Help Ball Joints!

[Stuman78424]

ok big problem i'm replacing the right lower ball joint and cant get the spindle off of the ball joint stud, ive given it heck, heated it too....any ideas

 

[410Fortune]

BIG HAMMER, I am talking sledge.
Hit the knuckle on the top.
It will fall off.

Make sure beam is supported.


I have fought these for hours..

 

[Stuman78424]

man, i've beat the sh** out of this thing

 

[Blee1099]

Invest in a nice set of balljoint C-clamp tools. They are the greatest.. I bought a cheap set from Harbor Freight and it works flawlessly.

 

[KPT]

Just get a two arm puller. You'll have to take the dust shield for the rotor off so one of the arms can grab the knuckle behind it.

 

[Stuman78424]

thanks for your help, i've got a couple 2 arm pullers so i'll give it a shot tomorrow when i get in from school...my only transportation now is a friend's 2001 civic....ive got to get my X back up and going before i get use to the civic's good gas milage and overall riceness

 

[TarHeel085]

yeah man, 2lb sledge will get it done, thats what i used when i did mine for the first time last week at 82,000 miles

 

[Stuman78424]

where did you hit the spindle to get it off? is there a sweet spot so to speak?

 

[410Fortune]

right on the top, just outside the top balljoint, on the flat top of the knuckle.
It helps if you rotate the camber shim so the maxumum amount of knuckle is exposed.
Also this helps relieve some of the stress on the ball joint.
You should also undo the steering tie rods before you do this.

the key is to strike it straight down and let the heavy hammer do the work.

You dont need a puller or to pry it apart, the hammer will work best.
I fought these suckers for hours with pry bars, pullers, anything you can think of, the sledge works best.

Also the ball joint press kit will do you no good until you have the knuckle off the truck

 

[etc]

He's a second gen 410, diff set up.

edit:

What can't you take off, the balljoint from the spindle, or the balljoin off the arm. First step should have been to unscrew the lower bj nut to the end, then rap the spindle, and it should drop free from the bj and land on the nut(that's why you don't take it off completely.

If you got the bj off the lower arm and it's stil stuck on the spindle(which would mean the spindle is off the car basically) then just tap it from the stud(screw side of the bj).

 

[Stuman78424]

i got 'er dun so to speak....didnt take too much time today to get it off it was a good bit warmer outside so i didnt about freeze to death, one i got the spindle off the durn balljoint it was easy as all get out. a few quick turns of a big c clamp and i was on my way to putting it back together........total time other than way too damn long was about 6 hours(ON ONE). now if it had been the upper balljoint i could have been done in 45 mins max. i just hope the left side balljoint doesnt decide to go out anytime soon, at least ive done it now and know what to expect i fiure when the next one dies and can have it all done in about 2 hours tops.

thanks for all your helpful suggestions!

 

[Stuman78424]

oh yea and to those who say that the ball joint press wont fit on a 4x4 i stand to have proved you wrong just throw...yea i said throw the spindle/axle on top of the front swaybar and tie it off somehow and the press fits fine