jpatrick62

Rebuilding the front end on my 69 convert. All the tie rod ends had to be separated with a pickle fork, and the joint between the pittman arm and the relay rod, while stubborn, also finally released. By their condition, I would assume most
of these parts have been on for quite a while, some may be original.So now I am trying to get the spindle to release from the upper ball joint.I removed the cotter pin and unscrewed the castle nut (but left it on by a few treads). I've tried my
ball joint separator, but so far it hasn't worked. I've tried banging on the spindle housing with my framing hammer, but no go as well. I suppose I could get a bigger hammer, but maybe I thought someone else has run across this and has some ideas. I have a chain wrapped around the coil spring (and a threaded rod between the shock mountings through the spring) for safety, and have the floor jack about an inch below the lower ball joint.

TimAT

Have a helper hold a BIG hammer on one side of the knuckle, and swat the other with a 5 pounder. I have an 8 pound sledge hammer and a 5 pound drilling hammer. Hasn't missed yet.

74_stingray

elmo771

Try a little Heat, Probably being held by the old grease.

derekderek

No. It is a tapered press fit holding the ball joint pin into the knuckle. I have best results with a 1 lb hammer. Hit the end of the knuckle, spindle right next to the pin. Leaving the nut threaded on. You want to miss the nut by a half inch. Swing hard. Get a lot of speed on the hammer head. 5 or 6 shots it'll pop loose. If no good, put ball joint fork back in and then proceed to hitting right above the fork tine.

jpatrick62

Ok then, I'll get out the biggest hammer and try that. This project is turning into a real bank-buster as I noticed some rust on the brake lines where they turn down towards the wheel. One of the rubber lines has a
small bulge as well. Luckily, the last guy replaced all of the rear suspension and brakes, unfortunately he did nothing to the front.

L88Plus

You probably already know this, but the ball joint separator isn't always able to do the job by itself. It's designed to put pressure on the bolt end while you whack hell out if it. I've never had one come out with just the tool, but finally figured out how to get a good bit of pressure on it. A couple of good whacks from opposite sides simultaneously has always done the trick.

Don't get me started on pittman arms, the SOB's!!!

derekderek

Too big a hammer doesn't work well. Hard to control and can't get enough speed. 1 to 1.5 lb is best.

BLUE1972

Rock Auto has the front end parts at a great price, go with Moog …

mortgageguy

You're gonna love that lower balljoint. That's the one that usually gives us problems.

jpatrick62

Well a few sacks from a 3 lb hammer last night did the trick. Thanks to all for the help.
Onto the lower ball joint tonight.

gkull

Part of my job was rebuilding customer Vette steering and suspensions. My advice to anyone wanting to do ball joints, a-arm bushing, and rod ends. Is big super duty air hammers. I've done whole front ends with all new Moog parts, poly a-arm bushing, and new springs in a day working alone. practice makes perfect. but an air hammer with hammer heads, chisels, and ball joint forks can just blow stuff apart. the chisel takes out the a-arm bushing without bending anything like a 20 ton press.

Way back in time I did a post on doing front springs. No chains, no threaded rods, no BS. You have the car up with the front wheels off the ground. You place a floor jack within a 1/4 to 1/2 inch below the a-arm outboard the lower shock. Take the nuts and rubber off the upper shock mount. That is you safety device. the shock is still inside the spring. The first time use the air chisel or a air cut off disk to remove the rounded rivets. The air hammer or 3 pound sledge releases the upper ball joint and you slowly lower the floor jack. Some long springs you have to pry the a-arm down or use a long pry bar to pop the spring out. take out the bottom shock bolts.

I bought one of these for my shop tool box. It has seen a lot of cars. They are worth renting for a one time job. Small ones just don't have the HP!

Chicago-Pneumatic-717-Super-Heavy-Duty-Air-Hammer.

nyciti

Lower is by far worst. However don't go killing yourself, a few seconds with some mapp gas get it red hot and one or to good wacks with a hammer will get it done. Works every time! Just don't set the rubber on fire! Lol

derekderek

but then you can't reuse your 44 year old NCRS correct OEM ball jount...

gkull

Our wheel holding parts are made from quality tempered steels I have always been very leary of ever heating up metal and destroying the tempered properties of the metal. If you made a spring red hot you might as well throw it away

If I was driving 150 mph and my front wheel came off I would be a little depressed

derekderek

i think castings-forgings like spindles are mild steel that aren't really affected by heat. especially if not using oxy and making it glow red.

jpatrick62

So I got out the spring and upper/lower A arms. Note to self : next time buy a Corvette that has the front end already done. So now I'll move to the driver side and do the same sordid
work again. I had to take out the lower A arm with the spindle attached since the lower ball joint was being very difficult. For anyone interested, I have been following the instructions from the book "How to Restore
your C3 Corvette" by Walt Thurn, and it has been pretty good so far. While I have the front suspension removed, I think I'll tend to the frame with some POR-15. Luckily, my frame is in good condition with only some
minor surface rust. Will also take this time to redo the front brakes lines with stainless while I have the chance - can anyone recommend a good caliper paint?

gkull

If you read what he said, he gets it glowing red. Also casting and forged, are completely different properties of metals. I don't know what the exact number of the steel is, but I can tell you that it is not mild steel because I drilled a hole in the lower part to attach air ducting

derekderek

mapp gas without oxy won't make steel glow red. in this case i am fairly sure red hot was an expression. i don't heat them either. i just hit it harder. but i don't think you can measurably soften steel with mapp gas. spring steel or bearing race? yep.

nyciti

I said get it red hot, which you do see for a second when heating the spindle. Glowing hot, or white / blue is whole different hot which should NOT be applied here. And yes without oxygen mapp gas isn't going to get the part hot enough to make it glow or damage the properties of the metal. We are talking a few seconds here not minutes.