wrenchy

I wrote this RE many postings for balljoint removal. It WORKS!

As posted, I recently rebuilt the entire suspension on my 1994 Accord. I don't like using a hammer to separate balljoints- it does work, but you guys got to be honest and admit if you had the right size separator you would use it.

The problem is, as some of you have found, Honda balljoints are small, so many pullers won't work. And Honda sometimes uses 2-3 different sized balljoints on one car, so one puller (even small) would probably not work on all of them.

I read a posting last year from an "Accord guy". He stated he used a slightly modified tierod/pittman puller. I really had my doubts. I went to Autozone to rent one (although I only used Honda balljoints!!) and checked one out. It is "OEM" brand, tool #27022.

It works PERFECTLY!! It fit/worked for every single balljoint (FAST and VERY EASY-much faster than using a hammer!!)

I was so impressed with how it worked I bought it from Autozone (it was only about $22, and although I NEVER buy auto-parts store tools it seems to be pretty good quality).

The only thing is the "claws" at the bottom may not allow clearance at the mount-surface, so the guy on-line stated he took it to a machine-shop, and for $20 had the top of the claws shaved about 3/32". The tool, off the shelf, worked for every single balljoint on my car (and the tierods).

It is now an AWESOME tool- it fits every balljoint on my car, and also will remove the tie-rod ends! The best $22 tool I have ever purchased. I couldn't believe how well it worked, and how fast. The tool is not designed to be a balljoint remover, and for most cars wouldn't work, but, by sheer luck, the dimensions are just right to fit Honda balljoints (at least some).

If you can't imagine how it works (it's a bitch trying to explain it), if you need to, study how balljoints mount, look at pictures of balljoint removers to get an idea how they fit/work, then go down and look at this tool, it will all make sense.

I can see techs laughing when they read this- I thought the guy was totally nuts, I had been turning wrenches for 30+ years and couldn't see how it would work, but I didn't want to spend $200+ for a set of balljoint and tierod tools (good ones), so I tried it.

I have $$$$$$ in tools, and this is, honestly, one of the most versatile tools I now own!! If this tool will fit your car, and you (like me) are a fiend for tool-quality, get one from Proto or Mac and have it machined to fit, if needed (I think this one will work for a long time- I don't do too much suspension work, it's not like buying cheap sockets or wrenches).

Check it out (rent one), and see if it will fit the balljoints on your car. If it's too big (different balljoint sizes), hunt down a smaller one, they come in different sizes (try on-line tool houses). If it's too small, hunt down a larger one (although it worked for even the larges on my car, as well as the smallest). It really, really works incredibly well. Wrenchy

raceACCORDingly

use gravity and a boxy end ratchet. works like a charm every time.

heres a video someone made of this method
https://oncourse.iu.edu/access...I.AVI

wrenchy

Looks good, but do you always have some place to lever the box-end wrench into? I would't think it would always be possible to set the wrench at just the right leverage point every time- By the way, an interesting vid. What is this site? Wrenchy

raceACCORDingly

yes, theres a gap between the LCA and the metal part of the ball joint.


also you can hit this part on the LCA with a BFH that will pop it out

pos_cd5

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by raceACCORDingly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">use gravity and a boxy end ratchet. works like a charm every time.

heres a video someone made of this method
https://oncourse.iu.edu/access...I.AVI</TD></TR></TABLE>

thats my method. but it doesnt work everytime for some reason for me . the times it doesnt work the wrench/ratchet simply flys out of place and the balljoint stays intact.