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I have ‘75 corvette and bought new springs and
shocks for the front. While removing things I’m trying to remove my front drivers side LOWER ball joint and I can’t get it out of the Hub/spindle part. I’ve beat on the bottom with a hammer to try to drive it up through with no success. I followed instructions I’ve had this is the first time I’ve attempted this so what am I doing wrong here? Its defiantly ruined now so there’s no turning back
This is what it looks like bottom threaded part won’t budge is that normal? Boot is shredded.
I have a pickle fork but it doesn’t really seem to do anything I feel like I’m missing something here?
Big hammer and pretty hard. Its not so much about how hard as how many times. I have hit some of these 50 times before they popped loose. Its easier with the ball joint still in the control arm, but I think you can still do it if you have some help. Get someone to keep pressure on the ball joint with the pickle fork while you hit the side of the spindle with the hammer.
The thread is gone so you say , I cant recall just how big the hole is so if you have hit it that hard and often to spread the shaft wider it might pay to grind it back a bit .
even better if you can hold another big hammer on the other side of the X ,by the handle though , helps to steady it and I think it makes the shock(hit) a bit bigger
Ok so here’s a question:
How can I remove the upper balljoint safely? If I remove the hub I have a 20ton shop press and it’ll pop that sucker right through in a heartbeat
This a good route? I don’t wanna have the same problem with the upper one.
I’ve beat on the lower one now for a solid 30 min while applying pressure with pickle fork doesn’t seem to even think about budging and now the threaded end is a mushroom and I’ll probably have to grind it down as it is just to fit through.
Are they normally this hard?
FYI I went looking for a “balljoint press” and can’t find anything that will work in this particular application. Anyone have pics on one that will?
Here's a tool that works pretty good, although I've never seen one that would not let go while hammering on the side of it. The hammer on the side shocks the taper and lets the stud loose.
After breaking a few of the scissor types I tried my old mini splitter. And it worked! Since then Ive usrd it on a 67 mustang, 79 and 89 corvette, never took longer than 30 seconds to pop a balljoint out.
http://www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Accessories/Tools/660310.aspx?0108&ReturnUrl=/product/Classic/660550.aspx Back%20to
Ok so here’s a question:
How can I remove the upper balljoint safely? If I remove the hub I have a 20ton shop press and it’ll pop that sucker right through in a heartbeat
This a good route? I don’t wanna have the same problem with the upper one.
I’ve beat on the lower one now for a solid 30 min while applying pressure with pickle fork doesn’t seem to even think about budging and now the threaded end is a mushroom and I’ll probably have to grind it down as it is just to fit through.
Are they normally this hard?
FYI I went looking for a “balljoint press” and can’t find anything that will work in this particular application. Anyone have pics on one that will?
If you've mushroomed the end of the ball joint stud, you're hitting it in the wrong place. Look at Peterbuilt's post where he drew the 'X' on the spindle. That's where you have to hit it. You can beat on the end of the stud 'til you're old and grey and nothing is going to happen.
I've always had the best luck taking 2 big 3lb ball-peen hammers and hitting both sides of the X at the same time. It's a little tricky but it has always worked. I have hit a joint on one side 50 times without the joint releasing but hitting both sides at the same time has never taken more than 2 or 3 hits to get it to release.
If not that, do as suggested and back up the opposite side with the biggest sledge hammer head you have and then hit the other side with the next biggest hammer you have.
If you don't have a big sledge hammer to back it up while hitting it with a 3lb ball-peen hammer OR 2 x 3lb ball peen hammers to hit both sides at once then you need bigger hammers.
How hard do you hit it? AS HARD AS YOU CAN.
Last edited by lionelhutz; Mar 9, 2018 at 10:37 PM.
FWIW, whacking the spindle where "Peterbuilt" noted, with the red X, is indeed what you do, to loosen the tapered stud, from the tapered hole. HOWEVER, it is 1000% easier to do this, with the spindle/a-arm assembly still installed in the car, and with the ball joint LOOSENED, but with the nut still 4-5 threads on to the stud.
This works, because the shock of the hammer, combined with the force of the car's coil spring against the lower control arm, will release the stud from the spindle. The nut being in place, prevents the whole deal from exploding apart in your face.
After the stud is released, you can then support the lower a-arm with a jack, disconnect and support the spindle, and CAREFULLY lower the lower a-arm.
A ball joint press will NOT remove this stud from the spindle, but a "pickle fork" MAY do the job.....
Last edited by leadfoot4; Mar 10, 2018 at 08:43 AM.
Further details. You don't want too heavy a hammer. A 1-pound head with a 15-inch handle works best. Cuz you need to Hammerhead moving fast. The three Pound Hammer with a 10-inch handle you'll be beating on it all day.
Last edited by derekderek; Mar 10, 2018 at 11:00 AM.
Help! Lower ball joint won’t come out
