ball joint removal
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
ball joint removal
How the hell do you get a ball joint off? I took out the cotter pin, undid the bolt, and I've bent a crow bar trying to pry the a-frame from the hub ... what am I doing wrong here?? :confused:
Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
From: Paris AR, USA
Re: ball joint removal (GlockLT4)
Don't try to pry on it: You'll damage the aluminum long before the stud will seperate from the steering knuckle.
A simple two-jaw puller will usually do the trick (orient the jaws around the control arm and use the screw to push the stud through), and it's much more gentle on everything else than prying and hammering.
Jason
[Modified by needanother1, 2:05 AM 3/18/2003]
A simple two-jaw puller will usually do the trick (orient the jaws around the control arm and use the screw to push the stud through), and it's much more gentle on everything else than prying and hammering.
Jason
[Modified by needanother1, 2:05 AM 3/18/2003]
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,270
Likes: 26
From: Winchester VA
Cruise-In V Veteran
Re: ball joint removal (GlockLT4)
My first thought was, bang on the knuckle, I've probably done close to 50 on S-Blazers. However, we have aluminum, which may not take to kindly to being hammered too hard. As stated above a puller would be your best bet.
If your replacing the ball joint, they do make tapered forks or seperators that you put between the knuckle and control arm and hammer. These will usually tear the protective boot around the joint. Or, hit the top of the stud.
It usually takes some :smash: :smash: , but go easy before :banghead: .
P.S. The hammering is more about creating some sonic energy to release the tension (knuckle to stud and personal) and not necessarily to bang it out.
[Modified by Ski2Tee, 8:06 PM 3/17/2003]
If your replacing the ball joint, they do make tapered forks or seperators that you put between the knuckle and control arm and hammer. These will usually tear the protective boot around the joint. Or, hit the top of the stud.
It usually takes some :smash: :smash: , but go easy before :banghead: .
P.S. The hammering is more about creating some sonic energy to release the tension (knuckle to stud and personal) and not necessarily to bang it out.
[Modified by Ski2Tee, 8:06 PM 3/17/2003]
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
Re: ball joint removal (Ski2Tee)
It's actually a '93 s-10 :) ... no aluminum. You guys are the first I ask since i've spent so much of my time here :cheers: I'll see about getting a seperator. I've been told there is an air tool that looks like a fork that will do the job well.. anyone used one before?
[Modified by GlockLT4, 8:28 PM 3/17/2003]
[Modified by GlockLT4, 8:28 PM 3/17/2003]
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 4,212
Likes: 10
From: Sun City West Az
Re: ball joint removal (GlockLT4)
Yep..it's called a "pickle fork"...and is used with a air hammer or you can gently hit it on the end with a hammer. It should separate the joint without tearing things up.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,270
Likes: 26
From: Winchester VA
Cruise-In V Veteran
Re: ball joint removal (GlockLT4)
Are you replacing the ball joint?
Either way, pry down and bang on the knuckle, on the side, where the stud comes through.(Don't be shy, sounds harsh, but there are times all you need is a bigger hammer.) It can take it.
Either way, pry down and bang on the knuckle, on the side, where the stud comes through.(Don't be shy, sounds harsh, but there are times all you need is a bigger hammer.) It can take it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 5,297
Likes: 0
From: Stamford VT
Re: ball joint removal (Ski2Tee)
is it 2wd or 4wd? On the 4wd, once you use the fork to pop the ball joint from the control arm (or pop it out of the spindle, depending on whether you're doing upper or lower), then you just unbolt it and it'll come out. I had to remove my spindle in order to have enough room to get mine out.
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Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Re: ball joint removal (GlockLT4)
I just rented the fork from autozone, placed it straight toward the control arm, gave it a couple of smacks (okay, maybe three) with the hammer, and out she came. Even on the aluminum Vette components, it won't tear anything up. With the S-10, it's even less of a worry.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
Re: ball joint removal (Frizlefrak)
Ok, well i got the tops off and replaced, i went to go get it aligned and they said the bottoms were out far enough that they couldn't align it :rolleyes: . So i got one of them out but i CANNOT for the life of me get the new one pressed in. It keeps going crooked on me and using a huge breaker bar I cannot turn the C-clamp press any further using an enourmous amount of force.
I was working on it over spring break but i had to head back to school today so it's just sitting on jack stands in the drive way at home. So.. i've got to figure out a game plan for getting it in there next time I'm home.
So any suggestions on what to try? Attach a 20ft pipe on the thing and get some more torque into it?? There is only one noticeable difference in the ball joints (new vs old) .. the old was smooth, the new has little tiny teeth to help stablize it... I don't have caliper to measure to see if they are the same diameter, but i would bet the new one is like a 100th of an inch wider (the teeth).
I was working on it over spring break but i had to head back to school today so it's just sitting on jack stands in the drive way at home. So.. i've got to figure out a game plan for getting it in there next time I'm home.
So any suggestions on what to try? Attach a 20ft pipe on the thing and get some more torque into it?? There is only one noticeable difference in the ball joints (new vs old) .. the old was smooth, the new has little tiny teeth to help stablize it... I don't have caliper to measure to see if they are the same diameter, but i would bet the new one is like a 100th of an inch wider (the teeth).
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Re: ball joint removal (GlockLT4)
Glock....When I replaced the lower ball joints on the Vette, I took the entire control arm down to the brake and alignment shop and they used a hydraulic press to press in the new ball joint. I believe most of the shop manuals specify that an industrial press is needed to put them in, due to the extreme interference fit. My alignment shop had the new one installed in about 30 seconds, and he only charged my 10 bucks to do it. It may be possible using a C Clamp, but it's probably more likely that you will break something. Have your local brake shop press in the lowers and you'll have it back on the road in no time. :cheers:
