ragged claws

Does anyone know where I can buy the GM ball joint seperator (j 33436) for my '89 coupe. I'm dead in the water with my lowering project with out it.

Thanks, Kim

jaa1992

Are you trying to seperate the ball joint from the knuckle?
If so I just used a 2-jaw puller, hook the jaws to the knuckle, center the adjuster screw on the center of the ball joint stud, adjust till you hear it "pop"
Easy peasy nice and easy.

Z51JEFF

Dont use a pickle fork on aluminum,Ive got a brass punch that I used on mine.Send me an email.

ragged claws

Yes I'm just trying to separate the knuckle from the lower control arm. I've got a Pitman Arm puller that sounds like what you are suggesting, but it won't fit on the knuckle. If it did fit, it would tear up the boot. I need something that will punch the ball joint out of the knuckle while braced against the top of the knuckle. The FSM shows the j33436 as the right tool but NAPA doesn't have it, can't get it, and can't find it anywhere!

ragged claws

Is a two jaw puller the same as a Pitman Arm puller or are the jaws adjustable? If I saw a picture I might be able to tell if it work in my situation.

Thanks, Kim





QUOTE=jaa1992;1569049266]Are you trying to seperate the ball joint from the knuckle?
If so I just used a 2-jaw puller, hook the jaws to the knuckle, center the adjuster screw on the center of the ball joint stud, adjust till you hear it "pop"
Easy peasy nice and easy.[/QUOTE]

redrose

been a while, but IIRC:

1" deep socket, 1/2" drive
1/2-20 x 4" bolt + nut
1/2" flatwasher

remove cotter pins from both balljoint studs...put the socket over the upper ball joint stud/nut,seating on the knuckle... run the 1/2" nut onto the 1/2"bolt, put your diy "collapsed" drive (1/2" bolt/nut/flatwasher) thru the (square) hole of the socket with the nut/washer against the socket and the bolt head against the lower (opposing) ball joint stud after loosening that nut..."back off" the 1/2" nut using one wrench on the nut and another wrench on the bolt head till it pushes the bolt enuf to force the lower bj stud free in the knuckle...to remove the upper bj, flip the "tool" over...bit of grease on the flatwasher and 1/2" bolt threads is good.

if the bj stud is "stubborn", apply tension with your "tool" and use a long punch or bar against the underside of the 1/2" bolt head, as close to parallel to the "tool" as possible, and whack the punch/bar with a BFH to "shock" the stud.

Z51JEFF

Kim,I sent you an email,give me a call,Jeff.

ragged claws

Houston we have separation!

I finally got the ball joint and lower control arm separated from the knuckle. I used the tool Redrose suggested in his above post. Worked like a charm! Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

Kim

jaa1992

FYI - I got a set of 3 2-jaw pullers from Harbor Freight. I used the middle sized one, it was a little tight against the knuckle for the lower ball joint but it worked as well.

Glad you were able to use the redrose method!

Demonic85

I just used a hammer, it works great as long as you dont hit any aluminum. Pressing new ones in is a whole different matter though.

steve40th

If you have new ones you might not want to hit them, or ones you want to reuse. But, that being said, if they were greased well when new, or there isnt much crud in the area it goes into the A Arm, it may be easy to tap it out.
Of course a ball joint puller is preferred.
My 140000 miles ones came out rather easy, as they were NO GOOD