Ball joint removel

[stonedrive]

Hello everyone, trying to get bottom ball joint to come away from lower arm, I have tried levering down but no joy. Also tried hitting nut from top but no good. Any tips would be much appreciated .

[Phil S]

sharp blow on either side with a hammer, or a ball joint separator, scissor type or tapered fork

[jbuckl]

The taper has to be split. As phil said. Use 2lb or 4lb hammers on the hub boss or a fork splitter.

[stonedrive]

Thanks guys going to order ball joint separater from Amazon, fork type.Many thanks Steve

[Motorsport Micky]

Steve,

"Temporal malformation."

The tapers of the ball joint and arm are that close a fit that just undoing the nut and beating the end of the track rod end won't split them, the ruber bonding allows it to spring back. If you are familiar with "ringing" two flat surfaces when squished and presented together won't part even when not held by a bolt, they displace enough air so that the surface tension holds them together as if glued.
You need to break that surface tension, as Phil and jbuckly say, by placing a large piece of metal (lump hammer or suitable dolly) against the outside of the bottom ball joint casting and fetching the other side a heavy crack across the joint (not down it) with a ball pein or lump hammer.
The impact pushes a force (a temporary one) through the molecular structure of the casting sending a ripple through the structure of the joint of casting and ball joint which breaks (the malformation) the "ringing" affect of the surfaces...which spring apart. Try it before beating a fork separator between the tapers, that's a little crude.

Micky

[stonedrive]

Thanks Micky, I have never heard of that technique before.But the way you have so brilliantly discribed it, it all makes sense.I shall give a go in the morning.Thanks very much Steve

[davidf]

Over too many years I have spent too many painful hours trying to separate taper joints on various cars using all the recommended tricks, Eventually I bought myself a proper splitter, and ever since I curse myself for all those wasted and painful hours. Cheap tool, proper job, few seconds every time. I love the idea of the trick with compression from either side but I can never get one heavy tool held in place and one to hit from the opposite side while lying on the garage floor with all the bits two inches from my nose.

[JOHNS]

Splitting the taper section from the steering link is one thing. Removing the old ball joint from the suspension arm is another. I had to take my arm to a local garage to have it pressed out with their hydraulic press. I then broke my vice trying to press in the new one. Forced to go back to the garage for them to press in.

[trunt]

Over too many years I have spent too many painful hours trying to separate taper joints on various cars using all the recommended tricks, Eventually I bought myself a proper splitter, and ever since I curse myself for all those wasted and painful hours. Cheap tool, proper job, few seconds every time. I love the idea of the trick with compression from either side but I can never get one heavy tool held in place and one to hit from the opposite side while lying on the garage floor with all the bits two inches from my nose.

+1

Hitting it with two hammers may work occasionally but I invested in a scissor type splitter, works every time and my arms are not knackered by whacking the taper over and over!

[sujitroy]

I didn't have much luck with a fork type. Got the scissor type instead