RockyL32

I started a job I felt confident to do... I am dropping the control arms to change out the bushings. I compressed the spring and secured it with a spring compressor. I just can't get the upper or lower ball joints to budge. I tried using a pickle fork but that just lifted the grease skirt. What am I missing here is there a small press or gear puller I need
Any help would be appreciated

74modified

Use the three or five pound hammer you were using with the pickle fork to hit the spindle where the ball joint taper is. Yes you can buy other tools that will work, but most front end guys just rap it with a hammer.

0Willcox Corvette

Take the spring compressor out of the spring.. then loosen the nuts up on the joints.. not all the way, just make sure you have full thread in the nut. With the spring tension present, whack the joint with a hammer.... When you loosen the nut up you should see a space between the nut and the arm, after you whack it this space should be gone. If it is you are now ready to compress the spring and then removal of the joint from the knuckle should be easy.



Willcox

Peterbuilt

Hi Mr. Willcox, the first time someone showed me that trick I was AMAZED!
At first I couldn't imagine why one would need such a large hammer to change a ball joint!

gkull

Spring compressors are a total waste of time and effort. The spring will help the spindle ball joints come apart.

Smarter people just leave the shock in place with the top nuts off. The shock would keep the spring in place (safety device) when hitting the spindle shaft to loosen the ball joint. I use metal round block on the spindle so I don't dent the shaft with a 3 pound sledge hammer. Leave a floor jack about a 1/4 inch below the lower a-arm to catch it when it pops apart

In my tool box I have a screw type clamping tool called a ball joint separator or something like that for steering arms and hard to get at ball joints. But a air hammer with a forked bit works much faster especially for getting the a-arm bushings out

zuendler

I use this:



but never needed it on the vette so far.
It´s cheap and works well on very hard to loosen connections.

F22

Those pickle forks come in varying widths! I know, we have two of them, one wide, the other narrow. We've actually seen where the narrow fork, is wide enough to 'start', but then will jam itself against the shaft, of the joint, instead of pushing the wedge all the way through!

And yes, you've really got to whack it with a small sledge, really hard, to get them to separate, unless you have the aforementioned air tool.

my 76 ray

This is what I do with one small change. I completely remove the nut then I put it back on. This prevents the nut from seizing on the shaft. If that happens after you separate the spindle from the steering knuckle the joint will just spin and you will have to cut it off.

GregS_72

that's a great idea with the shock

chevygod

Don't do the shock trick with KYB gas shocks. Over-travels the shock and ruins the seal. Lotsa noise, lotsa mess. Don't know about other gas shocks, but I'm not wealthy enough to try it out.

I have always done the loosened nut/hammer on the spindle trick. Works every time.

Whatever method you use, please be careful, wear safety glasses, chain down the spring, use a spring compressor as well. This is one of those projects where safety is important.

RockyL32

Thank you all for your help. It really says somthing when a vendor has an answer at 10 pm. I ended up going to Harbor and buying a separator tool for 13 bucks, worked like a champ. Thanx again to everyone who replied to my post. This is a great Corvette community

0Willcox Corvette

You're not lying there.. I made that mistake 1 time.. What a mess..

I'm glad the separator worked.. from time to time they don't. It's like the joint gets fused in the spindle.

The load of the spring seems to be the jewel for 100 percent success.. I've never had it fail.

Rocky.. Thanks for the kind words, these goofy car have been my passion for a long time.

Willcox

Tom454

Another one of the causes is over torqueing of the nut by a previous ambitious mechanic.