Removing Ball Joints / Springs

[blown240]

I went out today to swap front springs on my 66 GMC and I couldnt get the lower ball joint to seperate from the spindle. I took off the kotter pin, the nut and the washer and used a pickle fork to get it off, but it never budged. I even soaked it in PB Blaster.

Is there a trick to getting these off?

[jj1965]

Sounds right to me, might check your pickle fork to be sure it is wide enough. Let it soak for a while and maybe a little heat it has worked for me in the past. Be sure to secure your spring!

[chevylookin]

I just did mine the other day. I replaced my ball joints so I heated up the A arm up with a torch and just pounded the ball joint out with a regular size hammer! One of the ball joints pretty much came apart into many pieces! I heard that it is not a good idea to torch the a-arm as it will increase the size of the ball joint hole but I think we are talkin tiny milli meters. If you intend on reusing the ball joints, I would line up two castle nuts on top of the ball joint threads with just a small amount poking over the top of the threads and start tapping away. Put a jack under the a arm and put about an inch of tension on it will you tap away. It will finally eventually give up!

[powerdriver 1958]

You are supporting the lower arm with a jack I hope. I would leave the nut threaded on a bit in case something turned loose before you are ready .

If your taking the bottom joint loose a solid blow with a 2 lb hammer in the circled part of the pic will do it.

[blown240]

Thanks guys. Ya I have the arm supported. I will try it again to see if I can get it out.

[stsalvage]

Time to invest in a air hammer pickle fork and a air compressor

[blown240]

Oh I have an air hammer, a pickle fork, and a compressor. I just didnt want to use them in case I was doing it wrong.

Do the steering arms have to be removed to get the ball joint off?

[chevylookin]

Well, yeah the steering arms are bolted to the spindle. Time to take them off and degrease em and paint em all up nice in purrty anyways!

[powerdriver 1958]

if your just swapping springs , NO