments -- this is a super forum --

 

 

Rob

[monkeyposeur]

You gotta love it when a pesky bolt/part finally comes loose.

[broknindarkagain]

If all else fails work at opening the gap between the housing and the b/j lip with a hefty chisel and a 3 pound sledge.

Thanks again for all comments -- this is a super forum --

 

 

Rob

 

This can be a bad idea (if you're talkign about using a chisel to spread apart the split by the pinch bolt). I've cracked steering knuckles doing it this way before. You have to be really careful

[rdp2n]

broknindarkagain -- No, I meant using the cold chisel to open and gradually increase a gap between the top of the body of the b/j and the knuckle housing. Working around the perimeter with the cold chisel worked quite well to gradually lever the body out of the housing. I wish I'd used this process sooner -- would have saved me a lot of headaches.

Best method, I reckon, though would be a special tool such as indicated by compsurge earlier in this thread. It's $45 but well worth it provided the ball joint threads are in good enough condition to accommodate this tool. Mine weren't -- I destroyed them before I realised what I was doing. If I had to do this again I'd order the tool in advance of the job and if that didn't work, I'd get out the cold chisel ...

[Off Road SHO]

So I hope you greased up the new ball joint before you put it in.

 

Tom

[rdp2n]

I'm not yet at the point of putting the new b/j's on the car. Got to do a trans switch first. But that question of how to install them had crossed my mind. I thought I'd give 'em a good coat of antiseize. After that I can imagine they'd need to be "pressed" in. Is there a special tool / recommended method for that?

[johnegg]

if every thing was new, they would just slide in, but with age who knows. but if you clean up the knuckle and coat it with anti-seize it shouldn't be a problem. then when this ball joint fails in 150k?? miles it will be easier.

 

considering how much work you are doing, you might just want to remove the knuckle so it's is easier to work with. you can mark both the head of the top strut bolt and the strut so you can reassemble in the EXACT same position. this will avoid needing a front end alignment.

 

but even if you miss. it isn't a lot of money , based on how much you are doing.

[broknindarkagain]

The balljoint never needs to be pressed in. If its rough going back in, you can take a wire brush attachment on a drill and clean up the spot in the knuckle where it sits...then put a bit of grease on it and it should go right in. I've done a few in the past where I had to tap lightly on the bottom part of the ball joint (that goes through the control arm) with a hammer (be careful not to damage the threads though) to get it to go in.