Lower Ball Joint really screwing with me

[gregnash]

Yeah I know what you mean... Don't spend the money unless you want to on the higher dollar HF air hammer. I bought the cheapo $13 one and that took out my front lower diff bushing with relative ease. It did come with a straight chisel tip in the box, so be aware of that. Then grab yourself a pickle fork or two (measure diameter of BJ if you can to ensure you get the right sized one) and then be done with it.

 

[Kofoed]

AutoZone loans out tools for free. The have the puller and c clamp style for the lower. Put down a deposit which covers replacement cost and thensome and use for like 2 months. Rocks

 

[gregnash]

AutoZone loans out tools for free. The have the puller and c clamp style for the lower. Put down a deposit which covers replacement cost and thensome and use for like 2 months. Rocks

Negative... tool rental is usually only for 24-48hrs. From my experience, tools are usually thrashed, hence why I bought my own cheap ball joint press for $45 from Amazon. Rental cost from my LAPS would have been $150-$170 depending on store.

 

[jammingator]

I rented the kit pictured from Advanced and there are no real restrictions - you get charged for the kit and then credited when you return it. Same at OReillys and others as well.

 

[lesgarten]

Here is an actual real time photograph of me after going to HF today:

The ball joint separator that is kinda like a crab claw that I bought at HF, it was missing the screw!!!

#$!&*!!

They were out of the big air hammer. I did get an air hammer pickle fork.

So then I was beating on a pickle fork for a while tonight to work on improving my upper body strength, since nothing else seemed to be going on except that... And I nailed my right ear with some sound damage. Ear all of a sudden felt clogged up, started ringin' like a mofo, and everything in that ear sounded like AM radio through a blown speaker. The buzz and everything. Everytime I said something, it sounded like a blown speaker in my head, buzzing on every sound. Very bizarre. I've shot a lot of guns without hearing protection, this was way different. Had to stop. The blown speaker buzz is gone now after a few hours, but still ringing now. Need to rethink my hearing protection plan which before today was nothing.

So while I was ruminating, analyzing, and examining, I looked at these ball joint separators thinking about why they aren't getting the job done. I got it. They don't seat in properly to work. The spread will not go all the way around the spindle on the ball joint. It only goes in maybe half way. Using a caliper I started measuring things. About 1.5mm too little on the spread. That means the end of the spindle is not engaged squarely and fully on the bottom jaw of the spreader. This causes the spreader to wiggle out and pop off the knuckle. I think I am going to grind this spreader out 2mm and the spreader will then square up hopefully and I'll crank on it till it breaks the joint or breaks itself. I still got the air hammer to try, but am not feeling real confident in that honestly. I'll try that after the separator issues are addressed. But I'm really thinking cutoff wheel. Cutoff wheel vs Separator.

 

[Kofoed]

Negative... tool rental is usually only for 24-48hrs. From my experience, tools are usually thrashed, hence why I bought my own cheap ball joint press for $45 from Amazon. Rental cost from my LAPS would have been $150-$170 depending on store.

Not around here bro. Fistt time for c clamp rental and accessories for a brand new kit $100 deposit, had it for a week. Second was the big set for $140 deposit had it for 3 weeks. Got deposits back in full.

AutoZone Loan-A-Tool - Tool Rental Near Me | AutoZone Tool Rental Program

www.autozone.com

 

[knewstance]

Here is an actual real time photograph of me after going to HF today:

The ball joint separator that is kinda like a crab claw that I bought at HF, it was missing the screw!!!

#$!&*!!

They were out of the big air hammer. I did get an air hammer pickle fork.

So then I was beating on a pickle fork for a while tonight to work on improving my upper body strength, since nothing else seemed to be going on except that... And I nailed my right ear with some sound damage. Ear all of a sudden felt clogged up, started ringin' like a mofo, and everything in that ear sounded like AM radio through a blown speaker. The buzz and everything. Everytime I said something, it sounded like a blown speaker in my head, buzzing on every sound. Very bizarre. I've shot a lot of guns without hearing protection, this was way different. Had to stop. The blown speaker buzz is gone now after a few hours, but still ringing now. Need to rethink my hearing protection plan which before today was nothing.

So while I was ruminating, analyzing, and examining, I looked at these ball joint separators thinking about why they aren't getting the job done. I got it. They don't seat in properly to work. The spread will not go all the way around the spindle on the ball joint. It only goes in maybe half way. Using a caliper I started measuring things. About 1.5mm too little on the spread. That means the end of the spindle is not engaged squarely and fully on the bottom jaw of the spreader. This causes the spreader to wiggle out and pop off the knuckle. I think I am going to grind this spreader out 2mm and the spreader will then square up hopefully and I'll crank on it till it breaks the joint or breaks itself. I still got the air hammer to try, but am not feeling real confident in that honestly. I'll try that after the separator issues are addressed. But I'm really thinking cutoff wheel. Cutoff wheel vs Separator.

That sounds like exactly my issue. I'm telling you, that adjustable one was the only one that was slim enough to get a good bite.

 

[lesgarten]

That sounds like exactly my issue. I'm telling you, that adjustable one was the only one that was slim enough to get a good bite.

I'm gonna grind a little on these crab claw separators first. I think that will solve the problem, hopefully...

 

[lesgarten]

So the saqa ends. Thanx for all the help and suggestions you guys had.

Here's what worked. I used the original ball joint separator that I rented from Autozone.

I had bet all my eggs on it in the beginning. Was amazed it was not working. The problem as I mentioned above was that it was able to wiggle out because the jaws weren't wide enough to go around the ball joint spindle. I ground it out slowly today to get a perfect fit on it. Got it fully engaged and started putting pressure on the joint.

Then started ringing it a few times with the hammer. My right ear very quickly(3 smacks) let me know that I should be wearing some hearing protection, DOH! Very slow learner...

Cranked it down pretty hard, still not just letting go though. Let it sit a bit because my wife came home. Went back out to it and hit it one time with the hammer and the separator popped off and I said $#!%&. Thought it wiggled out. No Bang. But it was loose! Done! Stick a fork in it! Can't believe how good this made me feel! Now back on track, I got a ton more to do. I actually have an outer tie rod stuck to an inner that I need to get back to.

 

[FxFormat]

Is your truck rusted? I barely gave it a love tap and the knuckle popped out and dropped on a box i had wedged under neath. Popped the C clip off, pressed it out and put a new one in, in under 30 minutes.

Truck feels like new now, and the slight wheel vibration i had, is now gone, it was probably from a lose LBJ

 

[knewstance]

Is your truck rusted? I barely gave it a love tap and the knuckle popped out and dropped on a box i had wedged under neath. Popped the C clip off, pressed it out and put a new one in, in under 30 minutes.

Truck feels like new now, and the slight wheel vibration i had, is now gone, it was probably from a lose LBJ

I'm not sure it is related to rust. I had a heck of a time with mine it is definitely not rusty.

My issue, and his from what I can tell is getting the tool to get the proper bite on the surface that will support the necessary pressure required.

 

[lesgarten]

Is your truck rusted? I barely gave it a love tap and the knuckle popped out and dropped on a box i had wedged under neath. Popped the C clip off, pressed it out and put a new one in, in under 30 minutes.

Truck feels like new now, and the slight wheel vibration i had, is now gone, it was probably from a lose LBJ

Not rusted. Southern car. Mine is not perfectly clean underneath but looks really pretty good for an 18 year old vehilce. Mainly oil I am trying to run down. Yours looks good with a nice shiny new BJ. Mine are shot. It will drive like a new truck with all the stuff in the front end replaced!

 

[lesgarten]

I'm not sure it is related to rust. I had a heck of a time with mine it is definitely not rusty.

My issue, and his from what I can tell is getting the tool to get the proper bite on the surface that will support the necessary pressure required.

That was it. It was in there good, but once the tool put "good" pressure on it, it yielded. I decided I wouldn't charge Autozone for fixing their tool!

 

[flintknapper]

Is your truck rusted? I barely gave it a love tap and the knuckle popped out and dropped on a box i had wedged under neath. Popped the C clip off, pressed it out and put a new one in, in under 30 minutes.

Truck feels like new now, and the slight wheel vibration i had, is now gone, it was probably from a lose LBJ

Tell us more about those Jacks/Stands in the pic, supporting the vehicle?

 

[FxFormat]

Tell us more about those Jacks/Stands in the pic, supporting the vehicle?

It's the quick jack

BL-7000SLX

The BL-7000SLX is our heaviest-duty portable car and truck lift system. Reinforced upper frame rails give this lift enough strength to effortlessly raise light-duty trucks and SUVs. For higher ground-clearance vehicles, don't forget to pick up our truck adapter set. The extra spacers will offer...

www.quickjack.com

 

[lesgarten]

Reposting. The difference with this one and others is that you tighten the main section, then start turning the smaller one, which pushes a piston in that gives you advantage with the hydraulic pressure it builds. It is NOT like a standard ball joint tool. Super burly too.

OEMTOOLS 25219 Hydraulic Ram
Amazon product ASIN B07DLWDNRH


Summit sells it too:

Link to their site Part #OES-25219

View attachment 2250054

Have you used this on the LC100 LBJ? It doesn't look like it has enough reach or jaw opening?

 

[lesgarten]

So my saga with the LBJ is coming back to screw with me yet again.

Car doesn't have 10 miles on it since the Ball joints were replaced. Drove it around a bit to bed in the new brake pads and rotors and brought it back and lifted to check for leaks and what not. BIG FREAKIN LEAK. The left side diff seal. I had rebuilt the CV's and changed the seals.

So I'm going back in there and need to separate the LBJ, the one that gave me all the grief before. I figured this would be duck soup. It don't have 10 freaking miles on it!

Well, it didn't want to budge the easy way. Now I am stripped back down to the spindle. The boot as mangled an cut off. And I cannot get this thing loose again. Using the same "modified" separator from Autozone I used before.

I would be willing to invest in a good separator at this point. The problem with the autozone one is that the thumb portion that bears on the spindle of the ball joint is IMO angled the wrong direction. It allows the BJ spindle to be squeezed out under pressure.

 

[l3n0x]

This is how you use it, right?

 

[Kofoed]

OEM Tools 25262 (pep boys for 20 bucks IIRC) Torque with breaker bar to like 120 foot pounds, sometimes it pops off. If no, hit wit a 2 pound hammer

Amazon product ASIN B000CMHKR2

 

[lesgarten]

This is how you use it, right?

Yes, that picture illustrates the problem perfectly. The "thumb" that is on the spindle of the BJ will walk off with pressure. That looks exactly like the tool I am using.