Now I am really in trouble

[samsterman99]

To save time, I went out today to recover a friend's K5 that was stuck. After we freed him, I was simply driving back down the trail when my ball joints on the driver side decided it was time to sheer off and break. Now I have a broken inner front axle, my tire is stuffed into my fender, and my truck is on a single wide trail with 2 difficult obstacles on either side. I am going to pick up new ball joints tomorrow, and try and get the thing foxxed on the trail with a friend who has a press and the know how. I was curious if anyone has any advice for this task. Its is a nasty spot on a trail where it is pointed drivers side down at a 25 degreee angle, I need to straighten my tires, get pulled out backwards, and then there is a flat area where I may be able to replace the ball joints and have enough luck to drive it out to the trailhead. AAA, and then I can deal with the rest of the mess.
Moral of the story, check your ball joints. They are cheap, and one breaking has just lead to 500$+ in repairs and a HUGE headache. Anyone in the san bernardino area or knows about pilot rock truck trail, PM me if you know anyone who wants a quick recovery job. I am in a sticky spot and am blocking a single wide portion of the trail. I want to move my car asap to open the trail up.

 

[K85 Octane]

I'd pull all the stuff off from the inner C. So the knuckle etc. Then drag it out backwards if possible, if not, then forwards. I can't see you hurting anything by doing this. Pull the shafts out and stuff several rags into the housing, to keep the dirt out. Then pull the thing far enough to get a proper tow. If you have to tow it forward, throw a strap around the axle (the lowest point) and have a truck tow you out. Keep the strap short and up as high as possible. That way, when you move forward, it lifts some of the weight off the front end. It's too bad you can't compress the passenger side rear suspension

I'm not in your situation and don't know what things look like on the trail, but I think this would be the easiest, fastest way to get it home and off the trail. However, I've never done any of what I just said ahahahahahah

 

[K85 Octane]

PS> Do you have plenty of help? I have a cheapo C press that I've used on my ball joints. My truck is running, not exactly broken in yet for any snatching, but it can drag a truck on flat ground.

 

[496truck]

What I would do. Walk in with whatever tools to remove the knuckle and the rest of the b/js in the inner c. Unbolt and hang the caliper up. Walk the knuckle assembly out and drive it to a local shop to have the b/js pressed out/in. Now all you have to do is go back in and assemble, instead of trying to press b/js out on the trail by hand.

 

[samsterman99]

Ok, That makes a lot of sense, so if I can get the knuckle off and take it into a shop, press the BJ's in, then go back out and just bolt the axle back to the knuckle. Hopefully I can lightly wheel it out in 3 wheel drive. (thank you front locker)
One guy I was hoping to go with me today has a ball joint press and is/was a mechanic. So I am hoping we can press the joints in right there.
Anything else I should bring with me that I might need/may have broken. I just want to get home.

 

[evolve991]

Sound like you have MY kinda luck!! Hope you find a pain free fix man

 

[496truck]

Ok, That makes a lot of sense, so if I can get the knuckle off and take it into a shop, press the BJ's in, then go back out and just bolt the axle back to the knuckle. Hopefully I can lightly wheel it out in 3 wheel drive. (thank you front locker)
One guy I was hoping to go with me today has a ball joint press and is/was a mechanic. So I am hoping we can press the joints in right there.
Anything else I should bring with me that I might need/may have broken. I just want to get home.

I'm sure it can be done, but without a vise to hold the knuckle and no air tools, youre gonna need leverage to turn the threaded press pin. It's gonna be difficult.

 

[owenst7]

I have done plenty of ball joints without a vice to hold the knuckle in. Just bring some good penetrating oil and rent a ball joint press if it comes to that.

I don't know how far out of the way it is, but there is no way I would drive a knuckle to a shop for that lol, I would buy a vice and bolt it to my bumper out there if I absolutely had to.

Hell, use a shovel handle/hilift/tree branch/etc and ratchet strap the damn knuckle to a tire/bumper/tree/whatever. Get creative. Gas is expensive!

You could stick a stick or handle or something through the middle of the knuckle and stand on it if you need the leverage and there's no ratchet straps...zip tie it to something...sheesh

Don't forget a grease gun. I grease the new balljoint heads to make them easier to press in just in case you didn't think of that.

People used to build pyramids with rocks and horse hair and they didn't have to enlist the help of a machine shop.

Do you have a pick n pull? Back when I owned a truck with a 44, I picked up a pair of flat top knuckles for only $35...pull the knuckle and you get the shaft while you're at it.

 

[496truck]

I have done plenty of ball joints without a vice to hold the knuckle in. Just bring some good penetrating oil and rent a ball joint press if it comes to that.

I don't know how far out of the way it is, but there is no way I would drive a knuckle to a shop for that lol, I would buy a vice and bolt it to my bumper out there if I absolutely had to.

Hell, use a shovel handle/hilift/tree branch/etc and ratchet strap the damn knuckle to a tire/bumper/tree/whatever. Get creative. Gas is expensive!

You could stick a stick or handle or something through the middle of the knuckle and stand on it if you need the leverage and there's no ratchet straps...zip tie it to something...sheesh

Don't forget a grease gun. I grease the new balljoint heads to make them easier to press in just in case you didn't think of that.

People used to build pyramids with rocks and horse hair and they didn't have to enlist the help of a machine shop.

Do you have a pick n pull? Back when I owned a truck with a 44, I picked up a pair of flat top knuckles for only $35...pull the knuckle and you get the shaft while you're at it.

True. I think my thought is geographically based. Most, if not all, of the trailheads in my neck of the woods are within 10-15 minutes of real civilization but at least 1.5 hrs from home. Which is why my thought is to pull parts and pay for someone else to fight with them in a shop, cause I know how much I fought with them at home with a workbench, a vice, air tools, etc. I forget that, out west, you can drive for hours without any signs of human existence. And that trail may be hours from civilization. In which case I would certainly try to fix it on the trail first. But if the opportunity exists to bring it to a shop within a reasonable distance, and get it done and back together quicker and with less aggravation, I'd be all over that.