Ball Joint Stuck!

[bochnak]

Ok now i'm seeing how this would be a better tool for the job. i wasn't understanding the whole coupler idea.

BTW, I put a small counterbore on each bolt head so it won't slip off BJ stud.

[MrQuick]

wow, sorry you are having issues. We never had one this bad.


Vince

[KWIKND]

Have you put away the brass hammer and tried a medium sledge yet?
Just like baseball its all about bat speed!!
Also a simple punch end (cut off the chisel point) on an air hammer works good too.
Good Luck,
Dan

[tnbandit]

Buy the tool here:

http://scandc.com/tools.htm




Or use your imagination and make one. This tool/method works really well w/o tearing boots.

OK I had my coworkers in the tooling department make me one of these using hardened steel drilled in the center and 5/8 nut welded to it. I can use different length bolts depending on my application. All my bolts and the bottom of the tool itself were counter sunk to allow it to sit on the BJ stud effectively. I'll. Try to get pics of it later.

[MrQuick]

man, must be nice to have a tooling department. LOL


vince

[tnbandit]

So here's my tool I had made. Very similar in design.


We used a 1" allen wrench cut to about 4 inches. Drill a 5/8 hole in one end with a 5/8 hex nut welded on and counter sunk the other end to sit on the ball joint stud. Then I can use Whatever length 5/8 bolt I need to get the job done. All bolt heads are also counter sunk.

Turned on the bolt till it couldnt turn anymore(not by me anyway) and the studs still have not budged! Why the hell are these being so stubborn? Even hammered on the spindle with the pressure being on it and still no luck! Do I just need to torch them or cut them with a saw? This is getting very frustrating as I cant put it back together to get it to a shop either. Any other suggestions? Does this tool look right? Is there something I'm missing?

[MrQuick]

crap, I though we were going to hear some good news.

Get a coil spring compressor drop it down the shock hole, hook up to the spring and hold the spring up then pull the control arms with the spindles.

If you still can't get them apart off the car then start looking for replacments.

where are you located?


Vince

[tnbandit]

West tennessee, About halfway between Memphis & Nashville.

[John Wright]

wow, sorry you are having issues. We never had one this bad.


Vince

+1...never ran into one of these that was as stubborn as the one you have there....

[John Wright]

Try your tool again and add some heat to the spindle right where the stud goes through the spindle...then hit it with your hammer...something has got to give.

[a67]

Most likely the ball joint stud nuts were over torqued. Or maybe someone thought red locktite was a good idea...

Anyway, when you strike the knuckle where the stud passes through, back up the opposite side with a larger hammer. This will help (a lot) in popping the stud loose.

With a back up hammer the force is concentrated into that area of the knuckle.

Bob.

[tnbandit]

What's a backup hammer?

[MrQuick]

thats where you put a hammer against the impact surface then hit that hammer with a larger hammer or hit the surface on the opposite side with an equal sized hammer... can you walk and chew bubble gum at the same time? it helps
Vince

[John Wright]

What's a backup hammer?

place an additional hammer(preferrably a heavy one) on the backside of where you are striking...(back up hammer) this will send more of the blow directly into the part ...just like driving nails in a 2x4.....if you hit a nail in a 2x4 and the 2x4 bounces, then you can't drive the nail in....use a back up hammer and you can drive the nail all the way in one hit.



edit: whoops!...what he^^^ said

[a67]

thats where you put a hammer against the impact surface then hit that hammer with a larger hammer or hit the surface on the opposite side with an equal sized hammer... can you walk and chew bubble gum at the same time? it helps
Vince

NO, don't do that! Never hit one hammer with another. Hammer faces are hardened and will readily chip and throw a piece into the nearest eye-ball.


A back up hammer is placed opposite of the striking surface on the knuckle.

IOW, place the back up hammer on one side of the knuckle, then strike the knuckle opposite of it. This way the knuckle is wedged between the two hammers.

Bob.

[tnbandit]

OK. I'll give that a try. Got to find another hammer.

[John Wright]

NO, don't do that! Never hit one hammer with another. Hammer faces are hardened and will readily chip and throw a piece into the nearest eye-ball.


A back up hammer is placed opposite of the striking surface on the knuckle.

IOW, place the back up hammer on one side of the knuckle, then strike the knuckle opposite of it. This way the knuckle is wedged between the two hammers.

Bob.

Whoa...yup, I agree. I read the response too quickly and thought he said the same thing I did.....

yeah DO NOT hit two hammers together, people can die that way...a sliver can shear off of the hammer's surface at enough velocity to go right through ya.

[6'9"Witha69]

So here's my tool I had made. Very similar in design.


We used a 1" allen wrench cut to about 4 inches. Drill a 5/8 hole in one end with a 5/8 hex nut welded on and counter sunk the other end to sit on the ball joint stud. Then I can use Whatever length 5/8 bolt I need to get the job done. All bolt heads are also counter sunk.

Turned on the bolt till it couldnt turn anymore(not by me anyway) and the studs still have not budged! Why the hell are these being so stubborn? Even hammered on the spindle with the pressure being on it and still no luck! Do I just need to torch them or cut them with a saw? This is getting very frustrating as I cant put it back together to get it to a shop either. Any other suggestions? Does this tool look right? Is there something I'm missing?

Just to be sure, put some anti sieze on the threads of the bolt into the shaft. It may help get a little more movement. Also, turn the wheels and see about getting as pong a lever on the wrench doing the turning as possible.

And the backup hammer works well too once there is as much pressure as possible between the BJ studs.

[Olav]

http://www.biltema.no/no/Bil---MC/Ve...leddavtrekker/

Try to get one of these...

[Charley Lillard]

My experience tells me you aren't hitting the knuckle hard enough. How big is your hammer ? With the tool you made applying pressure , a good whack on the side of the knuckle should do it.