Replacing Ball Joint & Spindle Won't Come Off-Suggestions?

[monkeyspunk79]

Hi all,

I haven't posted on here in about oh...2 years. I got a '47 Chevy Fleetline and life happened. In the meantime I neglected my 98 Cobra and now had to replace two very bad ball joints that were ready to fail. (popping noise and squeaking. Totally worn out).

So today I rented the press tool and got the driver's side done, but when I go to the passenger side I ran into some trouble and maybe you all could help me with some suggestions. I can't get the damn spindle off the ball joint / control arm. I think its rusted stuck inside the hole in the spindle to the ball joint. I've tried two air chisels with the pickle fork attachment. Nothing. I tried a hammer and the old-fashioned pickle fork. Nothing. I tried loosening up the nut and letting the tension off the control arm and having the spring "pop" it loose. Nothing.

Fast forward several hours and one broken air chisel later...

I've got it soaking overnight with some Liquid Wrench to see if that helps, but does anyone else have any suggestions? Has this happened to anyone here? A neighbor suggested a pulley puller but I don't know if they have one that small that I can get in there...who knows. I'm ready to start drinking heavily. Thanks for any advice :beer:

 

[sleeperstang94]

i have used a pitman arm puller before. only other suggestion is rent a torch and give it a little heat

 

[scottg]

Mine were a bitch when I upgraded to the x2 balljoints. I used a combination of a small torch, mini sledge, pickle fork, and lots of cussing. When I say I used a mini sledge, I had the pickle fork jammed in there and used the sledge literally like a baseball bat and was just praying that I wouldn't swing and miss into my fender. It still took many swings to get it to pop loose. Good luck, they suck.

 

[USMC53CHIEF]

I used a BFH and a Samuel L Jackson style stare lol

 

[97snakebite]

I heated the arms up and just pounded the crap out of it

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Chris.94GT]

I loosened the nut but left it on with the spring tension and kept wacking the spindle with a 5lb sledge and it let go.

 

[SVTContique]

Something i hope to never do.

 

[DVJ38]

Use heat! If you don't have a torch, go out to sears and get an oxygen and mapp gas torch. It'll get the spindle nice and hot. Put the nut to the balljoint on a few threads and tack a mini sledge hammer and smash the side of the spinle (on both sides of the balljoint). Maybe even put the spring back in and attatch the strut again so you can have the spring applying force down to help pop the balljoint out. Good luck!

 

[monkeyspunk79]

Thanks everyone. Looks like its time to buy a torch and a pitman arm puller. That's a good idea to try a puller, I would have never thought of it.

One way or another this thing's gotta come off tomorrow. I have to drive this puppy to work Monday.
Hmm, I also have a cutoff wheel....

 

[Blown_By_You]

i just bought one of those $10 propane torch's.. It, along with a puller, kroil, and brute force, got the job done.. installing my x2 balljoints was the SHITTIEST thing I have EVER done on my car lol...

 

[Mystic-SVT]

Use a mini sledge hammer and hit the balljoint stud a few good times and a couple of hits at the spindle where it goes around the balljoint in case it still doesn't break loose , make sure and have the control supported with either the jack or jack stand. This is what I do everytime I've done a set of balljoints on these damn cars, never fails.

 

[monkeyspunk79]

UPDATE: using a little of everyone's advice I finally got the bugger out.

I used a torch and heated it up about 3 times, then used a 2-jaw puller and broke the jaws off of it! Then I heated it some more and bashed on the ball joint stud like Mystic suggested. Finally after a dozen times...BAM! She popped loose. Everything went back in nice & smooth. This is the LAST time I'll be doing this job for sure. Thanks everyone for the encouragement and tips!

 

[DVJ38]

lol good work man, glad you got it out!

 

[97snakebite]

Nicely done... Ball joints are a pain in the balls

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Cemtex]

I just recently got mine replaced. Normally I do everything myself but the sheer number of tools I would need to rent led me to simply have it done. Thankfully living in the south this car has pretty much zero rust so car was ready in about 2 hours.

 

[sidewayscoupe]

BFH and some serious smashing does it every time.... I actually love doing ball joints on these cars.... the rivet in kind suck a dik.

 

[KCRN12]

I know you've already gotten it done, but for future reference, and for those who haven't done it yet.... Letting the spring tension work for you is one of the easiest ways to do this. Loosen the nut till the top of the nut meets the top of the threads. Don't put a jack or anything under it. Let all of the spring force push against it. Get a mini sledge and beat it a few times and it'll pop. After it pops, put a jack under it, take the nut off, and let it down the rest of the way. Worst case scenario... add a little heat to the mix. But I've never had to use a torch on any ball joints doing it this way. And I've done more than my fair share.