How do I get this damn ball joint out?

[future_jack]

Hi,
Need the car tomorrow so need to get this one solved asap!

As you can see in this first picture the bolt is more or less opened (with abit of damage to rubber gaiter )




To get the ball joint out - through the bottom of the lower arm I need to get the lower arm away from the top arm ....


I need to get the lower arm away from the top arm but I don't know where to place my jack - any ideas?

 

[Paul.]

Have you compressed the spring and broken the taper joint, that looks well rusted, I'd probably take the arm off the car, and either replace the lot. or get some heat on the arm and press it out,

 

[shenion]

You need to take the snap ring off, then it should push through the bottom. You can buy or rent ball joint pullers. They basically wedge between the spindle and ball joint body. Usually ruin the boot though; not a problem if you are replacing the joints anyway.

Those look a lot easier than my Jeep

 

[malcolm]

Uuurg - imageshack takes too long to load (45 seconds a photo for me just them). Can I direct you to the uploading photos to the forum tutorial.

Not sure what level you are starting from here, but generally you'd have the car supported on axle stands, support the lower arm with a jack to take up spring tension, split the balljoint, then gently lower the lower arm to release spring tension.

To split the balljoint taper you'll ideally need a balljoint splitter.
If I have the wrong end of the stick others might too so could be worth re-phrasing the question.

 

[future_jack]

Have you compressed the spring and broken the taper joint, that looks well rusted, I'd probably take the arm off the car, and either replace the lot. or get some heat on the arm and press it out,

I have just taken the jack away from the lower arm now and tried using a hammer and and old screwdriver to knock the lower arm out of place - it's not really moving out though.

How do I compress the spring? What taper joint are you referring to?

Thanks.

 

[shenion]

You need to take the snap ring off. Then you might be able to put a bar across the stud and use two C-clamps to push out.

If not rent or buy a puller. Looks like a big tapered fork you pound in between the spindle and ball joint.

 

[future_jack]

View attachment 6478

You need to take the snap ring off. Then you might be able to put a bar across the stud and use two C-clamps to push out.

The only way I can think to take the snap ring off is by getting the lower arm away from the top so I can lift the ring off the top with my circlips.

I tried to pull the snap ring out with a pliers but it just won't come off.

 

[Paul.]

The stud sticking out of the top of the ball joint has a taper fitting into the casting of the hub swivel, youll need a ball joint splitter to separate the joint, If you dont compress the road spring every thing will still be under pressure from the spring tension, so as malcom says lift the car under the lower arm, then fit spring compressers, and then lower the arm, otherwise the spring will just keep extending,
A word of advise, hopefully taken in the way its intended, would be to let an experienced mechanic have a look at it, if your not sure yourself or dont have the kit, road springs are very strong and can cause serious injury,

 

[gordon stephenson]

Hi,
Looks like the old Vauxhallviva type,I used to do lots of them, The taper is directly under the thread and is a tight fit in the upper arm, Best tool for taper removal is a sykes pickavant scissor type,you can still buy them today, pops the taper out in seconds, then remove the circlip, suport the bottom arm on a jack etc close to the ball joint and knock out old ball joint, again pretty tight and needs a good few hammer blows,Dress up the hole in bottom wishbone with a file and refit new joint by pushing it up with a jack while knocking down on the wishbone, refit circlip,taper etc, job done!!

P.s Previous posting is another way of removing the taper, but support the side opposite where you are going to hammer with a heavier hammer to take the shock,

Good luck.

 

[ben8vgte]

Where the red circle is bash that with a heavy hammer the shock will travel though the casting and free off the taper easy.

 

[general--lee]

hi dunno if you fixed it yet and what sort of car is it , by looks of things you dont need to wrry about spring pressure (confirm by telling me what car) undo big nut like you have turn steeriing one lock of other to get most comfortable for you hammer swing then hit as acuratly and as hard as you can on the cast part that the thread sticks out of try to get as close to the back side as poss (like opposite to disc) and should drop out after a couple of hits, then you can remoove circlipetc and press that out of arm or knock it out with big socket and hammer depending what tools you have available????

hope the breaking of ball joint makes sense (it does to me but then i know what i mean lol!!!!

thanks ken

 

[general--lee]

lol welld one ben thats what i meant should of done it that way really oh well when i started typing your post werent there lol

 

[hotrodder]

There is a knack to seperating ball joints with a BFH, ball joint splitter generally makes life easier if you're new to this. As said, the reason you need to hit it in the right spot or use a splitter is because the joint is a taper fit in the stub axle swivel

 

[future_jack]

I've been messing around with it for the last while now and this is what it looks like - I've got the snap ring off and the lower arm is away from the rest now. I just need to get this old joint out.

Is the right way to get it out with a cold chisel and hammer and a few hard belts?

As you can see I have also attached an image of the new joint to go in - will this have to be pressed when I put it in?

 

[general--lee]

try and get a deep socket that fits over the threaded part is is roughly same size as the rubber cover you can use that to get the old one out but make sure its small enough to go through hole in wishbone?

 

[Woody.v8]

Whacking it wont do any good as its already out of its taper!

 

[zardoz]

Can I ask did you try a ball joint splitter ? As Hotrodder says, they are made specifically for doing this, and should be first thing tried if the ball joint does not come out with a sharp tap or three.

 

[general--lee]

i mean to get it out of the wishbone

 

[Paul.]

A bit of penetrating oil, and some heat would be my next move, be careful when hitting it, if you put a burr on the top of it it'll be even harder to get out. make sure the lower arm is supported on something solid, if it bounces you'll never shift it

 

[Woody.v8]

I've been messing around with it for the last while now and this is what it looks like - I've got the snap ring off and the lower arm is away from the rest now. I just need to get this old joint out.

Is the right way to get it out with a cold chisel and hammer and a few hard belts?

As you can see I have also attached an image of the new joint to go in - will this have to be pressed when I put it in?

I would cut the threaded bit off at the bottom of the taper with a grinder , Wire brush the hell out of the machined part and as Paul said plenty of pen oil,Put something solid under A-frame and drift it out with a big hammer and drift (if possible try to put a socket or piece of tube under joint to stop the A-FRAME distorting)