I'm trying to change the left half-shaft in my ITR and to do that I need to pop lower ball joint loose. I have one of those big fork things but it looks like it will damage the boot if I use that.

The service manual shows a special tool to pop the joint but I haven't had much luck finding one locally.

I'm thinking about picking up a gear pulling to try on it but I'm not sure if that will work out ok or not.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Shawn

 

Search.... This has been discused many times.

 

ok, follow these instructions to the letter.

We-Todd-Did-Racing LBJ method:
Required Tools:
6 pack of beer (your choice of brand), cans preferred.
Hydraulic Jack
1/2" drive Craftsman rachet
2 40oz malt beverage bottles (or a set of jack stands)

1. Jack up the car and put it on the 40oz malt beverage bottles (or jack stands).
2. that was a lot of work, enjoy a cold brew.
3. Take off the wheel.
4. remove cotter pin.
5. remove castle nut
6. time for another brew.
7. place jack saddle under hub area of rotor (not on the lugs)
8. jack up the hub assembly enough to fit the 1/2" drive rachet next to the ball joint with the "wide" side of the handle vertical (ie, rotated 90 degrees)
9. hold rachet in place (unless it is close enough to stay by itelf, in that case, drink a beer and continue)
10. release jack pressure (ie, lower it quickly)
11. drink another beer.

edit: numbering was pretty retarded..


[Modified by dawhiteboy, 1:32 PM 3/18/2003]

 

Don't need a special tool. Just remove the bolt and tap on the lower control arm a couple of times (mallet or ball peen) and that should loosen it up and you should be able to drop it out.

You also have the option of not removing the ball joint... You could drop out the strut and remove the upper a-arm bolts and drop out the the a-arm. Make sure you unbolt the abs brackets...



[Modified by 00ITR #543, 11:47 AM 3/18/2003]

 

WTD method ownz!

 

Loosen the bolt but do not remove it. It will save the threads on the balljoint if you happen to miss the flat "pounding point"

 

yep, just raise the rotor using a jack, then wedge a thick bar between the knuckle and lower control arm, then jump on the rotor and it will break free.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dawhiteboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">edit: numbering was pretty retarded..</TD></TR></TABLE>

#12 listen for the pop from the ball joint coming loose.

Q: 6 pack? wtf? make it a 12'er and call it a day.

 

Use a SLEDGE hammer and hit the raised spot on the suspension part. You will not bend it.

Go to this link and hit the DARK BLUE/PURPLE area. Itll pop it right out https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=432347

 

Hmmmm, upon re-reading the we-todd technique it gets my but what to do about the upper ball joint and tie rod? -Jaseun
ps my apoligies for saying in a previous post that the we-todd lbj technique involved a BFH

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jaseun &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hmmmm, upon re-reading the we-todd technique it gets my but what to do about the upper ball joint and tie rod? -Jaseun
ps my apoligies for saying in a previous post that the we-todd lbj technique involved a BFH </TD></TR></TABLE>

n/p man.

ubj and tie rod = BFH. the LBJ method we use is nice, quick and one handed (so one can hold a beer) and doesn't take much effort to do and since people drop the LBJ more than anything else..