Lower ball joint

[smith2481]

I just bought a beltech suspension setup, I have installed the rear springs and shocks but the front is giving me a headache. I have looked on the site on how to break the lower ball joint. When doing this do I need to remove the rotor and caliper or can I leave it? and also the owner before me heated the springs so I dont have any pressure pushing down it that matters. I have tried a ball joint fork and it will now seperate it and I have also put a jack under the control arm and hit the lower part of the spindle still did not break it loose what is going on?

[LONGHAIR]

What kind of truck are you working on?
My mind reading skills are weak......LOL

"In general" those pickle fork things are more harmful than good. They are really only of any use when you are going to replace the ball joint itself. If you are just seperating the joint for something like a coil swap or spindle replacement don't use one. They destroy the grease boot when forced between the metal surfaces.

I always seperate ball joints by hammering on the side of the spindle to "pop" them loose.
The fact that your springs are not putting any pressure on the joint is not helping you, that's for sure. Anything that you can do to apply some pressure will help, but it is not absolutely necessary.

As far as removing everything from the spindle, it depends somewhat upon the vehicle. Leaving the rotor on in most cases does not work well. Most of the time the lower control arm has interference issues with the dust shield that is mounted behind the rotor. You might try to fight through it in some cases, but it is usually just easier to bite the bullet and take it apart.

[cparman]

I kind of agree with longhair. In my shop, back in the day we would put a jack stand under the lower control arm, let the jack down so the weight of the truck is on the jack stand. Remove the cotter pin from the LBJ, and loosen the nut a good bit, BUT DID NOT remove the nut all the way. A BFH, and a couple of smacks like longhair says, and the ball joint pops loose from the spindle. At that point on some not all GM cars and trucks, you might have to wiggle the spindle/dust shield/brake rotor out of the way, and we would prop it up with a 2x4 block under the upper control arm. Then the BFH and a couple of smacks, and the ball joint was out. We have a ball joint press to do the install. I will also offer that MOOG makes oversized ball joints for our truck, to compensate for an enlarged hole where the LBJ goes. hth

[smith2481]

it is a 70 swb and thanks alot guys I took everything off and give it a couple wacks with a 3 pounder and it broke loose. I was wanting to replace the ball joints anyways would I have to press in the new ones I was going to get them from advance auto. Could you just pound the old ones out and apply the new ones in from the top?

[N2TRUX]

You can pound them out but I wouldn't. If you getting press in ball joints, have them press the old ones out for you.

[bdydrp97s10]

the easiest way i have found to remove 40 yr old ball joints that are seated really well is to break the nut loose and back it off a couple of turns then with jack stands under the truck ill place the jack on the spindle somewhere and jack up the spindle until the pressure of the spring unseats the ball joint.. and it will only move as much as you backed off the castle nut.. like a i said a couple of turns is enough