Hey Guys,

I'm trying to pull the tranny and in the process need to remove the half shafts which requires pulling the lower ball joint on the spindle and the steering knuckle ball joint too. Driver's side done, not to bad. I had to use a two arm puller to pop the lower ball joint.

Passenger's side is seized in there like a ****. I've beat the heck out of it. I broke a couple of two arm pullers on it. Snapped them clean in half. I have a pitman arm puller that is much more stout and tried it and it pressed so hard it crushed the bottom of the threads on the ball joint. The section that's crossed drilled for a cotter pin completely crushed in. I had to take a grinder and cut off the tip and square it off to put a puller back on.

My local auto parts stores have crap for pullers. Nothing that will work. I've now started to round the edges of the lower control arm. I'd just pull the whole entire lower control arm and spindle assembly off and put it in my press but I can't get the upper ball joint off either. I don't have a tiny puller that will fit in there like what they show in the Haynes manuals. Where can I find one of those? that might be my only hope.

Thanks
Malcolm

 

I use a pickle fork to get mine out and i have never not gotten one out.

 

Thanks man that's actually how I ended up getting it out. After been unable to find the correct puller as shown in the haynes manual I finally just grabbed a pickle fork and went to town and it came out.

 

I usually jack it up under the LCA, put a OEM lug nut inbetween the LCA and balljoint, and drop it. If it's really stubborn I step on the spindle and it pops right out

 

I have only seen the pullers tear up the threads on them so i stay away from that tool.

 

Although the pickle fork destroys the rubber boot making them trash and needing to be replaced but at least it came out. The puller worked on the driver's side but wow that passenger's side was a booger.

 

i just use a bfh and whack the spot above the nut. a good few whacks and it pops out.

*note pic is just a shot of where it is you need to hammer.

 

It doesnt always tear up the boot. You have to make sure the fork is under the boot before going at it.

 

There's two ways to go about this:

1. You need to "shock" the lca off of the ball joint. If you look at the lca you should see small lips on the sides around the ball joint. Beat the living hell out of it. I suppose some penetrant like liquid wrench wouldn't hurt either.

2. Use a ball joint splitter. Get it in there real good and beat inwards like there's no tomorrow. You're going to need a new ball joint.

Buy a new a ball joint ahead of time.