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

[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:



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 The part number is 07MAC-SL00200, superceded by 07MAC-SL00202.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

[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.