Upper Ball Joint Removal

[4RunninElgin]

Hey guys and gals! I've been doing a massive overhaul of my suspension. So far I've completed the rear end with the OME springs and shocks and replaced the bushings with the EnergySuspension Polys.(I'll be doing a write-up after I'm all done) And I thought that was a PITA.... Ha! Think again Rick! Now comes the fun part! Everything was going smoothly until I got to the upper ball joint on the drivers side. I've pounded, pried, separated, and heated with no luck. I've read the majority of the posts about this problem but REALLY don't want to pull off the knuckle and pay to have someone press it out. I'm at my wits end and I'm sure the hoa will be sending me a nasty letter soon.... I'm thinking about cutting off both sides of the b.j. and drilling it out. It also seems contradictory to the FSM and the posts that I am having this much trouble getting the darn thing out....Any guidance or suggestions would REALLY make my day.....Thanks!

 

[VA_4R]

Have you tried the small ball joint press?

 

[4RunninElgin]

Yes, to no avail.....The darn thing is stuck.....

 

[DangerRanger]

Try to use some heat, and a hammer. That tool is better than the fork some people use.

 

[dogojoe96]

I had the same problem too. I left the lower ball joint connected and also had a large socket in between the UCA and bump stop to give more room for downward travel and isolate the UCA from moving. Once set up like this I went to town with the 5lb sledge and pb blaster. I had original ball joints and 260k on the odometer. Heat is often helpful, don't waist your time with a pickle fork, I broke several trying to break out the upper ball joints.

 

[santanvalleydirt]

Try to use some heat, and a hammer. That tool is better than the fork some people use.

Lol he said in the original post that he already did that.


This reminds me that my balljoints are shot and need to be fixed eep:

 

[4RunninElgin]

Thanks Y'all! I'm gonna give the heat another shot along with a smaller type of separator I found at HFT. I'm using a propane torch to avoid heating the knuckle too much(is that being too cautious?) and as y'all know, it's a little tight and I don't want to chance scorch the lines as apposed to acetylene(which I'm used to)....normally I'd heat it till it glows, give it a whack or two and that would be that.... I had to change out a mangled PTO shaft on my tractor and did it with an acetylene torch .. Those things get lotsa torque at 540rpms and 30+ hp diesel?.. Maybe I worry too much and should just go with the A-torch....Any and all feedback appreciated! Thanks again!

 

[VA_4R]

lol the fork is to separate ball joints/tie rods not to be used to REMOVE ball joints

 

[4RunninElgin]

Here's the tool that got the sucker out....HFT to the rescue! Now to figure out how to get the bushings out of the control arm....Am replacing them with EnergySuspension bushings....Anyone ever do this?