64 C10 Can't... Get...Ball Joint... Off

[javadoc]

I think that I've invented a few new curse words while working on my truck this week. We're putting in a 383, and of course while that's going on, I decided to put the new suspension (a static 3/5 drop) on the truck! Yes, a lot to get done.

Anyway, I'm trying to get the lower ball joint separated from the spindle so that I can lower the A-arm, and remove the spring. I think that the ball joints must be original b/c they'r riveted in. At any rate, I've been whaling on my pickle fork and it just stops going in further between the spindle and the ball joint. As added comedy, the pickle fork has stubbornly gotten itself stuck and no amount of cursing and talking bad about its mother will free it.

Does anyone have a trick to removing stubborn ball joints? I'm tempted to (assuming I can get the pickle fork liberated) throw it back together and when the truck's running, drive it to the local mechanic and throw money at it. Let THEM share in my misery.

At any rate, thank you in advance for any advice that will help me make progress!

[blime81]

Leave the top BJ bolted on the spindle (much easier this way).
I crammed a jack in there and started jacking while my buddy hammered the back end of the pickle fork.
I was about to get the torch but then it made a LOUD pop and dropped out.

You'll have to grind the factory rivets off and then bolt the new uppers in. BTW nuts go up on the upper BJ so you don't risk ripping the boot.

[javadoc]

Yeah, I've been hitting the pickle fork with all my might for about 20 minutes, and it doesn't move. I guess I keep abusing it. I'm sure when it goes, it'll really go.

Thanks! I'll keep on hammering away for a bit!

[blime81]

Try the jack in between the LCA and the crossmember. Be careful.

[DKN]

I use as big a hammer as I can swing without hitting the fender. Hit the ball joint boss sidways as hard as you can. The shock of the impact will loosen the ball joint. This may put a small dent on the side of the ball joint boss, but it does not harm the ball joint or the boot allowing them to be re-installed.

HIT IT HARD!

Danny Nix
CPP

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by javadoc

As added comedy, the pickle fork has stubbornly gotten itself stuck and no amount of cursing and talking bad about its mother will free it.

That's just funny right there...I don't care who you are.

Anyway, like DKN said, hit the spindle itself right next to the stud, the "shock" will pop it loose. It is a good idea to leave the nut on a few threads. It keeps the thing from jumping too far apart and it protects the threads if you happen to miss.

Getting this apart is as much about "bat speed" as anything. A heavy hammer is good, but not of it is so heavy that it screws up your stroke. I have done it plenty of times with a simple 24oz ball pein hammer.

[javadoc]

Cool, thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll re-attack it in the morning. The PO of this truck has me shaking my head at every turn. The top of the front left shock wasn't even attached. It looks like they used some hodge-podge of fasteners, and too small of washers, and the top bolt pulled through the hole in the frame. Pure genius. Those types of 'engineering' breakthroughs are what I encounter at every turn.

[javadoc]

I got some PB Blaster this morning, drowned the ball joint's bolt in it, and underneath on top of the control arm. Then I waited an hour, smacked things around some (vibrations... and therapy all rolled into a neat little package!), blasted some more, and just went about beating it half to death. Not a milimeter of movement. I swear, the ball joint snickered at me!

I'm bringing the torch out after lunch, going with the principal that "fire fixes everything." Any tips on what to heat up? I'm trying to get with the science of heating metal. If I heat the bolt up, will it shrink or expand? Or do I heat up the spindle around the bolt? Scratching head here.

[blime81]

Originally Posted by javadoc

If I heat the bolt up, will it shrink or expand?

Heat will make the bolt expand. As it cools it shrinks. This expanding and contracting is what breaks things loose.

Heat the bolt, start hammering.
Repeat if needed.

You could also cut out the old spring while your in there and stick a bottle jack in it's place to provide some added pressure.

I know, I know, I keep saying use the jack but thats what works for me.

[Indian113]

Javadoc,keep at it and when you get yours done you can walk me thru it on mine. I'm rebuilding the whole front end this winter so my times a comin

[javadoc]

I bagged the ball joint removal I think. I'm so pissed at this truck right now that I think I'm losing my sense of humor. I heated the thing up 3 times, smacked the living hell out of it with my BFH, likewise to the pickle fork. I went to the A-Z and got a puller, but it's not big enough, so I couldn't get the thing off.

Add to that, I'm assembling the 383 for this heap and I'm waiting on one box from a ebay buy from July 11th, that includes lifters, cam retainer and spider. The hoser says that he sent it "Last week afternoon," whatever that means, and can't seem to cough up a tracking number. I can't assemble the engine without these parts, so it sits, all red and shiny on the engine stand.

Sorry, I'm just frustrated. I took this week off to get the engine swapped, and that's not gonna happen, it looks like.

Don't know what to do next except take the truck to a mechanic once it's running again, and throw money at the problem.

[shortbed70]

I had a similar problem on the pass side of mine. I dont have a torch so I took pb blaster and let it soak overnight and went and got two new castle nuts and left the old one about three threads on and wacked it a few times and came right off. Before the PB I hit the crud out of it and even ruined a picklefork.

[texastrendz]

have you actually tried jacking the lower a arm up a little, i know it sounds crazy, what you are doing is putting the ball joint back in the running condition. leave the truck on the stands and jack the lower up a couple of inches, heat the hell out of it, hit the spindle on the flat and it hopefully pops out. best of luck daniel.

[SBTork]

as stated a few posts earlier, try some penetrant. Some PB or i've had better luck with seafoam deep creep, damn good stuff. That, maybe a little heat and a little work with the jack and your sense of humor may come right back. It won't help with you having taken the week off to finish things up and not getting there, but, it's a start. It's $hitty when you rely on others to do their part and they don't come through. I feel your pain, best of luck

[javadoc]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I'd used probably half a can of PB on the thing. I know it will come out, but I'm not sure it'll be me getting it out. I'll try the jacking bit and see what happens. If that doesn't work, the mechanic told me they could get it pulled, for $85/hr. A decent shop rate around here, but still.

On th plus, my lifters and such arrived, so maybe, just maybe, the truck will actually run tomorrow.

[oldblue1968chevy]

..if your puttin new springs in id be cuttin that son of a #%$% out a lil at a time..

I got mine apart with a 5 ft pry bar LOL PITA TOO

[slapthefunkyfour]

I found this thread a little too late. I've already been working on the dang ball joint for 2 or 3 hours.

some good suggestions in here though, time to head back out to the garage and try your ideas.