How do I get it off? do I hit the stud from the bottom? or do I pry it off?
this is to change an axel. haynes manual is wayyyy so vauge. so im not completely understanding what it is telling me to do.

 

take out the cotter pin. loosen the nut, but dont take it off completely. get a 3lb hammer or heavier, anything less wont do, and start whacking the side of the lower control arm. aim for the little nubs. it helps to have someone pull up on the knuckle while youre whacking to provide some extra force to separate the balljoint.

do NOT attempt to whack the balljoint directly at the threads. doing so will immediately destroy the balljoint.

since youre a noob at this, you can try pickle forks, pry bars, special puller tools, whatever. ive used them all. but my method is the easiest and best way.

 

ok I took the nut off yesterday but I will thread this back on and I hit the side where the stud goes thru correct?

 

yeah. alternate sides (front or back) if it doesnt come out after a few tries.

same method goes with the tie rods and upper balljoint too.

 

ok thanks alot

 

yep, same method i used, works well, you can turn the castle nut upside down for a bigger surface..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by goodbyegti &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yep, same method i used, works well, you can turn the castle nut upside down for a bigger surface..
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what? bigger surface? no, i dont think you understand. do not smack the balljoint threads, or castle nut. you leave the castle nut on in case of an errant strike that might hit and damage the threads.

 

damnit
im beating this this with all Ive got. im a 210 lb'er and im beating on it with no mercy I have my brother pulling up kon it when im hitting it I dont know what else tto do

 

how heavy of a hammer? carpenters hammer dont work.

you sure its not already popped?

 

4 lbs hammer its a mini sledge hammer. if it poped I would beable to slide the spindle off and pop my axel out

 

that should do it.

i do it all the time in the junkyard by myself.

ive run across really bad ones. especially when theyve never been popped before.

just gotta keep trying.

if youre desparate, go rent a pickle fork. but that will most likely destroy your balljoint boots.

 

there are like two little nubs on each side of it thats what im supposed to be hitting? should I hit the top part where the bushing is?
or just the bottom one? would heating it up with a torch do anything or would it ruin it?

 

i cant really say if heating it up wit ha torch would help. youd end up burning off the rubber boot in the process anyway.

yeah, just hit the nubs, directly from the side.

dont hit the knuckle. just hit the lower control arm.

 

pickleforks are fantastic ive tried the ol' hammer till u drop trick many times but a picklefork will get it done in 1 minute guarranteed, just lube it up really well so the boot doesnt tear. , hammer in the fork from the front so you take the rotor off for that, it will only work good from the front center just hammer it in really hard

 

got it I had my brother pull up as hard as he possibly could and I hung from underneath and it sepraited. I got the axel job done and it works like a charm. thanks for all the help guys. Mad props out to Tyson for helping me out so fast. Thanks alot

 

Next time, try the ratchet handle trick... it's a whole lot easier!

With the car on jackstands, you raise the whole control arm assembly up with a jack until you can get the handle of a 1/2 inch drive ratchet in between the space right beside the ball joint.

Release the jack so that the whole assembly is suspended in the air.

Simply kick the crap out of the lugs toward the ground and the assembly will separate.

There was a really nice video someone posted here a while back that showed exactly how to do it.

It was a great write-up.

 

torch and pickel fork always works