Ball Joint Replacement Urgent Help Needed

[mals]

I am replacing the lower ball joint and both tie rods on the left side on my '01 explorer with 205k on her. The tie rods were a breeze. I tried to remove the cross bolt on the upper ball joint and the nut sheared clean off. The bolt head in still in place and will not budge with an electric impact driver. I have put a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF on it in hopes it will loosen it overnight. Any suggestions on what to do next? I also sheard off the bolt head on the bracket that holds the ABS sensor cable. I hope an am not up the creek. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Mals

 

[mals]

Update
Still no joy. It has soaked in penetrating oil overnight and I have been driving ion the sheared end with a punch. No movement at all. This is a through bolt so there should not be threads in the casting. I am stumped. The 13 mm head has rounded off so I could drive a 1/2" socket on it and it rounded off.
Good times.

Mals

 

[koda2000]

Do you have a torch? Heat will often free a frozen bolt. If worse comes to worse, you may need to replace the entire steering knuckle and upper control arm, or at least get it off where you can drill it out. If your trying to replace the lower ball joint, why did you even trying to release the upper? Is it 4WD/AWD? Personally, I would not replace one without replacing both.

 

[rb142]

A torch and an air hammer are your two best friends in a case like this.

 

[mals]

It is a 2wd. I have a small MAPP gas torch that I doubt wil get the parts to enough. I have an electric impact driver to work with. I am letting it soak with penetrating oil overnight. Hopefully tomorrow it will break free.

Mals

 

[pcam13]

Oxy torch only... a little green canister propane one will not go... Use a good (snap on) air hammer with a straight punch end or use a hand straught punch once its really warm and go from there.

On a side note, Working on a paver once, the bolts were 19mm heads but rounded from the ashphalt and only had a few sides to it, I have had luck in a pinch heating the top red hot and making a new 6 point head back out on it with an 17 I believe.

 

[Mike65]

When I did the lower ball joints on my 2000 Ranger 4X4 the little bolt that holds the abs wire sheared off on mine on both side , I just used a zip tie & tied them to the spindle.

 

[mals]

I surrendered. Put it back together and I have 4 miles to the shop to get lit fixed. So much for saving money.
Thanks for the replies.

Mals

 

[firepop5]

Too late now, but I was going to suggest cutting off the bolt head and driving from the other end of the bolt. Let us know what the shop did.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

This might be too late for Mals, but may help someone else.

When driving out this bolt, you need to place something
heavy on the other side such as a body dolly or sledgehammer head. Give the bolt head a whack or two
to help break it loose, then move to the other side. If your
hammer and back-up weight are heavy enough, the bolt
will come out. Once you get it moved a tiny fraction, the
rest is easy...