I'm trying to remove my axle and the lower ball joint will NOT come loose. I've beat it with a hammer, i've used the pickle fork (ball joint separator), nothing will break it loose. The pickle fork goes all the way in until the back of the 'U' is resting against the metal, its physcially impossible to any further and still nothing. Yes the castlenut is loosened away so thats not the problem, anybody have ANY ideas? i've tried everything i can think of and am about to give up.

 

Use one of those pittman pullers or the type of separator that pushes up against the bolt as you tighten it (like the one in the helm manual). you can buy it for 20 bux from jc whitney

 

i finally got it off! i used the advice from a fellow H-T member...

for those who might search later... i put the jack under the castle nut and jacked up with the suspension in tact... once the suspension was compressed i beat on the LCA with a hammer for a lil while until it popped out... oh, and the pickle fork was in there at the same time too.

thanks!