My old gearhead friend said that I didn't need a ball joint seperator(fork type or the clamp type). His way of seperating that joint is hitting the outside of the ball joint with a Ball Peen Hammer in the right spot... it's on the fat part of the joint(hard to explain w/o a picture)... Anyway just wondering if anybody does this to seperate the lower ball joint stud from the lower control arm. The stud is the one with a castle nut and a cotter pin holding it in. I replaced the axles and ruined the boots which I already ordered from Honda, don't wanna ruin anymore boots but the damn clamp is apx. $100. The fork is a piece of **** eventhough it did the job. I probably should have lubricated the fork with grease and that might of saved the boot, but it was my first axle job ever, oops slight learning curve

 

LOTS of people pop the lower ball joint by bashing the arm.
OR
You can try this:
http://www.hstuners.com/forums...24308
Personally, I wont use anything but this (^) method anymore. Its fast, easy, painless, damage-free.

 

that's seems like it's gonna work beautifully and it's gonna save me from buying that ball peen hammer, good lookin pdiggitydogg

 

if that's the trick with the 1/2" ratchet wedged in between that's what you want. it works great