"popping" the lower ball joint??

[76L82]

I am at my wits end with this thing...I am trying desperately trying to remove the lower ball joint on the drivers side of my 76, and man it is a royal PITA!!

My manual says to use a "puller" tool to remove the lower ball joint..easy enough. It shows an "in line" tool that actually attaches to the upper ball joints "lower" castle nut...under the upper a-arm and attaches on top of the lower ball joints upper castle nut on top of the lower a-arm...confused you didn't I...it basically is sandwiched in a line on top of the attaching nuts. It really acts as a breaker of sorts becuase you're supposed to use the tension of the bolts by turning this tool until it pops the lower joint from where it has seated.

Now the million dollar question....has anyone ever used this tool before?? It is shown in the Haynes Manual. It would seem to work a heck of lot better than the ball joint separator...read pickle fork...that I have been beating on all afternoon.

Anybody???

 

[Ludigdrums]

There's always the 'ol 3-5 lbs hammer! The Shop Manual says "...tap on boss of knuckle with a hammer while using a heavy hammer of similar tool as a backing." The knuckle they talk about is the steering knuckle.

Also, I'm sure you've already done this...but remove the cotter pin and loosen but do not remove the ball stud nut.

I do understand what you were talking about, but have never used the tool you describe.

What also works well, is an air hammar with pickle fork attachment. Pops right out.

Again, the hammer does work, but could also take some time. Make sure it is a heavy hammer (they're usually pretty short).

Good luck!

- Jeremy

PS. Also, if you'r edoing this with the wheel off the ground, make sure that you support the lower control arm with a jack!!!

 

[76L82]

Hey thanks for the reply..this stuff is confusing as hell. It would seem to me that if I was putting a pickle fork between the ball joint and the steering knuckle (between the ball joint boot) I'd actually be driving the ball joint BACK UP into the a-arm.

I can't understand how the ball joint is supposed to "pop" out of the a-arm if I am seemingly putting pressure back up on it toward the a-arm?? Confusing!!!

Right now, I have it where the upper upper ball joint castle nut is backed off, the lower ball joint castle nut is backed off, the inner tie rod end is disconnected and the rivets holding the balljoint to the steering knucle are ready to come out...but the steering knuckle is still snug up in the position it would be in if the nuts were tight and hasn't fallen down on the castle nuts yet...tough to figure out what is holding this whole assembly "up"...got to be the ball joint 'seating' itself in place.

I have chained the spring, while it was compressed, to the upper frame and lower a-arm....I haven't dared to release the spring tension to use that to push out the lower ball joint...I guess if I could tightly chain the spring while it is compressed to at least the lower a-arm but not "sandwiching" it between the upper and lower components, I'd at least be able to keep the spring from flying out...man this is tough!!!!

 

[Dwight]

If you have the new ball joint - position it near the A- arm. You may be confused by the fact that the joint is press fit in the steering knuckle - not the A-arm! You are trying to separate the knuckle from the tapered end of the joint - then after removing the rivets the joint will fall out of position in the A-arm.

 

[lucky76]

Go to Walmart, get the small propane torch, light it up, put some heat on it until it smokes, hit with hammer and pickle fork. It will come apart.

 

[Chuck-75]

I had this same problem with my lower ball joint on the drivers side of the car? I thankfully purchased my pickle fork from Harbor freight. because I broke the first one and had to get a second one to finaly get the *%^$^% broke lose after 3 Hrs of pounding away with a 3 Lb. hammer, I didnt have as much trouble with all the other 3 Ball joints.

 

[76L82]

Thanks guys...so what I am hearing is that I am actually trying to dislodge the balljoint from its seating in the steering knuckle and NOT the a-arm.

Therefore, if I have one of those C-clamp style 'ball joint presses' (which I have rented from Autozone but not sure if it fits yet) am I am actually trying to "drive" the pressure UP from the ground towards the sky so to speak???

Unfortunately there are two ways to do this...one is to locate the threaded rod on top of the balljoint stud that protrudes out of the a-arm (the top most stud of the balljoint) and "drive" the pressure down...or to have the threaded rod located below where the bottom balljoint stud protrudes through the steering knuckle (at the knuckles lowest location) and "drive" the threaded rod up...one is right...and the other is a HUGE mistake.

Which one is which?? If I get a chance I'll take a digital photo of the c-clamp and how it potentially orients to the ball joint....however, if anyone can decipher my horrible directions and knows what I am trying to say...bless you!

 

[mike weyman]

all you need is a good breakfast and a BIGGER HAMMER!!!! no seriously, you need to beat it with a vengencead .your not trying to save it,beat it out.

 

[Jack]

Dwight indicated this ... but to clarify. Ball joint's tapered stud is a press-fit into tapered hole of knuckle/spindle ... while ball joint's body is firmly riveted to A-Arm with 3 or 4 rivets. With enough force, a pickle fork will separate the bj's tapered stud from knuckle/spindle. Once they're separated, you must then remove all rivets in order to remove bj from A-Arm. To remove rivets, grind the heads off them until they're flush with bj body ... then hammer the remainder through with a punch or drift pin. New bj's often come with a set of bolts and nuts used to install bj back into A-Arm ... or you have them riveted back in as the factory did.
JACK:gap

 

[76L82]

Jack - Ahhh...I think I'm getting this! So if the 'hole' through the steering knuckle, where the lower ball joint goes through is also tapered, there is a "press fit" of the ball joint stud at that location...makes sense.

Now in order for the ball joint to pop free from the steering knuckle at the lower location, wouldn't the steering knuckle attached to the upper ball joint have to "slide down" the upper ball joint stud at the same time?? I couldn't see how the steering knuckle could "release" from the lower ball joint if it doesn't also release from the upper ball joint at the same time?? To carry this one more step to full logic (but also guessing) wouldn't the upper ball joint (where the lower stud goes through the steering knuckle) be NON-tapered to allow itself to release only from the pressure being placed on the lower ball joint???

Sorry I am so slow of a study on this one...but the front geometry on the Vette is very, very different than what I have seen before..

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[gedmeyer]

Yeah, I had to beat the living daylights out of mine too. I think I was swinging a 5lb sledge for a while. The description in the service manual is a large understatement. I can't remember exactly what I did to get it apart, but I know it eventually got there! Just don't get careless and damage anything!

-gedmeyer

 

[Jack]

To carry this one more step to full logic (but also guessing) wouldn't the upper ball joint (where the lower stud goes through the steering knuckle) be NON-tapered to allow itself to release only from the pressure being placed on the lower ball joint???

NO ... all 4 bj's, upper & lower, right & left ... ALL C3 vette bj's have a tapered stud that press fits into a tapered hole in spindle/knuckle. A key to this procedure is understanding that (even when the wheels are off the ground) the front coil spring is compressed and has a lot of stored potential energy. First, get the car up & firmly & safely supported on at least 4 GOOD jackstands (I like 6). Approach only one side (passenger or driver) at a time. Next, remove the brake caliper and knock the tie rod end loose from the spindle/knuckle with a pickle fork. Loosen the nuts on both lower & upper bj's ... ONLY LOOSEN ... DO LEAVE ABOUT 3 THREADS FULLY ENGAGED. Then knock the pickle fork into upper bj... it will pop loose the press/interference fit, separating from knuckle/spindle ... BUT the nut will hold it from coming completely apart. Now, do the same thing to the lower bj. Now, put a floor jack under the lower a arm near the lower shock mount and put a little upward pressure on the LAA. Now, remove BOTH lower & upper bj NUTS. Now, SLOWLY release the pressure from the floor jack. As the front coil spring extends, the bj's will pull apart & free from the spindle/knuckle.

Although quite common on most all makes for decades, front C3 vette suspension is different from most makes made since ... most other cars have Macpherson struts, eliminating the Upper a arm/control arm.
JACK:gap

 

[76L82]

I hate to leave threads 'dangling'...this one has a happy ending! Thanks to all of you..the balljoint released and I got to keep all my fingers!

Thanks again!