LOwer ball joint wont pop!

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

R

rmurphy5

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Dec 5, 2009
Threads
6
Messages
18
Hi all, I am trying to replace the outer CV joint and needle roller bearing and bronze bush. I popped the top joint (totally knackered!) but try as I might i couldnt get the bottom to separate. I bought a nice pitman arm puller - put it on and tightened it till the tool jaws started to bend. I hit it from every angle with hammer/hammers but nothing.

Anyone got tips for this? Im in the mood to go at it with 14 pound hammer and just replace the ball joint after although it seems unworn as it was changed not a million miles ago.

Frustrated in the UK!

Rohan
 
I just put my 1/2" air impact on the puller...works fine. No air impact? Then time for the cheater bar...
 
Should you try a little heat from a propane torch will it's under pressure or would that create a bigger problem than the one you now have?
 
I assume you've tried whacking the threaded "pin" of the puller, after you get it as torqued as tightly as you can to the ball joint stud, with a big hammer? This is another little trick that usually separates/pops the two tapers loose...
 
Yes tried that hoping the shock with the force applied would do the job but to no avail. This time ill remove the disc and get a nice angle on it.
 
It has been a while since I replaced my CVs, so I could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that I only had to separate the top ball joint, and was able to get everything out with some moderate cussing.
 
rmurphy5 said:
Ok guys,

have bought a set of pickle forks. As for heat - i was trying to save the lower ball joint but have ordered some new ones so it will get heat too next time - no surrender!

Now going to buy the kit to remove and insert the ball joints myself. Anyone know what size cups I need? Would this kit do the job? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-PCS-BA...ltDomain_3&hash=item1c162c315e#ht_2799wt_1318
Click to expand...

It depends on your new ball joint. But with mine the middle size cup was slightly too big and didn't work. I had to go to home depot and buy a 2" IIRC pipe coupler to use instead. I'll measure when I get home. But that ended up working.

The instructions are a little tricky. I did it the way they said and managed to get it half pressed in. Then switched the set up to get it the rest of the way. Sorry, I don't recall exactly. But I have to do this job on my DS soon. So hopefully you can jog my memory.
 
geocruiser said:
It has been a while since I replaced my CVs, so I could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that I only had to separate the top ball joint, and was able to get everything out with some moderate cussing.
Click to expand...


You're right. Only remove the top.
 
The trick to this for me eventually was removing the brake disc dust cover - it allowed a better go at the ball joint with a splitter and it eventually popped.
 
There is an easy way to pop that tapered pin loose. Put a little pulling pressure on it if possible, the what the ever living hell out of the KNUCKLE with a hammer. Don't try to hit the ball joint, rather hit the knuckle where the pin/joint sticks through the knuckle/spindle. The jarring vibration will break it free. Don't believe me? Ask a local mechanic. That's how they do it without a pickle fork.


...via IH8MUD app
 
I'm in the same situation. I don't know if this is an OEM ball joint or not, but with that lip in there the ball joint puller is useless. I can't get it in far enough to keep the bottom on the bolt.

I tried pounding a pickle fork in there but that didn't do the job either (maybe I need a bigger one).

I've been pounding on it with a 4lb sledge. Do I need something bigger? Can I do any damage to the knuckle if I step up my game?

The top ones came out no problem with the pickle fork.

IMG_7959.webp
 
westwardCruiser said:
I'm in the same situation. I don't know if this is an OEM ball joint or not, but with that lip in there the ball joint puller is useless. I can't get it in far enough to keep the bottom on the bolt.

I tried pounding a pickle fork in there but that didn't do the job either (maybe I need a bigger one).

I've been pounding on it with a 4lb sledge. Do I need something bigger? Can I do any damage to the knuckle if I step up my game?

The top ones came out no problem with the pickle fork.

View attachment 1670702
Click to expand...
The lower ball joints are incredibly hard to pop loose especially if they have seen corrosion. I tried everything and finally an air hammer with a pickle fork attachment got them apart within 10 minutes.
 
I used a seperator and hammer method.

TO install with the OP-linked kit, around here Auto Zone rents it for free (you need to pu down a $100 depoits though) I also had to get a 2" galvanized water pipe nipple and close nipple to seat the new BJ.
 
I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner, but I modified my separator with the bench grinder so it slid the full way onto the knuckle. After getting it as tight as I could they popped out with a few blows of the 4lb sledge.

This is the model I was using: http://a.co/1J04z7y (it will not work as is)

IMG_7960.webp
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom