lower ball joint help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chance65c20]

ok so i am trying to remove lower arms from the spindals. i got the driver side of easily but the passenger side is being a b****. I am using a pickle fork and mini sledge. I have soaked and lubed with penetrating oil. i have been fighting this for a while now and about to give up. Im a strapped for cash and was wondering if you guys had any ideas????

[allaboutchevelles]

I just took mine apart last week and had trouble with my drivers side. I couldnt get my pickle fork to fit right on the ball joint. I ended up using a big chesel and wedging it in there and poped it a few times with the sledge and got mine off. its aggervating, good luck.

[XtechX]

Smack the spindle knuckle where the lower ball joint goes through the spindle. Hit it HARD!!!!!! If you keep beating it, it will come off. I thought mine would never come off, but it finally did. I read on here to hit it and it still wouldnt budge, I needed to hit it harder. Dont worry you wont brake that area of the spindle. Several good whacks and it will come apart.

[Captainfab]

This is what I always do.

Originally Posted by XtechX

Smack the spindle knuckle where the lower ball joint goes through the spindle. Hit it HARD!!!!!! If you keep beating it, it will come off. I thought mine would never come off, but it finally did. I read on here to hit it and it still wouldnt budge, I needed to hit it harder. Dont worry you wont brake that area of the spindle. Several good whacks and it will come apart.

[chance65c20]

thanks guys i have tried that already. i swear this ting wont come out. i just cant give up it has to come out eventually right?????

[XtechX]

I mean HIT IT, get mad!!!!!!!!!! ....lol. Itll come apart.

[64shortbox]

I actually bought a 10 LB sledge hammer and cut the handle down to be about the same length as my 5 LB hammer. A few good whacks with a cut down 10 LB sledge hammer did the trick for me when I was tearing mine down.

[scotts62]

Originally Posted by XtechX

I mean HIT IT, get mad!!!!!!!!!! ....lol. Itll come apart.

Pickle fork will just tear up the ball joint especially if you have to go back together with it for some reason.

I like doing ball joints just for the reason to smack the crap out of something!

[rideblue00]

I made my own tool to take out ball joints. It will do upper and lower. This can be made in any home shop with a welder and peice of pipe. I used a 3/4" bolt. If you do it with pipe, you need one 3/4" nut to weld on. Its about 4 inches in length. Start with a long enough pc of pipe and cut to fit. Also I put a short pc of pipe on the bolt head so it wouldnt slip off sideways.

[chance65c20]

rideblue00

exactly how do you use that tool you made????

[Rusty one]

Wondering that myself

[64shortbox]

I'm sure rideblue00 will chime in but it's actually very simple. One end of the tool sits into the upper ball joint stud and the other end sits in the lower ball joint stud. Once the castle nut is removed or loosened if you're removing both ball joints you simply "unscrew" the bolt end and it will "JACK" the ball joint loose. This works GREAT if your ball joints are good and you want to save them like if you're replacing control arm bushings, springs etc.

[maxwoof]

If you can put tension on the joint with a long bar first, then smack the side of the spindle, that alays worked for me. I would have somebody stand on the bar, and then smack the spindle with two hammers at once.
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[forestb]

You might want to try a threaded rod with a deep nut on the end (like the one in the previous photo) that you could put in between the spot where the upper ball joint connects to the spindle and the end of the bolt on the lower ball joint in such a way that when you loosen the nut it will expand the length of the rod and push the ball joint through. Or if you have a small enough bottle jack or a jack for a newer car that might work also.

I know this is a rabbit trail but can you buy replacement rubber covers for the ball joints and outer control arms if they get a tear in them? The ball joints and outer control arms themselves are fine.

[rideblue00]

Originally Posted by 64shortbox

I'm sure rideblue00 will chime in but it's actually very simple. One end of the tool sits into the upper ball joint stud and the other end sits in the lower ball joint stud. Once the castle nut is removed or loosened if you're removing both ball joints you simply "unscrew" the bolt end and it will "JACK" the ball joint loose. This works GREAT if your ball joints are good and you want to save them like if you're replacing control arm bushings, springs etc.

Thats right! I used hexstock so i could put a wrench on it. But like my post said you can use black pipe and a bolt and nut. It also saves my knuckles by not needing a hammer.

[chance65c20]

thanks for all your input guys!!!! i finally did get it apart by using a rose bud and BIG hammer. It might have been for nothing though. Came across a fellow member in my area who has almost everything to convert the front end of my c20 to a c10 and the best part is he is willing to donate for free. hopefully it will all work out. Thanks again.