ball joint separation trick

[n00blike]

I wanted to share this neat trick I picked up while helping my buddy on his civic a while back and we ran into a stubborn ball joint.

I had tried a pickle fork, all kinds of hammering, and PB blaster on my upper ball joint but nothing was working. This video shows the basics but it is not of my car.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fvwp&v=ISY8bGof3bQ[/ame]

For my 74 Duster this is what I did:

-Put the car on jack stands
-removed tire
-removed pin and bolt on ball joint
-lifted the lower control arm with a jack. Enough to get a wrench in between the upper control arm and spindle.
-wedged a wrench in there. On one side I had to cut the rubber boot off. (try to use a wrench that fits nicely around the ball joint)
-slowly lower the jack supporting the lower control arm.
-apply downward force on the spindle/brake assemble. (hope on it. To reduce damage you can put the tire back on, if the wrench is not in the way).

Hope this helps

 

[Robbie2734]

This is so cool, I can't wait to try it. I have a tool (not a pickle fork) that works somewhat.

 

[67Dart273]

Another trick that sometimes helps is to rotate the steering until you can get a hammer in "on a horizontal line" on the side of the tapered socket. Get a crowbar/ pickle fork in somewhere in such a way as to put pressure on the two pieces, then give the side of the tapered socket a good smack. A "dead blow" helps because they transfer much more energy to the target.

The only thing I've ever found wrong with a pickle fork is that they destroy boots. I've never had anything I could not get apart with a fork.

For tie rods/ etc, I recently bought a puller type separator from NAPA. It allows you to get everything except ball joints apart without ruining the boots.

Like thus:

 

[n00blike]

glad to hear you guys like this. I ended up using it again a few days ago.

I got tubular upper control arms from firmfeel and installed them. Unfortunately I later tried to install the bumpstops only to find I didn't have enough clearance. I had to undo the upper ball joint again. This time they came out easier since I put anti-lock on the ball joints. :toothy8:

 

[twofosho]

I feel the same way about using brute force and/or stupidity techniques to unseat ball joints and ruin boots as Mopar Action's E Booger.
Harbor Freight sells a tool to do this job for under 20 bucks and my neighbor was actually able to to get a couple of uses out of his, bought on sale for 12 bucks, before I remade the half that broke out of a small bar of mild steel (2"X6"X9/16" if you're interested).
A simpler solution is to go to the hardware store and pick up a couple of bolts the right length and a coupler nut (I grabbed mine from some junk I had laying around, I think they were 1/2" dia) to press the ball joint studs apart, after you loosen the ball joint castle nuts a few turns, it's amazing how easily things come apart.

 

[wjajr]

A simpler solution is to go to the hardware store and pick up a couple of bolts the right length and a coupler nut (I grabbed mine from some junk I had laying around, I think they were 1/2" dia) to press the ball joint studs apart, after you loosen the ball joint castle nuts a few turns, it's amazing how easily things come apart.

Here is what I use:

 

[Oklacarcollecto]

Here is what I use:

That is just damn cool. I guess my tool box needs an addition.

 

[cosgig]

Me Likey!!!

 

[wjajr]

Not my idea, it’s right out of the 1967 Dart FSM… This is just another reason to have a FSM copy gracing your work bench.