Ball joint removal... FML

[LJRuddy]

Well, Deploytosave and I started taking the drivers side front apart to replace a busted CV shaft. Got the axle nut off with ease and went to take the ball joint off. Spent 3 hours taking turns with hammers, ball joint separators (broke 1 of them in the process) and we couldnt get the damn thing to budge. I even went so far as to jack the car up by the ball joint with the nut threaded on a few threads and beat the **** out of the control arm. Nothing at all. And this is a rust free car.


How in the eff does this ball joint come out? Do I need to take something else apart or what?

 

[SuperHO]

yeah, i had the same problem on my 98. copious uses of the heat and liquid wrenches eventually popped mine out...and a generous application of anti-seize will make sure i never go through this again. by the by, have you checked to see if the lock ring's been removed?

 

[LJRuddy]

I did not see a lock ring on the joint... all that I saw was the nut and a formed rubber washer/gasket thinggy (technical term)...

 

[kevinspann]

I assume you are trying to separate the ball joint from the knuckle? Just hit the side of the knuckle where the ball joint stud goes through with a mini sledge until it pops

 

[tardboy21]

What type of ball joint separator did you use? Pickle fork or one of the screw types?

 

[warmonger]

pickle fork?

 

[three50one]

I've used a digging iron with great success. Broke two pitman pullers on one joint before. Heat didn't do a thing for me. Digging iron had it popped in a few seconds. No damage to anything.

 

[welcome2daSHO]

mine sucked too, did them two months ago, finally had mapp on it for ten mins, took a pitman puller i got at harbor frieght for ten bucks, tightened it on with an impact and then a prybar...hours later, but that would be my recommendation.

 

[notbange]

I assume you are trying to separate the ball joint from the knuckle? Just hit the side of the knuckle where the ball joint stud goes through with a mini sledge until it pops

Agreed. Get a long ass prybar, stick it through the control arm and have someone pry downwards away from the knuckle while you beat the side of control arm with a big hammer. It will come free.

 

[LJRuddy]

I was using a pickle fork FWIW. I'll try all of your ideas tomorrow. Hopefully I get some progress made as the car is kinda taking up my dad's drive way.

 

[deploytosave]

ive done a thousand ball joints, none of them like this

 

[notbange]

The key is to have someone pry downwards on the control arm while you're using a picklefork, big hammer or whatever. I've done a thousand ball joints too( half of them in gen III taurus/sable) and that is what works.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

This is why when I had an axle replaced, I took it to a shop. I like working on vehicles, but this BS is too much.

 

[LJRuddy]

I would take it to a shop if I could afford it.

 

[Izzmo]

Lol.. I have all the tools you probably need Liberty! I replaced both of them really easy.

Please tell me you didn't jack up the control arm? If so.. that's why it wouldn't come off.

 

[LJRuddy]

Lol.. I have all the tools you probably need Liberty! I replaced both of them really easy.

Please tell me you didn't jack up the control arm? If so.. that's why it wouldn't come off.

What tools you speak of? You in KC by change this week?

 

[Izzmo]

I will be in on Friday, but not this week.

I have a 150 psi air tank, air gun, couple floor jacks, 4 2 ton jack stands and a crap load of tools to get the job done.

I have heard of people doing it without an air gun.. but damn that would be hard with the press.

 

[venom]

I will be in on Friday, but not this week.

I have a 150 psi air tank, air gun, couple floor jacks, 4 2 ton jack stands and a crap load of tools to get the job done.

I have heard of people doing it without an air gun.. but damn that would be hard with the press.

Ball joints on the Gen 3 ARE NOT that hard - a pittman puller makes it quite easy. Buy a pittman puller with some type of warrnaty - even 30 days. You may break one or two to start - I've broken one right away out fo the package, and replaced it with the same one - that puller has done countless procedures since. And I live in Ohio so corrosion is common place too.

the snap ring that si referred to needs to be removed before you can press the ball joint out of the Aluminum knuckle, you do not need to remove it to separate the ball joint from the control arm.

Extracting the ball joint from the knuckle has one official approach - to find a ball joint press kit that works for our cars.

OR and this must be done with caution to not overheat the AL knuckle.

Remove snap ring, using MAR gas torch heat the Al perimeter of the tab the ball joint sets in for about 15 to 20 seconds KEEP THE HEAT MOVING AROUND THE TAB.

Then a couple of hits with a 2 or 3 Lb hammer will pop the ball joint up and out.


Install is quite similar -
New Ball joint in freezer for a while.
heat the knuckle (from the outside).
Quickly insert the ball joint and drive it home.
Install snap ring.

I prefer to use the TRW ball joints as the last set I installed came with the plastic cover over the stud and that protects the rubber from the warm / hot Al knuckle during insertion.

 

[jthod]

I think the key to getting them loose is hitting the shit out of the knuckle. That usually works for me. (never done a Gen 3 SHO though)

 

[Bob Gervais]

a pittman puller makes it quite easy.

This, and an impact gun. Stop messing with prybars, hammers, pickle forks (you'll ruin the ball joint with one of those), and all the other crap.