Lower ball joint stud stuck in axle bracket

[Lazerskull]

See pics.
Can't seem to get this ball joint unhooked from the control arm any tips?

97 XLT 4.0 SOHC

 

[Pete Deering]

See pics.
Can't seem to get this ball joint unhooked from the control arm any tips?

97 XLT 4.0 SOHC

View attachment 442666

View attachment 442667

Is that the upper ball joint?
The uppers are assembly. You need to replace arm.
The lowers are press in unit. Held(secure) in by a C clip.
The pictures are confusing. I see the spindle and the top ball joint arm is removed.
The other picture is the ball joint is facing up?

 

[Lazerskull]

Is that the upper ball joint?
The uppers are assembly. You need to replace arm.
The lowers are press in unit. Held(secure) in by a C clip.
The pictures are confusing. I see the spindle and the top ball joint arm is removed.
The other picture is the ball joint is facing up?

Hey Pete. Read the title of my thread again. It's the lower.

 

[Lazerskull]

Is that the upper ball joint?
The uppers are assembly. You need to replace arm.
The lowers are press in unit. Held(secure) in by a C clip.
The pictures are confusing. I see the spindle and the top ball joint arm is removed.
The other picture is the ball joint is facing up?

The first Pic is the lower ball joint threads with the lower castle nut removed. No matter how hard I whack the sob it's seized to the [axle bracket] it seems.

 

[swshawaii]

Corrosion doesn't appear to be an issue. Tapered ball joint studs can be tough to break free. There are several methods, but I've had the best luck soaking with penetrant and using a small sledge hammer with a large pickle fork that can be borrowed from most larger auto parts stores. Almost guaranteed to destroy the rubber ball joint boot hammering the pickle fork in, but you're replacing the complete ball joint anyway.

 

[3xowner]

You can borrow a press from autozone... thats what I did on my 2000

 

[410Fortune]

Stack two pickle forks on top of one another and get a bigger hammer

Heat the knuckle portion with map gas
Then smack away. As mentioned the tapered portion of the stud is simply stuck in the cast knuckle. Pickle fork will do it but sometimes you have to use two of them and some heat

Once it is free to remove the lower ball joint from the control arm you support control arm with jack stand and smack the lbj directly in the middle with a sledge they drop out easily this way every single time
Press to remove can be tricky because of the angle on the control arm

I’ve done a hundred of these

 

[Lazerskull]

Stack two pickle forks on top of one another and get a bigger hammer

Heat the knuckle portion with map gas
Then smack away. As mentioned the tapered portion of the stud is simply stuck in the cast knuckle. Pickle fork will do it but sometimes you have to use two of them and some heat

Once it is free to remove the lower ball joint from the control arm you support control arm with jack stand and smack the lbj directly in the middle with a sledge they drop out easily this way every single time
Press to remove can be tricky because of the angle on the control arm

I’ve done a hundred of these

Would a heat gun work? (guess I'll find out shortly. Should be fine I just need to wham it harder)

 

[410Fortune]

heat gun not so much, but it for sure will not hurt
The goal is to expand the cast metal so the tapered stud can drop out
propane or map gas torch works if you dont have an actual blue wrench (oxy torch)

 

[Lazerskull]

heat gun not so much, but it for sure will not hurt
The goal is to expand the cast metal so the tapered stud can drop out
propane or map gas torch works if you dont have an actual blue wrench (oxy torch)

I got it out. Now I am trying to press it in and I always get so far. Then the sleeve slips out. It mangled the side of my ball joint. I restart reset and it's always the same damn thing. The sleeve underneath is too close to the size of the ball joint. I wish it was a couple mm smaller then I'd have no problem

But everywhere I look this is the only size that works. (!?) getting frustrated.

 

[Lazerskull]

heat gun not so much, but it for sure will not hurt
The goal is to expand the cast metal so the tapered stud can drop out
propane or map gas torch works if you dont have an actual blue wrench (oxy torch)

I think I got it in all the way. Can't go up anymore. Maybe I was over tightening it that's why it was slipping off.

 

[410Fortune]

If you can put the snap ring on then it’s all the way in

You Must press it in straight, no way around it. The angle on the control arm makes it difficult. I always clean the inside of the cup with scotch rite before pressing in the new. Sometimes a piece of flat stock or even the body of a wrench can be used to ensure the press lines up straight. If it is not straight it will bind and cause fits

However it looks like you got it
Looks good in pics

 

[Lazerskull]

If you can put the snap ring on then it’s all the way in

You Must press it in straight, no way around it. The angle on the control arm makes it difficult. I always clean the inside of the cup with scotch rite before pressing in the new. Sometimes a piece of flat stock or even the body of a wrench can be used to ensure the press lines up straight. If it is not straight it will bind and cause fits

However it looks like you got it
Looks good in pics

Feels good everything else coming back together good. Hopefully it rides well. Can't be worse than what I had. Two frozen caliper pins and blown out ball joint.

 

[C420sailor]

Pro tip

It’s kinda tough on these knuckles, but any time you have a tapered fit, this trick usually works:

Take two mini sledges, and simultaneously hit the knuckle on both sides of the BJ stud

The simultaneous shocks do some kind of black magic and the knuckle springs off it. I’m telling you, the first time you pull it off, it will blow your damn mind. It’s sorcery.

The hardest part is being able to get the two simultaneous whacks on both sides of the knuckle. But when you do…

 

[410Fortune]

next time put a wrench or piece of flat stock here

it will change the angle so the press is square to the joint

Like my drawing? YEAH!!

 

[Lazerskull]

next time put a wrench or piece of flat stock here
View attachment 442734

it will change the angle so the press is square to the joint

Like my drawing? YEAH!!

Heck yea! As I tightened it slipped outward as shown in the photo. The winning starting position was having the c clamp pressed into the control arm as far as possible so the threaded bar started pressing the inside half of the ball joint. As I turned it naturally came toward center and was still center by the time I finished torque ing. On the bottom, stud side, of the joint this position almost looked "wrong." the C clamp was sort of "cradling" the tube adapters etc not fully seated "correctly in the bottom C clamp receiving hole. Seeing the tendency though I went for it and it all just kinda slid into center like I said.