Stuck Upper Balljoint

[JPsToyota]

Well here I sit with a stuck front upper balljoint.

I'm working on my drivers side, trying to put some ES bushings on my arms.

I've got the control arms propped up in a neutral postion, I've got a three arm puller maxed out of the stud, I've hit it the arm with an air chisel with a socket on the end of it, I've hit it with a mallet, I've sprayed WD40 into it... I'd have cut the damn thing off 30 minutes ago if I didn't have to pay for a new one.



Any tricks out there? I think I'm SOL.

 

[JPsToyota]

I'm about to go nuclear on this thing.

 

[OneJArpus]

more force. Keep going at it.

 

[Koenigturbo]

more force. Keep going at it.

"may the "force" be with you, good luck!

 

[SideWinderGX]

What kind of springs/struts do you have?

I had Illumina 2s and Eibachs, and I took the lower bolt out so I can move the strut around, and while pushing lightly on the strut I had enough room to swing the wishbone around and rest it on the dust plate. I also couldn't get the ball joint out haha.

...then I used a c-clamp on the bushings, because there weren't any sleeves on them. They popped right out

 

[JPsToyota]

I took all the brake equipment off to clear out some room and used a 3 lb. hammer with extreme prejudice to knock both the driver's side ball joints out.

Now whether I can massage the threads a bit and get the nuts back on them, only time will tell.

It felt like I had just landed on the moon when that puppy broke loose and popped up.

 

[spiller]

apparently knocking the side of the balljoint rather than on top or on the thread works best to get them free. i can't talk from experience but will be attempting this next month when i pull my front end apart.

 

[JPsToyota]

What kind of springs/struts do you have?

I had Illumina 2s and Eibachs, and I took the lower bolt out so I can move the strut around, and while pushing lightly on the strut I had enough room to swing the wishbone around and rest it on the dust plate. I also couldn't get the ball joint out haha.

...then I used a c-clamp on the bushings, because there weren't any sleeves on them. They popped right out

I've got Bilstein shocks and perches with some unknown springs. They're the only part of the car that I'm really happy with. I took the lower bolt out also.

 

[JPsToyota]

apparently knocking the side of the balljoint rather than on top or on the thread works best to get them free. i can't talk from experience but will be attempting this next month when i pull my front end apart.

I tried everything. I air-chiseled them sideways and hammered them sideways.

The only thing that got them free was a full force 3lb. hammer blow straight to the stud. I wouldn't doubt that works in some cases though.^

 

[SideWinderGX]

A very wise man told me to leave the nut on the threads while hitting it with a hammer...because I messed up quite a few threads hitting the stud with a hammer myself

Good to know you've got it out though...make triple sure that nut will screw back on before reinstallation.

 

[IJ.]

Hope you realise the top balljoints aren't servicable and if you've trashed the threads it's new A-Arm time..... :nono:

 

[suprahooked]

Hope you realise the top balljoints aren't servicable and if you've trashed the threads it's new A-Arm time..... :nono:

Some people learn the hard way!:nono:

 

[Asterix]

I've been using something like this for quite some time. A person who worked on a lot of Fords told me about this tool.

Mine is made from bolts that I cupped the tops of with a large drill bit and a threaded-rod coupler. You can get tremendous spreading force easily, then you smack the knuckle with a hammer a couple of times and the tapered shaft will pop free.

Instructions are here, down at the bottom of the page.

Asterix

 

[toyzforme]

I don't see what the problem is I always hit the control arm right by the ball joint and after enough hits it just pops right off. I have been doing this for years on all types of vehicles. My dad taught me this and he was a mechanic for 30 yrs for chevy, ford you name it he did it.

 

[dumbo]

A very wise man told me to leave the nut on the threads while hitting it with a hammer...because I messed up quite a few threads hitting the stud with a hammer myself

bingo

 

[JPsToyota]

Hope you realise the top balljoints aren't servicable and if you've trashed the threads it's new A-Arm time..... :nono:

Im aware, thanks.

 

[JPsToyota]

A very wise man told me to leave the nut on the threads while hitting it with a hammer...because I messed up quite a few threads hitting the stud with a hammer myself

Good to know you've got it out though...make triple sure that nut will screw back on before reinstallation.

Very good simple advice. Wish I would've thought of that in the heat of the moment.

The threads will be fine. If there was any damage it was on the end of the stud, and I remember there was a good bit of stud hanging out past the nut. So I may just have to "modify" the stud a bit :biglaugh:

 

[JPsToyota]

Some people learn the hard way!:nono:

What was I going to do, just leave it stuck on there?

Sometimes you just gotta go for it and hope for the best, cant be skurred of it

 

[IJ.]

What was I going to do, just leave it stuck on there?

Sometimes you just gotta go for it and hope for the best, cant be skurred of it

You could have used a BJ seperator, there are many types including screw type or pickle fork, often a bit of preload on the arm and smacing the SIDE of the spindle where the balljoint goes through is enough to release it.

You NEVER hit the threads never, this is a part you trust your life to and WILL kill you if it fails at high speed... :nono: