How do I separate front upper ball joint? 72 c10

[jwendell413]

I’m in the process of trying to replace my upper ball joints and can’t figure out what to do next.

I have the truck on jack stands, the front spring in a jack as well (necessary?).

I ground down all the rivet heads and removed the castle pin, loosed the castle nut.

I’ve tried a pickle fork, hammer, pry bar…how do I pull the upper control arm w/ball joint up?

Also what should I use to finish puncturing the rivets to break the old ball joint free from the upper arm?

Thank you
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[LockDoc]

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You might find some useful information in this thread.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=338734

As usual there are some differing opinions but there is some good information there. If you have time I would read through the whole thing, that way you can pick out the most agreed on recommendations.

LockDoc

[kwmech]

You first have to separate it from the steering knuckle. Let the suspension hang without support. Pull the cotter pin and loosen the nut about 3-4 turns. Sometimes (not often) it will come loose on it own. anyways you'll have a gap between the nut and the spindle. Big hammer---hit the spindle near the nut where the BJ goes through a couple of times til it pops loose. Now you can support the lower control arm with a floor jack and compress the gap back. Leave the nut on for now for a little safety. Now you can work on the rivets further by drilling a hole in the center as large as you can go without damaging the A arm. I have a pretty good air chisel that I use to get in between the BJ and the arm to loosen it up. It's a little bit of work

[HO455]

Use the pickle fork between the top of the spindle and the bottom of the ball joint. Once it has been pounded firmly in place, heat the side of the spindle with a propane torch in the area next to where the ball joint stud passes through.
Once heated if it is still stuck sometimes a sharp blow with a hammer in the area you just heated will cause the ball joint to pop apart.

https://youtu.be/_uHXLkllr-M

[Accelo]

I have a short hydraulic ram.
I loosen both nuts till they are flush with the top of the threaded portion.
Insert the ram and pump between the upper and lower studs.
One will pop and stop at the face of the nut.
Keep pumping an the other side will come loose. Takes longer to remove the cotter pins than it does to pop them.
If I my ram isn't available I use a pickle fork.
The standard fork for steering joints is not typically large enough for ball joints.
You will need the larger of the two popular sizes.
If you have an air hammer, and the pickle fork for it, it's a lot easier.
Be careful and think it through. This is one of the more dangerous procedures you can do on these trucks.
Cheers.

[EagleChief]

When I did mine (with the help of some friends), it took a lot of swear words, some big hammers, chisels, lots of heat, and repeat. Sorry, I'm no help, but I was in the same boat at one point. They were on there good and and didn't want to come out.