Lower Ball Joints Removal

[TexasProton]

Hello Yall,
I am stuck in lower ball joint hell, and I don't know how to get out!! I have been trying to remove the lower ball joint on my 2001 VX for the last 4 hours, but the damn thing is not budging...For those who changed theirs, how in the world did you break the lower ball joints loose? I used a puller and a hammer, still not budging...What else can I use to get it out of there?

Thank you

[Gizmo42]

Big hammer (3-4 lbs) and just smack the s**t out of the knuckle. Dont be afraid to hit it HARD. When I first did mine even that didnt work and I had to resort to heating the knuckle with a torch and using a good pickle fork. Needs to be good heavy steel, not the light weight ones from the parts store, those just bend.

[TexasProton]

Thanks Dave, I tried the hammer, maybe I didn't whack that B*** hard enough, or long enough!

[Marlin]

Hit it HARD! I use a 3lb short handle sledge and swung like I was trying to break it.

[VX crazy]

get your wife to hold a pry bar while you are hitting with hammer, worked when we did Gregs, thats when i came down on his head and got a black eye when it broke loose so be careful, whoever is on top......

[eternal21]

thats when i came down on his head and got a black eye when it broke loose so be careful, whoever is on top......

I'm don't know where to begin ;)

[VX crazy]

I'm don't know where to begin ;)

I.have.no words.

[magellan]

er ....... kinky

[TexasProton]

Nothing is working to separate this M***F***

[VX KAT]

Sounds like you need to call a VXer wrenching get-together in Austin real quick and see if others can help you! VXers to the rescue!!

[bartmanS4]

Have you tried a torch to heat up the surrounding knuckle? Also, Autozone and others will lend tools so you could try heat and a ball joint separator fork.

[TexasProton]

I tried just about everything Austin's auto part stores have to offer in Ball joint separation...Which is not much. I don't have a heat torch, so that is not an option for me. this is my third weekend trying to get this BITCH off, with no use. Next thing I'm going to try is to put a jack under the stud and beat the knuckle with a hammer. If that does not work, I am going to cut off the M**F** and drill it out. What a sucky design!!

Thanks for your tips

[eternal21]

The easiest way I've ever encountered to remove ball joints is this:

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=HN.608019356091155117&pid=15.1

It is the Honda ball joint remover made by MAC. The part number is 07MAC-SL00200, superceded by 07MAC-SL00202. I had a Legend on which I could not remove the ball joints after trying for weeks w/forks, hammers, etc. I got that bad boy, it took 30 sec a side....literally. Only bad part is that I lent it out years ago, and never got it back. Since it cost $200, needless to say I'm still a little salty over it. :-/

[atilla_the_fun]

yeah.. this is how you are supposed to do it and how it doesn't always work. Also, I did finally get it off with the new tool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuXGiG9rsq8

[TexasProton]

Thank you both for your replies. I tried the tool "atilla_the_fun" described, but it kept slipping off the knuckle. I just bought one of these pullers with the three hooks, I'll try it tomorrow and see if my nightmare is going to end. Otherwise, I am going to look at the tool "Eternal21" described

I'll report tomorrow before noon

Thanks again

[eternal21]

Similar, and a lot cheaper: http://www.ebay.com/itm/221431301225

[TexasProton]

So after spending the last three weekends whacking my balls...Ball Joints, that is...I remembered someone said to use a bigger hammer!! So, I took the biggest hammer I got, my shlong (hey, that's what I call it!!), and whacked the ball joint twice, and off it came. Seriously it took about a 10 pound hammer and two purposed whacks...Thanks for the tip.

Note:
I took off the four bolts holding the Ball joint to the lower control arm, then I put a jack under the ball joint bolt and jacked it up enough to put some pressure on the knuckle, then I walked the side of the knuckle with the BF hammer!

Now, how do you put the new suckers on? Do I need to dismantle the CV shaft in order to get the outer CV cup out of the way? had the dang knuckle been a 1/2" longer, this would not be a conversation topic!!

Is it possible to remove the entire CV shaft including the CV DOJ case as one assembly? I actually started this whole project so I could install new CV boots, then it turned into a lower Ball joints nightmare. I am thinking it will be much easier to install the CV Boot's bands if I can get the whole CV axle out!!

[VX crazy]

Ollie I emailed you, let it off the jack and onto floor jack so it's not binding.....we can come help you tomorrow since are off work this week for what would have been Moab......

[Otwobme]

IF YOUR GOING TO HIT IT LIKE A GIRL HIT IT LIKE A BIG GIRL...lol
they can be a Bit!@... i would say walk away for a while and come back to after putting some U force from BG on it.

[eternal21]

I went ahead and popped for the Honda part I mentioned previously. The opening is 28mm, and it fit the upper and lower ball joints with room to spare. I just released the passenger's side upper and lower. Took me 30 secs to pop the top one, and about the same for the lower. No banging, no cursing, no frustration, no noise, except for the joints popping loose.

I'll take a vid of the driver's side when I do it later.

[Hades]

I finally found the source of my clunking, was hoping it was the tie rod but sure enough the lower ball joint boots are split open and oozing. I'm a little confused by some of the searches, though. Do you need to completely dismantle the hub to disconnect the c/v's, or is it possible to d/c the c/vs and then slam the joint out without removing the hubs? Don't want to spend too much money on tools if I may be selling in a few months.

[Triathlete]

Yes the hubs must come off to remove the cv's. There is a retaining clip on the end that needs to come off to make removal possible. The hubs are very simple to remove and no special tools are needed. It's a 15 minute job max.

[rowhard]

There is a retaining clip on the end that needs to come off to make removal possible.

usually there is a shim under the snap ring. The only tool needed is snap ring pliers to do it.

[eternal21]

usually there is a shim under the snap ring. The only tool needed is snap ring pliers to do it.

I used a set of needle nose. A bit more time consuming, but doable.

[Hades]

I think I need to get the other side up in the air, but is it because the front is an open diff that when I try to remove the hub cover nuts all it does is rotate? I broke one allen wrench already (was a multi tool with plastic housing) with somebody holding the brakes while i rotated the tool. Still no budge, bought a normal allen head wrench gonna try that next.

[Triathlete]

Loosen them before jacking up the wheels. Then finish removing them once in the air. ;)

[Hades]

:_brickwalI will have to try again tomorrow. I didn't mean the lug nuts I meant the hub cover Allen bolts, can't access those with the wheels on. I did get them off with a normal Allen wrench and a breaker bar. They were on so tight that the hub cover is actually deflecting upwards between the bolts. So I got that cover off and the snap ring underneath, lots of red grease inside. Also got the brake caliper off. Then I ran into a snag; I was assuming with the snap ring off I could just pull the shaft out from there, but it wouldn't budge no matter the angle. Am I misinterpreting a step somewhere?

I put it all back together and will try again tomorrow, hopefully with some advice. Also should I have any extra grease or sealant on hand when I'm buttoning it back up?

I should have took a picture, but it seemed that a wire has been rubbing (ABS sensor? it wasn't going to the brakes but more like to the driveshaft if memory serves me right) has been rubbing. It was actually worn to some threading by what looks like the c/v joint. Is this pretty common?

EDIT
Looks like in this thread (http://forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?t=7681&highlight=lower+ball+joint+cclip) I could have gotten it out with just the little bit of room caused by pushing the shaft in, grr. I also didn't notice any shim behind the clip...

[Triathlete]

Did you remove the retainer ting from the rear? After removing the boot there is a ring in a slot on the bearing race. You can find it by feeling with your finger. Use a small screwdriver to pop it out.

[Hades]

No I thought I would be able to get the shaft out without messing with the boots. I'll try the planet trick first then actually removing the boot. Hoping its possible without taking apart the balls and race.

[Hades]

Got it off finally with some swings to the knuckle and some force to push the shaft out a smidge. But because the world hates me two of the brand new nuts (isn't Moog supposed to be top quality?) that came with the new ball joint started to round as I was torqueing them to spec...

[CowboyErik]

I gotta do ball joints and axles, while doing exhaust work, I discovered my CV boots are ripped and my lower ball joints are torn also, I bet ya gotta pull rotors to do axles which means bearings again, thanks for the heads up on the pain in the butt ball joints!