Can't tap lower ball joint out of place

Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
984
Location
Brittany
I've been hammering the crap out of the lower part of the ball joint to get it out of the steering control arm for the last 20 minutes but it won't get out no matter how much penetrant i spray on it. They're stuck in there pretty hard since 1998. What should i do? Should i wait more or just get the blowtorch out? Here's some pics as well.
IMG_20210406_115418.jpg
IMG_20210406_115426.jpg
m029-1.jpg
 
Air Hammer on the stud, or get a bigger hammer. You may also need heat.

you could also try a tie rod separator.
 
You need a press. Hammering isn’t enough.

Something like this. Heat the knuckle. Put pressure on the stud with the press. Smack the side of the knuckle with the hammer.
I bought one of these after exhausting all other possibilities. It worked like a charm. Wish I'd known about the his tool earlier!

So, agreed, you need a press of some sort.
 
If I was there with Bertha (my version of a BFH), I would put the nut on and get it off. I did a few of those over the years when I owned a shop.
Bertha is the Goddess of death for stuck components.
It's too bad it's not on a lift though, so you can get a nice swing.

Give it a couple cracks on the side of the joint cup after heating.
 
I'm going to play devil's advocate and disagree with heat; but I totally agree with Astro 14 and the ball joint separator. They work like a charm. Ask me how I know? Getting back to heat...your photos don't look like it's rusted, just stuck in there nice & tight as it should be...if you heat it, you're expanding the tapered ball joint and making it bigger, and heating the material around the hole will make the hole smaller...making everything tighter, you want to loosen things. I've used CRC Freeze off with good results. Watch a Youtube video or two on the stuff, keep spraying it on......the part WILL get colder.
1617715323021.jpg
 
I wacked a suspension on a northern Jeep GC so hard once I caused the water pump to leak and had to replace that. It was working fine before that but the vibration gave the last remaining gasket material a way to give up the ghost. Didn't get the bolt out... terrible design.
 
I wacked a suspension on a northern Jeep GC so hard once I caused the water pump to leak and had to replace that. It was working fine before that but the vibration gave the last remaining gasket material a way to give up the ghost. Didn't get the bolt out... terrible design.
If a water pump leak was caused by a suspension impact then that sounds as though it would have also happened at the first decent pothole.
 
A ball/tie rod joint separator will not work on the lower part that joint for obvious reasons. The pin is rusted in causing the problem.
Take a narrow round punch, grind the end like a wedge on the grinder and hammer it in straight between the taper and pin from the side.
That alone may be enough to spring it loose but if not leave it in there and use a BFH on the knuckle for a few hits then on the already buggered threads.
A big air hammer would knock that out in a few seconds but I assume that is not in the program in this case.
Drive the home made wedge in here..

IMG_20210406_115418.jpg
 
I'm going to play devil's advocate and disagree with heat; but I totally agree with Astro 14 and the ball joint separator. They work like a charm. Ask me how I know? Getting back to heat...your photos don't look like it's rusted, just stuck in there nice & tight as it should be...if you heat it, you're expanding the tapered ball joint and making it bigger, and heating the material around the hole will make the hole smaller...making everything tighter, you want to loosen things. I've used CRC Freeze off with good results. Watch a Youtube video or two on the stuff, keep spraying it on......the part WILL get colder.View attachment 53018
I've done this before, but by heating the outside & freezing the ball joint, just don't get it too hot or it could crack. Recovered refrigerant could be used to do this...
 
A CP 717 or Astro 4980 will knock almost anything out. I have had the 717 for years and it never lets me down.
I have some Ingersoll Rand. Thing has been awesome. I remember spending a few hours hammering on pickle fork trying to get a steering stabilizer out of my 71 K-5. Broke down picked up the air hammer. I had it out in the time it took to fill the compressor plus 10 seconds.
 
Thanks a lot. I was able to get the first one loose with a single tap with my biggest hammer shortly after posting this. The other side is another story as i am not able to take a good swing being right handed. Still waiting for a friend to bring me a blowtorch as it is my only other option now.
 
Need to put separating pressure on the joint. Even a little bit will amplify your hammer shock. Otherwise, a powerful air hammer.

I had a buddy try removing lower ball joins on his car for 2 hours. He called me up, I came over, I crow-barred the other side he hadn't touched putting separating/pull apart pressure on the joint and he only needed to hammer twice. Same happened for the other side.

That is why the ball joint separator tool exists.
 
A ball/tie rod joint separator will not work on the lower part that joint for obvious reasons. The pin is rusted in causing the problem.
Take a narrow round punch, grind the end like a wedge on the grinder and hammer it in straight between the taper and pin from the side.
That alone may be enough to spring it loose but if not leave it in there and use a BFH on the knuckle for a few hits then on the already buggered threads.
A big air hammer would knock that out in a few seconds but I assume that is not in the program in this case.
Drive the home made wedge in here..

View attachment 53020
Trav always has wonderful ideas. I'm going to presume the air hammer and a compressor big enough to power it is out of the question. Sorry for my earlier confusion with the ball joint separator. I've also used OEM tool #27175 (about $50) with success and not a lot of effort; Tighten it until you're scared, then rap with a hammer on the knuckle. It's worked for me on friend's vehicles after they spent themselves exhausted with a BFH https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FDQSQ8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
Back
Top