How to remove the upper ball joint?

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luxstang

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1972 Mustang Convertible
Hi guys,

gotta pick your brain.

I wanted to change the upper ball joints on my car and the one on the driver side won't come out. I tried the classic hammer to the side of the part of the spindle that holds the upper ball joint but it won't budge.

I even tried to hammer it out from the bottom up without success.

What's this boy supposed to do?

:dodgy:

 
Called a ball joint pickle fork. Works every time. The ball joint is a press fit so only remove it the way it went in or you'll damage the upper control arm.

 
Here in the US some of the Auto Parts store will lend them out for free to entice you to buy the part from them. All you do is leave a deposit on the tool that is equivalent to the value of the tool then you get your money back when you return the tool. Advance Auto Parts and Auto Zone are two that I know of here in Virginia. Do any of your stores offer this in Luxembourg?

 
Heat the spindle with a propane or MAPP gas torch then hit it with the hammer. Chuck

 
Heat the spindle with a propane or MAPP gas torch then hit it with the hammer. Chuck
Click to expand...

Now would that be the BFH or the LFH? This question humbley submitted by a guy who grew up under the premise: "If you can't hit it with a sledge hammer I have no business touching it" :p

Actually, truth be told I broke my 32 year old pickle fork taking mine off my 73. I just figured it was fatigued from my 5lb hammer.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for all the useful tips guys.

I have to work over the weekend, so no Mustang work until Monday. I´ll let you know what worked eventually.



Here in the US some of the Auto Parts store will lend them out for free to entice you to buy the part from them. Do any of your stores offer this in Luxembourg?
Click to expand...
Hardly any stores do that. We have one or two companies that specialize in renting out tools, but that is mostly heavy stuff, like compressors, excavators, garden tillers etc.

That´s a real problem here in Europe. Tools are very expensive and many specialized tools are hard to find.

Thanks for all the useful tips guys.

I have to work over the weekend, so no Mustang tinkering until Monday. I´ll let you know what worked eventually.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks for all the useful tips guys.

I have to work over the weekend, so no Mustang work until Monday. I´ll let you know what worked eventually.



Here in the US some of the Auto Parts store will lend them out for free to entice you to buy the part from them. Do any of your stores offer this in Luxembourg?
Click to expand...
Hardly any stores do that. We have one or two companies that specialize in renting out tools, but that is mostly heavy stuff, like compressors, excavators, garden tillers etc.

That´s a real problem here in Europe. Tools are very expensive and many specialized tools are hard to find.

Thanks for all the useful tips guys.

I have to work over the weekend, so no Mustang tinkering until Monday. I´ll let you know what worked eventually.
Click to expand...
I used my air chisel with a ball joint fork on it. After some finagling it popped off.

 
I learned how to separate them a little differently, with an 8 or 10 pound sledge hammer held firmly behind the joint, to act as an anvil, and then smack it on the other side with a decent sized (3 or 4 pound) hammer. This way most all of the force of the hammer blow is contained in the joint, breaking it loose better, while reducing the shock on the rest of the steering components.

 
I learned how to separate them a little differently, with an 8 or 10 pound sledge hammer held firmly behind the joint, to act as an anvil, and then smack it on the other side with a decent sized (3 or 4 pound) hammer. This way most all of the force of the hammer blow is contained in the joint, breaking it loose better, while reducing the shock on the rest of the steering components.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, 2 BFH's! Now we're talking! :D

 
I learned how to separate them a little differently, with an 8 or 10 pound sledge hammer held firmly behind the joint, to act as an anvil, and then smack it on the other side with a decent sized (3 or 4 pound) hammer. This way most all of the force of the hammer blow is contained in the joint, breaking it loose better, while reducing the shock on the rest of the steering components.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, 2 BFH's! Now we're talking! :D
Click to expand...
LOL! :rofl:

 
It has happened. A triumph of man over material! :D

Two or three taps (make that big taps) with a hammer have always worked to this day, but this one was really stubborn.

I had to heat up the spindle and hammer the dog*&% out of this one.

But eventually it was "the cleverer give in" and it decided to let go.

Thanks guys! ::beer::

Oh, I forgot: I have used the twin hammer method posted by Don C with success in the past, but this time it didn't help either.

 
Last edited by a moderator:

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