Ball joint getting the best of me.

[bowlofturtle]

Originally Posted by The_Eric


As soon as I read that, I had to check your location - yep, this here is a man who knows what it's like to live in the rust belt.



Ive often wondered life would be like out of the salt belt.



I'm taking another stab at this tomorrow, possibly hitting up home depot for the hand torch.

 

[P10crew]

Get mapp

 

[Kruse]

I don't mean to insult your intelligence here, but are you SURE that the lip of the ball joint is not hitting the ring on the ball joint press?
Slightly embarassed on my part, I recently replaced the ball joints on my Navigator. The first one wouldn't move and I kept pulling on the breaker bar until it finally moved.
After looking at it, the ring that I had used was one size too small. The lip on the old ball joint actually bent up as I pushed it out of the control arm and through the extension ring.
Using the right sized ring, the other side ball joint went much easier.

 

[mattd]

Originally Posted by tiger862
Originally Posted by emmett442
Yeah, rust can make it difficult.

I have good luck using a combination of methods.

First, load it up tight with the press.
Second, smash the knuckle where the ball joint is pressed in with a mallet.
Reload the press
Smash
Press
Smash

Sometimes to get it started, you have to throw a round of heat (on the knuckle) in there.

Air hammer is a tremendous help over a mallet, but both get the job done.

+1


+2. Add heat if necessary. This is typical of things up this way.