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lower ball joint seperation?

S

SVT#4967

CEG'er
Joined
Sep 12, 2007
Messages
322
Location
Michigan
I've removed the nut and the bolt from the knuckle but I'm unsure as too how to separate the lower ball joint from the knuckle. I don't want to use anything that is going to destroy the boot like a pickle fork, so how do I separate it?

I'm used to Honda's where the ball joint is in the knuckle and goes down into the lower control arm. I can just take a small sledge and hit the side of the LCA and after a couple hits the ball joint will just pop free, nice and easy with no damage to the boot.

Any tips or tool I should use would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
take a chivel and use it to open up the hub from around the ball joint shaft. Also remove the strut bolt and slide the hub as high as it will go on the strut. Then press down on the control arm with what ever method you prefer. Use some PBlaster might also help.
 
ok, so just wedge something into the slot where the bolt is at to open it a bit.

What would you recommend to push down on the control arm with? Just pushing down with your own strength or using something and prying down on it from somewhere? If prying, where would you recommend to pry from? Sorry, first time I've encountered this type of ball joint.
 
I normally can get them apart by just pushing down on the a-arm with my hands. many use pry bars through the middle of the arm if you have the 2 bolt style.
 
uh, 2 bolt style? My LCA mounts to the subframe I believe at two points and then to the knuckle with the LBJ.
 
yes there are two types of control arms, a 4 bolt style and a 2 bolt style. To determine look at the subframe and count the number of bolts that mount the control arm to the subframe. but generally 98 and older have a 4 bolt arm and the post 98 have a 2 bolt arm. The 2 bolt arms are open in the center while the 4 bolt arms are solid. So you can either pry down through or across the control arm
 
well, from the sound of it I have the 2 bolt style then, but I will double check today. A 2 bolt LCA would sorta look like an "A" right?

I do recall yesterday after removing the bolt we stuck a large screw driver in the slot sorta like you had mentioned and I do remember sticking it through the middle opening of the LCA and into the slot.
 
just pile grease on your pickle fork. grease the rubber too. tap it soft until it frees, then use a pry bar on the arm and pull it down. it won't tear up the ball joint, ive done it multiple times. i learned the grease trick after the first ball joint i ruined on teh car.
 
I just did mine and it comes out fairly easy. I found the best way was to put a cold chisel in the slot and then pushing down with my hands. I also did it using a 5 foot pry bar though the hole in the LCA. SVTJON posted some pics of how to do it.

Edit: Look here
 
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SVT#4967 said:
I've removed the nut and the bolt from the knuckle but I'm unsure as too how to separate the lower ball joint from the knuckle. I don't want to use anything that is going to destroy the boot like a pickle fork, so how do I separate it?

...
Click to expand...
Ball joint removal tool. About $20 from Advance or Autozone. It looks like a battery terminal (or wiper blade) remover.

Edit.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product?storeId=10101&Pr=p_Product.CATENTRY_ID%3A2004158&TID=8014524F&productId=2004158&catalogId=10101
 
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thanks for all the tips.

I sprayed it with some PB Blaster and wedged a chisel in the slot. I then used a pipe and tried prying down on the LCA. It came out about a 1/4" but after that it just wouldn't budge. After a while and some frustration I popped it back in and sprayed it again. I then took the pipe and a couple good pushes and it popped right out. Rusty as hell. So I cleaned it up and sanded the inside of the knuckle a bit to clean it up, there was a ring of rust and I think thats what I was hung up on.
 
TRicker said:
just pile grease on your pickle fork. grease the rubber too. tap it soft until it frees, then use a pry bar on the arm and pull it down. it won't tear up the ball joint, ive done it multiple times. i learned the grease trick after the first ball joint i ruined on teh car.
Click to expand...

I'll have to give that a shot some time. Never thought of that.
 
also, while I have you guys here, any tips for removing the RH axle from the half/intermediate shaft (not sure of the exact part name)?

I see there is a groove in the housing for an attachment and a slide hammer I assume by the looks of the manual but I don't have that. On Honda's I usually use a big screw driver or pry bar with flat tip and pop it free. But Honda's don't have this rubber seal looking thing and I'm wondering if I tried prying the axle out that it might damage this rubber seal.
 
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