How do I get this damn ball joint out?

[hotrodder]

Jack, you've got the easy bit done . Sod's law says the balljoint will be well rusted to the lower arm

A bit of penetrating oil, and some heat would be my next move, be carefull hitting it, if you put a burr on the top of it it'll be even harder to get out.

x2. Penetrating oil usually works best with the foresight to douse it the day before the job and again before starting. Personally i go straight for the hot wrench if it doesn't move at all from a few blows. You don't need to get it stupidly hot but the more quickly you can heat it up the better it works- differential expansion an all that

 

[ben8vgte]

A large socket as a drift and a block of wood under the wishbone is the way to go, getting it out is easy as it dfont matter if you fook it. do you self a really big favour and take the wishbone off and press the new one in a vice and make sure you take the new one's boot off so you dont nick it. I've done loads of balljoints like that on merc sprinters you'll save your self so much time with the wishbone off.

 

[general--lee]

what car is it buy the way?

 

[future_jack]

what car is it buy the way?

94 Nissan Sunny.

 

[future_jack]

A large socket as a drift and a block of wood under the wishbone is the way to go, getting it out is easy as it dfont matter if you fook it. do you self a really big favour and take the wishbone off and press the new one in a vice and make sure you take the new one's boot off so you dont nick it. I've done loads of balljoints like that on merc sprinters you'll save your self so much time with the wishbone off.

Sorry now but what do you mean when you say "large socket as a drift"

 

[general--lee]

slide a socket over the taper part and use ut to knock the ball joing out of the lower arm

 

[jimmy shoes]

is there any way you could press it out with some thick plate and clamps?

i remember we had a nissan sunny donated to the motor vehicle department, within a week it was stripped bare and sent to the scappers lol i had so much fun that week

 

[future_jack]

I can't get at it right with the cold chisel and hammer to knock it out so I'm trying to take off the caliper and hub.

I have the bolts taken out to remove the caliper from the hub carrier but it won't slide off at all.

I'm afraid to belt it out with a hammer.

 

[jimmy shoes]

give it a few taps with a hammer or a copper hide mallet

 

[future_jack]

Got that off now and managed to knock out the old joint!

I'm not sure how I'm going to put the new one in - it will require alot of force to pop it in and I don't want to hit it.

Is there anything I could try other than a ball joint press?

Thanks for the help so far.

 

[shenion]

I made my own installer/remover. Some 2" angle welded together and some bolts.

Was not enough to fully seat my ball joints, will need something like a 10-ton press Yours should go in relatively easy though.

 

[Gasman]

With respect, these things are best left to a mechanic/garage who would have it done in half an hour to save you all this grief If not reassembled correctly (now that brakes are also involved) it could be dangerous.

Also be sure to check that you brake lines/hoses have not been damaged during beating out of the joint

If you have access to a two legged puller you "might" be able to press it in without removal of the lower arm but make sure the mating surfaces are clean and free from burrs.

Because of the interference fit of these parts, you are likely just to cause damage to the new joint (or personal injury) if its not correctly lined up. I would suggest taking the lower arm off and then you could press it in using a large vice or press if you have one.

With the vice method, place a piece of tube or deep socket over the upper face of the ball-joint hole to shield the thread then attempt to "sandwich" the arm between the new joint and the tube while lining up between the vice jaws. Easier with two people and be very careful not to get too close.

Good Luck

 

[future_jack]

I think I'm just going to have to get a ball joint press.

I figured it would be cheaper to bring take the lower arm off and get it pressed in a machine shop but the bolt connecting the control arm to the chassis is imovable - nearly bent my rachet and I have no heat source - only welder is a mig - no gas.

I've been ringing around looking for a press today - none of the motor factors have them. Is there anyone else that might stock something like that? There's one place that does general fittings, pipes, bearings and all that kind of stuff but it's closed today

I think I might need to wait until the local car auction next week otherwise to pick one up as the internet postage is too high.

 

[Wozzaaah]

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

A word of advise, hopefully taken in the way its intended, would be to let an experienced mechanic have a look at it

With respect, these things are best left to a mechanic/garage who would have it done in half an hour to save you all this grief If not reassembled correctly (now that brakes are also involved) it could be dangerous.

Unfortunately, you've now immobilised the car so you have to find some way of getting the arm off or doing it in situ .
Paul and gasman hit the nail on the head, in all fairness it was probably a bit ambitious for you to attempt it in situ but I suppose it was worth a try.
The pivot bolt that's seized in the chassis, does it go into a captive nut or is it a through bolt with a nut on it?
If it's a through-bolt is there any way you can get to the threaded end to give it a few hard whacks with the nut threaded on to protect the thread? Could you get access with a windy gun on the bolt head?
All worth trying if you can't get a press to it.

 

[future_jack]

Unfortunately, you've now immobilised the car so you have to find some way of getting the arm off or doing it in situ .
Paul and gasman hit the nail on the head, in all fairness it was probably a bit ambitious for you to attempt it in situ but I suppose it was worth a try.
The pivot bolt that's seized in the chassis, does it go into a captive nut or is it a through bolt with a nut on it?
If it's a through-bolt is there any way you can get to the threaded end to give it a few hard whacks with the nut threaded on to protect the thread? Could you get access with a windy gun on the bolt head?
All worth trying if you can't get a press to it.

Luckily I managed to borrow a car so I've bought myself some time.

tbh I thought the ball joint was an easy enough one - that's why I attempted it - turned out there's much more to it than I thought but I'm glad I did it because I could do it again in the future. You have to start somewhere and I like doing these sort of jobs.

I don't have a compressor or windy gun so that's out. I'm not sure what you mean when you say to give a few whacks to the threaded end of the bolt?

 

[eil]

tbh I thought the ball joint was an easy enough one - that's why I attempted it - turned out there's much more to it than I thought but I'm glad I did it because I could do it again in the future. You have to start somewhere and I like doing these sort of jobs.

How many of us in all honesty have looked at an impending task and have thought the same, the old "It looks simple enough should only take a few mins",

 

[Wozzaaah]

I don't have a compressor or windy gun so that's out. I'm not sure what you mean when you say to give a few whacks to the threaded end of the bolt?

Undo the nut then thread it back on so the end of the bolt is just inside the face of the nut so it can't get damaged then hit the face of the nut to try and shock the bolt through whatever part it's seized in. Attempt to turn the head of the bolt at the same time as hitting the nut and you stand a very good chance of freeing it.

 

[future_jack]

Undo the nut then thread it back on so the end of the bolt is just inside the face of the nut so it can't get damaged then hit the face of the nut to try and shock the bolt through whatever part it's seized in. Attempt to turn the head of the bolt at the same time as hitting the nut and you stand a very good chance of freeing it.

I'll give that a go tomorrow so when I'm looking at it again.

 

[ben8vgte]

Now i dont work in a commercial garage anymore i dont have oxy act bottle's either and to be honest they do more damage than there worth in most case's. I just use a taymar (cheap blow torch) it just takes longer to get it hot if you get it red you'll just damage the bolt, just heat the head up for a good 20 minutes so the heat can travel though the bolt, put the nut back on loose so you dont damage the thread and batter ten bells out of it with a big heavy hammer.

 

[ben8vgte]

Or if you want to leave that on, run a bead of weld round the inside of the balljoint the heat will free it off and as the weld cool's the part will shrink, it's a good way of getting stuck wheel bearing out (after you've taken the innners out)