Lower Ball Joint Trouble...

[nhill]

Hey guys. First off, I cannot say enough about the endless info that has helped me on this site. Thanks to all of you.

My problem is, I went to change out my lower ball joints. Yes, I was using MountaineerGreens write up for this along with my repair manual. Followed all the step and got to the point where The Knuckle should have came off the shaft of the bottom ball joint, BUT WOULD NOT BUDGE. I pryed and hammered.

Any one have any ideas. I really want to get this job finished. Also any tips on the tie-rod ends would be cool too.

Thanks in advance guys

 

[MountaineerGreen]

Put the nut on the bottom of the LBJ, backwards of course, get the truck up high enough to get a good hit upwards on the LBJ while holding pressure downward on the knuckle. I just took my truck apart last night- this is fresh on my mind. Some PB Blaster never hurts either.

 

[j.cranor]

Ball Joint

Buy or Rent a 2 jaw puller and set it up to where the jaws are grabbing the bottom of the knuckle and the forcing screw is on the ball joint threaded shaft and tighten. When I did mine I used a ball joint fork and alternately pounded and pb blastered it but I tore the boot in the process.

Jim

 

[nhill]

Thanks for the replies guys... I'll get some pb blaster. Forgot all about that stuff. Any other suggestions?

 

[71cutty455]

I had the same issue and hammered until my arm was numb with no success. I finally rented a pickle fork type ball joint separator from Autozone and hammered it in between the lower control arm and knuckle then just pryed down and it popped off the stud easily, took about 20 seconds compared to 20 minutes of pounding with a hammer. Make sure you leave the nut threaded onto the end of the ball joint stud when you do it so the knuckle doesn't flop around.

 

[wyochimneysweep]

get a bigger hammer

 

[j.cranor]

I also had to use a puller to separate my C/V axle from the knuckle. Typically it just slides off. Bad luck I guess.

 

[nhill]

I had the same issue and hammered until my arm was numb with no success. I finally rented a pickle fork type ball joint separator from Autozone and hammered it in between the lower control arm and knuckle then just pryed down and it popped off the stud easily, took about 20 seconds compared to 20 minutes of pounding with a hammer. Make sure you leave the nut threaded onto the end of the ball joint stud when you do it so the knuckle doesn't flop around.

Sounds like that is what I am going to have to do. Thanks for the advice guys!

 

[Cobraguy]

pickle fork is the tool to use if you don't have an actual ball joint separator. If you are going to be doing this work in the future, get two or three different sized ones and throw them in your tool box. Good tools to have.

 

[nhill]

Eccentric Bolts

Just wanted to say thanks for all the help guys. Got the job done.

I took it into a local shop and gave me this," You need these bolts we call eccentric bolts to help us get your truck aligned."

Here is the thing, Having just tore the thing apart, I am well aware of the fact that my truck DOES have these already. So I smelt b.s. on this one. It ended up with me telling him such and I went in an argued with him. He was insistent that with out newer bolts, they couldn't get it close. I took my truck and bid him farewell!

Was this guy blowing smoke up my arse? Should I take it to a national chain, say like Firestone or Goodyear?

This is why I try and do all the work my self! Thanks again and hope to hear from you all! Peace Out X'ers!

 

[Tom Brown]

I just had the same problem and solved it another way. I'm going to share it so anyone who searches can find another solution.

By placing the floor jack under the LBJ stud and jacking until the weight is on the floor jack, it then came loose with a couple of decent wraps of the hammer.

The reason I tried this is I was concerned the suspension was soaking up some of the hammering blows I was laying into the knuckle. By shoring up the stud with the jack, you know the entire blow of the hammer is going into the LBJ stud/knuckle joint.

... just another way to skin the cat.