I am been trying since 10 am to take off the lower control arm ball joint so i can change my axle. I got a ball joint separator, but nomatter how hard i hit it it won't budge.

Is there anything else I could do? I need to take this damn thing out already
HELP!!!!!

 

hit it real hard with a big hammer and then you should be able to simply pull it out with your hands.

 

if you're doing it on the ground, put a jack on the rotor, then lift it up a little, then bang the **** out of the lower controll arm with a METAL MALLET, not a hammer....

 

Do not hit the ball joint from where the nut goes in or you will be sorry. I did that and flatten the bolt and tore up the screw. Couldn't get the nut to fit back on.

You can take off the axles without removing the ball joints, I did it on my EF Civic hybrid.

 

did you take the cotterpin out of the crenelated nut and remove the nut first? seems like a stupid question, but it can easily be overlooked if you're not careful. a pickle fork and a sledge WILL take care of ANY balljoint. i just tore all of the suspension off of my brother's totalled GSR in an hour, balljoints and all, and had no problems.

 

Don't bother with the lower arm, do the upper arm, its easier and whoever said you could remove the axels without takeing the suspension apart is either lying or magical. really the upper arm is much easier, I never did get my lower arm to give.

 

BFH always works....if it isn't, get a bigger one. The only time I use a Ball joint separator/pickle fork is when I had to remove it when the entire subframe and suspension were not attached to the car itself.

remember to put a 12mm nut on to save the threads


[Modified by madtownhonda, 9:44 PM 8/16/2002]

 

I wouldnt consider myself a liar nor magical. I have just removed an axle without taking any suspension components off.

 

Yah, what type of serparator are you using? The first time I did an axle, I rented the kind that my Haynes manual showed me, looked kinda like a reverse gear puller. After a few hours of struggling with that piece of garbage, I got my "pickle fork" at Sears for $15 and the joint was apart in under 30 seconds.

Just a tip, make sure BOTH front wheels are off the ground otherwise, you're fighting the torsional resistence of the sway bar. It may be separating, then popping back on if you've just got 1 side the car raised.

 

Yeah, that's the whole idea. They aren't supposed to come apart easily.

If you haven't got the tools or experience to do the job, call one of those 'traveling repair' guys and have him break it loose for you. Probably only cost $10.00

 

Despite all the "whack it with a big hammer ALWAYS works for me", there are occassional times that you CANNOT separate the joints without destroying the joint or the knuckle.

The separator fork will often work, but will often tear the ball joint boot (a masterful craftsman can get it to work without tearing most of the time).

Anyway, if the pieces have rusted together (rare, but it happens) something will have to be sacrificed. You have to get new balljoints sometimes anyway (they eventually wear out).

Good luck.

Shawn