Ball Joints - Arrgh! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

bluec10 · 05-14-2002, 05:50 PM

I know its probably the oldest question out there, but how does a guy get ball joints apart without destroying them? I've done them before, but they were shot, so I didn't mind wrecking them in the process, but these are worth keeping for a while.

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Dream: '68 C-10 Custom with a 396 and a 700R4
Current Reality: '68 C-10, 250, 3 speed, parts in two garages, but lots of hope.

ebfabman · 05-14-2002, 05:54 PM

Do you want to take the ball joint apart or remove it from the control arm?

DennyB · 05-14-2002, 06:19 PM

Ball joint puller.
Sometimes you can get a pitman arm puller to work if ya happin to have one lying around

the edit..
you can also use the "pickle fork" seperator but that uasually ruins the rubber boot

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Toms River NJ
(Transplanted Hoosier)

56 working Street Rod(under construction 71-2 coil chassis)
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will sit in a boat & drink beer all day.

[This message has been edited by DennyB (edited May 14, 2002).]

*Gee_Emm* · 05-14-2002, 06:31 PM

Ok Im going to tell you how to do it and you will say na that won't work but it does.

Take 2 ball pein hammers and hit them on simutanlously on either side of the piece that the ball joint studs are fit into. They should pop right out after a few blows.

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1969 Chevrolet Custom Camper 20 350/400 70k original miles, 99% rust free, Never winter driven

They have the Internet on Computers now? --Homer Simpson

Gee_Emm's Page

Vote for my truck to be on the label of a bottle of Jones Soda!!!

tom hand · 05-14-2002, 06:43 PM

If you want to get the ball joint apart with no damage the hammer trick is your best bet. I have a pickel fork that I have never used once I saw how easy it was with a hammer.

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72 GMC Sierra SWB almost finished---- 84 Softail
Olive Branch MS

bluec10 · 05-14-2002, 07:27 PM

I just want to take the control arms off the truck. I'm in the process of installing an '85 front end on my '68.

05-14-2002, 05:50 PM	#1
bluec10 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Manitoba, Canada Posts: 663	Ball Joints - Arrgh! I know its probably the oldest question out there, but how does a guy get ball joints apart without destroying them? I've done them before, but they were shot, so I didn't mind wrecking them in the process, but these are worth keeping for a while. ------------------ Dream: '68 C-10 Custom with a 396 and a 700R4 Current Reality: '68 C-10, 250, 3 speed, parts in two garages, but lots of hope. __________________ Present: 2015 Tacoma. Yeah, not a GM, but I love it. 1969 GMC 32,000 - fix, drive, relax, fix... 2019 BMW R1250 GSA - Yahoooooooo 1979 Honda GL 1000 - retro touring at its best. Past: '05 Sierra 4x4 - Had 270,000 KM and running well when it was written-off by a stop sign runner. '94 F-150 from the "F word" company. I'll admit it...good truck. Sold what was left of it for $800 to a guy who came to pick it up at 11:00 PM with cash in hand. Hmm. '79 Sierra Grande (Black) organ donor - perfect rebuildable 4-bolt 350 and a good TH350. '76 Sierra Grande (Orange) - hate isn't too strong a word. Kid who bought it turned it into a hot rod. '68 C-10 R.I.P. - Dad's old truck...too far gone to resurrect. '59 C-50 - with hoist. Truck is gone, wife isn't. Nuff said.

05-14-2002, 06:19 PM	#3
DennyB Led Sled! Discs R 4 ME! Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Toms River, NJ, USA (Transplanted Hoosier) Posts: 7,327	Ball joint puller. Sometimes you can get a pitman arm puller to work if ya happin to have one lying around the edit.. you can also use the "pickle fork" seperator but that uasually ruins the rubber boot ------------------ Toms River NJ (Transplanted Hoosier) 56 working Street Rod(under construction 71-2 coil chassis) Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will sit in a boat & drink beer all day. [This message has been edited by DennyB (edited May 14, 2002).] __________________ "Never ride faster than your Angel can fly" I.M.O.M,W,J&C Patriot Guard Rider

05-14-2002, 06:43 PM	#5
tom hand CCRider Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Olive Branch,MS,USA Posts: 2,232	If you want to get the ball joint apart with no damage the hammer trick is your best bet. I have a pickel fork that I have never used once I saw how easy it was with a hammer. ------------------ 72 GMC Sierra SWB almost finished---- 84 Softail Olive Branch MS __________________ 72 GMC Sierra SWB almost finished---- 84 Softail Olive Branch MS

05-14-2002, 07:27 PM	#6
bluec10 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Manitoba, Canada Posts: 663	I just want to take the control arms off the truck. I'm in the process of installing an '85 front end on my '68. __________________ Present: 2015 Tacoma. Yeah, not a GM, but I love it. 1969 GMC 32,000 - fix, drive, relax, fix... 2019 BMW R1250 GSA - Yahoooooooo 1979 Honda GL 1000 - retro touring at its best. Past: '05 Sierra 4x4 - Had 270,000 KM and running well when it was written-off by a stop sign runner. '94 F-150 from the "F word" company. I'll admit it...good truck. Sold what was left of it for $800 to a guy who came to pick it up at 11:00 PM with cash in hand. Hmm. '79 Sierra Grande (Black) organ donor - perfect rebuildable 4-bolt 350 and a good TH350. '76 Sierra Grande (Orange) - hate isn't too strong a word. Kid who bought it turned it into a hot rod. '68 C-10 R.I.P. - Dad's old truck...too far gone to resurrect. '59 C-50 - with hoist. Truck is gone, wife isn't. Nuff said.

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05-14-2002, 05:54 PM	#2
ebfabman Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Concord, NC Posts: 2,488	Do you want to take the ball joint apart or remove it from the control arm?

05-14-2002, 06:31 PM	#4
Gee_Emm Account Suspended Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 3,991	Ok Im going to tell you how to do it and you will say na that won't work but it does. Take 2 ball pein hammers and hit them on simutanlously on either side of the piece that the ball joint studs are fit into. They should pop right out after a few blows. ------------------ 1969 Chevrolet Custom Camper 20 350/400 70k original miles, 99% rust free, Never winter driven They have the Internet on Computers now? --Homer Simpson Gee_Emm's Page Vote for my truck to be on the label of a bottle of Jones Soda!!!



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