ball joint seperator tool?
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Rio Vista ca.
ball joint seperator tool?
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
Thanks, Kim
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From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
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St. Jude Donor '12
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.
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.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 655
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From: Rio Vista ca.
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!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 655
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From: Rio Vista ca.
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]
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]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,753
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From: backwoods upstate ny
DIY sepArator
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.
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.
Last edited by redrose; Feb 23, 2009 at 12:01 AM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 655
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From: Rio Vista ca.
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
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
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
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St. Jude Donor '12
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!
Glad you were able to use the redrose method!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 9,938
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From: South Carolina
St. Jude Donor '03 & '05
Of course a ball joint puller is preferred.
My 140000 miles ones came out rather easy, as they were NO GOOD
