Any Tips on Seperating Lower Ball Joints From Spindles?

[Bruzilla]

I spent most of the day trying to get the lower ball joints out of my 74 Roadrunner and I'm having no success. Got the upper ones, but no the lowers.

Any tips? Torches? Nuclear weapons?

 

[Sonny Black]

try pickle fork method ???


remember that it is under pressure

 

[dieseldazzle]

BFH smacking the release pad. If that dont do it add some heat and if all else fails go get a pickle fork and your BFH.

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

I spent most of the day trying to get the lower ball joints out of my 74 Roadrunner and I'm having no success. Got the upper ones, but no the lowers.

Any tips? Torches? Nuclear weapons?

This.....makes it a walk in the park.....


http://www.manciniracing.com/upbajostre.html

 

[khryslerkid]

What Mopars & Missiles said. I got a whole set of ball joint removal tools from Advance Auto when I did my lowers on a 2005 Dodge Ram. It had that exact tool in that kit. Buy the kit, use it then return for a full refund.
Those lowers on that Dodge Ram where pressed in so tight that it sounded like a gun going off when they let go.
After thought: Correct me if I'm wrong but the upper screws in and the lowers are press fit or do the lowers screw in also like the top? I made my own socket for replacing the tops but I cant recall how the lowers were.

If this is a pic of the lower, they screw in.

 

[gtx1of1]

Bigger hammer.
Hit the f-in thing

 

[dodge1972]

Buy a socket from Napa or Carquest. Get a long extension and spray or heat it. Good Luck

 

[YY1]

BJ to LCA should be press fit for 74 unless someone put a 73 LCA on.

BJ to spindle should be standard 'pickle fork' cone bind. Smack the fork until it sticks, then smack the spindle.

 

[Bruzilla]

I was wailing away with a pickle fork all day. Finally got the upper to release by hammering the fork with a 22.5 pound weight from my son's weightlifting set. Even that didn't phase the lower one though.

The upper is screw in... and what a pleasant fricking experience it was getting the old one screwed out. The lower one is pressed in.

 

[mopar 3 B]

This.....makes it a walk in the park.....
View attachment 299017



http://www.manciniracing.com/upbajostre.html

Wrist pin large enough to fit over the lower ball joint threads, 1 grade 8 bolt of proper length and 1 appropriate nut. Cut the wrist pin with bolt and nut to length to fit between still installed upper and lower ball joints. Use the same as the tool above.

 

[Car Nut]

Borrow the tool at O'Reilly's Auto parts or AutoZone.

 

[Bruzilla]

I went back to Autozone, and they had several kits but none had the referenced tool. They rented me this Y-shaped gizmo that their computer said should work, but it was totally useless.

What I found that did work is to work your way around the joint from multiple sides. You still have to beat on it, but that will make it come loose. I also found an issue with the brake shield. The driver's side spindle came off without a hitch, but for the passenger side I had to remove the rotor and pull the shield forward to get the spindle off.

 

[YY1]

You were doing that with the rotors still on ??

- - - Updated - - -

Probably super difficult to get a good swing and contact point on the spindle.

 

[Bruzilla]

Absolutely! No sense in taking the rotors off unless you're also going to take the shields off as well.

It was typical old car crap. One side took the better part of two days to do. The other side took about an hour and a half.

 

[Jeremiah]

What Mopars & Missiles said. I got a whole set of ball joint removal tools from Advance Auto when I did my lowers on a 2005 Dodge Ram. It had that exact tool in that kit. Buy the kit, use it then return for a full refund.
Those lowers on that Dodge Ram where pressed in so tight that it sounded like a gun going off when they let go.
After thought: Correct me if I'm wrong but the upper screws in and the lowers are press fit or do the lowers screw in also like the top? I made my own socket for replacing the tops but I cant recall how the lowers were.

If this is a pic of the lower, they screw in.

Isn't buying a tool from a business and using it successfully only to return it kind of underhanded and dishonest? Remind me not to sell anything to you.

 

[khryslerkid]

Isn't buying a tool from a business and using it successfully only to return it kind of underhanded and dishonest? Remind me not to sell anything to you.

No not at all. This is the way they suggest you to do it. It's almost the same as renting the tool but the business is covered if you don't bring it back. The bonus is that they will give you a full refund when you do bring it back as long as its not broke. A rental outfit keeps the rental fee. They have these specialty tools set aside just for this reason. It beats buying a tool for yourself just to only use it once then have it sitting on a shelf. Check out your local parts house the next time you need a specialty tool and ask how they do it.

 

[dongei]

First I found the largest hammer that I could find then borrowed one twice as large, after that I gathered a six pack of Corona's and a wrench set. Took off the control arm, had some one else do it and drank beer. The hammer was to open the beer.

 

[Bruzilla]

Isn't buying a tool from a business and using it successfully only to return it kind of underhanded and dishonest? Remind me not to sell anything to you.

Autozone has tool sets that they loan out. You pay a deposit, you get to use the tool for up to 90 days, and you get your deposit back when you return it.