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Ball Joint Removal?? Success with re-assembled photos now!

jeff in co

jeff in co

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**** Updated due to PhotoBucket Errors!! ****
I've started the process with my daughter to replace all the ball joints, brakes, seals, calipers, etc.

I've gotten everything stripped but don't know how to get the upper ball joint out of the axle assembly. I hammered on it a few times and then realized there is an adjuster nut in the upper ball joint. Do I just continue to hammer on the top of the upper ball joint bolt (I'm pointing to) or do I need a special 4 prong socket to unscrew that "inner bolt"??



Everything is going great and am really enjoying this with my daughter (and she is having fun too!):woot:

Oh, and after pulling the rotors, the passenger side was TRASHED! Look at the grooves I found! Unbelievable! I have new ones along with inner and outer wheel bearings.


Thanks for the help and sorry to make a fresh "ball joint" thread....I know there is a lot of them out there but I just couldn't find this specific answer.

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Get a ball joint fork. If you mushroom the top of the ball joint to much, it won't fit through when it comes loose.
 
you should have turned the castle nut upside down and threaded it back on before the beatings commenced. :doah:

but like was said if it mushrooms much more, it won't come through at all.
 
got to use a 4lb mini sludge hammer.

smack the inner c area were the bottom ball joint comes threw first. then when it drops a little or comes free. then smack the upper real good and should drop right out.

trick is free up the lower first. not the upper.
 
You can find the otc press online for around 80 bucks. Lots better than the harbor freight one and not much more. Both will do for pressing them out of the knuckles.
 
Avery4jc said:
Have a harbor freight near by? Go buy this and don't let anyone tell you it's not worth it. Being able to press stuff in/out is so much better than beating the crap out of everything.
I've used it for balljoints and u-joints and it's been awesome. Go find one of those 20% off coupons in a magazine and take it in with ya'.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1-ball-joint-u-joint-c-frame-press-service-kit-38335.html
Click to expand...

I have that one too, but it won't do the knuckle ball joints.
I have used this one on the trail changing U joints mostly but also a tie rod here and there.
I do have the 20 ton HF press and I have already saved 10 times it's price on things I was able to do, and I use the 20 ton jack from it on my big rig when I am on the road. :waytogo:
 
Avery4jc said:
Have a harbor freight near by? Go buy this and don't let anyone tell you it's not worth it. Being able to press stuff in/out is so much better than beating the crap out of everything.
I've used it for balljoints and u-joints and it's been awesome. Go find one of those 20% off coupons in a magazine and take it in with ya'.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1-ball-joint-u-joint-c-frame-press-service-kit-38335.html
Click to expand...

Avery, thanks! I did pick up one of those kits from autozone (free rent) but I thought it was to be uses" after" I got the hub assembly off. So I could use the press instead of hammering on it?

I will try and loosen the bottom one first and then move to the top.

Once I get everything out (all 4 ball joints), do I first thread in the upper ball joint sleave and then press the new one into the assembly?

Thanks guys for the quick responses. I'll be back at it in an hour or so...... (running kids to birthday parties).
 
ball joint press dont help to get it off the truck. only remove and install in the parts.

and otc has gone china last few years. i got a brand new unit last year. its china. but the price was good. :doah:

and the upper sleave requires special socket. and need to get a hand held weight scale to be able to pull on the knuckle and measure the drag. to then be able to set the preload.

and since you have it this far apart time for new u joints on those shafts.
 
sweetk30 said:
ball joint press dont help to get it off the truck. only remove and install in the parts.

and otc has gone china last few years. i got a brand new unit last year. its china. but the price was good. :doah:

and the upper sleave requires special socket. and need to get a hand held weight scale to be able to pull on the knuckle and measure the drag. to then be able to set the preload.

and since you have it this far apart time for new u joints on those shafts.
Click to expand...

Yea, I'm starting to learn about that press and not getting it to work. I think I'm pushing on the wrong piece to remove the assembly from the truck. I've hammered on it for awhile and tried the c-clamp.....can't find the right combo. :dunno: I really think they are stuck in there pretty good.

I guess the next step is a torch to heat it up a bit......

Here are the shots with the bearing press but again, I think there isn't a clear way to get it to work for me.




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Got it! Used some heat, some hammering and kept dumping the anti-seize stuff. On to the next fun....





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:haha::doah::haha::doah::haha::doah:

i got to tell ya the way you were pushing on the parts with that press is NOT going to work.

that was working 500% against its self. sit back and think about it the way the ball joints are pressed in the knuckle and the way you were pushing on it.

you use the press AFTER the knuckle is off the axle.
 
Good job getting it off! Like others have said it's only for once the knuckle is off the "C" but I thought that was self-explanatory... my fault for not being more specific. :doah:
 
sweetk30 said:
:haha::doah::haha::doah::haha::doah:

i got to tell ya the way you were pushing on the parts with that press is NOT going to work.

that was working 500% against its self. sit back and think about it the way the ball joints are pressed in the knuckle and the way you were pushing on it.

you use the press AFTER the knuckle is off the axle.
Click to expand...

Yea, I figured that out pretty quickly. My daughter and I both stared at it for a long time and decided we were fighting it in the wrong direction...:doah:

Glad the heat idea came out.....that really helped!

Thanks all. I'll post some other pics as we re-install everything tomorrow (or Monday).
 
I know you figured this out already, but my father taught me this trick.

Get a sledge hammer and hit the HOUSING that the ball joint is sitting in, on the side, as hard as you can about 3-4 times. You don't want to hit the ball joint itself.

What happens is something like the shock from hitting it breaks the ball joint free. Because the housing is rock solid, you won't damage it like hitting the ball joint.

When I do this the ball joint literally falls out in about 3 seconds. My friends are always amazed when they see me do this for the first time. :D
 
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