Help! Ball joints!
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Lutz FL
Help! Ball joints!
I'm having a deep problem breaking my balljoints loose. Factory original ones no less, go figure. Anyhow, I have one of the "pickle forks" and I'm having no luck on the lower balljoint. Any suggestions? Wailing on it with a hammer isn't working. It doesn't seem like the pickle fork actually gets "tight", it has stayed easy to wiggle around no matter how hard I hit it.
Help!!!
Help!!!
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 78
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Re: Help! Ball joints! (Black68Vette)
I tried popping mine loose last summer to put in new coil springs, and just couldn't get them off. I left them in place, and now I have a full set of Moog's waiting to go on in two weeks (alonf with my now dusty new coil springs from VBP). Please let me know what you did when you get them off. By the way, could you take some pictures of the process along the way and post them? I'd really like to see how someone else makes it work!
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,336
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From: Springfield MA
Re: Help! Ball joints! (vettedan)
I just did mine over the last month. I'll post photos when I get home.
Are you sure that you have the right size pickle fork? I got 2, one for the tie rod ends (wider space) and one for the ball joint. I did wail on it for a while too, but it finally gave.
Good luck,
Mike
Are you sure that you have the right size pickle fork? I got 2, one for the tie rod ends (wider space) and one for the ball joint. I did wail on it for a while too, but it finally gave.
Good luck,
Mike
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,183
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From: Des Moines Iowa
Re: Help! Ball joints! (Black68Vette)
Assuming you have a pickle fork for the ball joints, look to make sure that the inside part of the "U" on the pickle fork isn't hitting on the spindle arm or something else. When I did mine, I found that I had some interference in this area, and I had to grind off some material from the "U" part of the pickle fork, and once I did this, and smacked the crap out of it a few times with a big 5 lb. hammmer (a smaller hammer just won't do the trick), the ball joint popped apart. Good idea to keep the nut loose, but still on by several threads, keeps things from flying all over the place when you do finnally pop the ball joint loose.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Lutz FL
Re: Help! Ball joints! (Black68Vette)
Ok, torch, BFH :smash: (8lb sledgehammer) all to no avail over the last 2-3 hours...
What about a pitman arm puller or a tie rod puller? the sorta U shaped ones with the lips, that have a bolt you tighten? anyone tried (successfully) with one of these?
What about a pitman arm puller or a tie rod puller? the sorta U shaped ones with the lips, that have a bolt you tighten? anyone tried (successfully) with one of these?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,183
Likes: 2
From: Des Moines Iowa
Re: Help! Ball joints! (Black68Vette)
Soak the crap out of it with PB Blaster, and spay two or three times a day and give it a day or two, this may help. Are you really sure that you don't have any interference with the pickle fork which I described above?
I have the tool to remove the ball joints which you've described, but have never used it, since I got mine apart with the pickle fork.
I have the tool to remove the ball joints which you've described, but have never used it, since I got mine apart with the pickle fork.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Lutz FL
Re: Help! Ball joints! (john's '81 mouse)
There might be some interference there, but its pretty hard to see. I know the center of the pickle fork isn't quite hitting the shaft (about 1/4 - 1/2 inch to go) but it seems like it is not sitting "level" on the knuckle. Actualy worth asking, should the wheel be turned to one side or the other or straight?
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 185
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From: Surrey BC
Re: Help! Ball joints! (Black68Vette)
I did mine about a month ago and had some problems with them at first, but then noticed that the forks had spread a bit. I put the fork sideways on the floor, smacked it straight and had much better luck after that. Also found that it helps to get a little angry at them, but you are probably there already!!
Pro
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 534
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From: FL
Re: Help! Ball joints! (Black68Vette)
Sorry to hear the 
isn't working. All I can say is keep at it; you'll eventually win.
Bear in mind you could always replace the A-arms. 'Course that means getting the frame bolts loose...
-Noel
isn't working. All I can say is keep at it; you'll eventually win.Bear in mind you could always replace the A-arms. 'Course that means getting the frame bolts loose...
-Noel
Thread Starter
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Lutz FL
Re: Help! Ball joints! (Noel Carboni)
Using a hammer that size, nothing.. using the little tie rod end puller, got one off, and doing the second today (finally). Score Balljoints 1 Eric 1 (cause the first tie rod puller snapped on the second balljoint)
And actually yeah, the control arms are getting replaced, that was the whole point of this painful exercise, installing the VB&P front transverse mono spring. Although actually Noel, I don't see how dropping the control arm first (if I could manage to do it without getting killed by the spring) would help with getting the balljoint shaft out of the knuckle on the spindle
Oh yeah, and everyone, I did realize one thing. My car being a 68 (yay) has the C2 spindles on it (69 started the new spindles). So that may mean that the same tools, etc don't quite fit the same spot. Didn't think of that one till pretty late last nite.
Anyhow thanks everyone! We're almost halfway there now, one control arm off! I took a couple pictures before + during, so when I finally get to the after I will post them :D
And actually yeah, the control arms are getting replaced, that was the whole point of this painful exercise, installing the VB&P front transverse mono spring. Although actually Noel, I don't see how dropping the control arm first (if I could manage to do it without getting killed by the spring) would help with getting the balljoint shaft out of the knuckle on the spindle
Oh yeah, and everyone, I did realize one thing. My car being a 68 (yay) has the C2 spindles on it (69 started the new spindles). So that may mean that the same tools, etc don't quite fit the same spot. Didn't think of that one till pretty late last nite.
Anyhow thanks everyone! We're almost halfway there now, one control arm off! I took a couple pictures before + during, so when I finally get to the after I will post them :D