Lower Ball Joint is a PITA

[grayw0lf]

If you don't have a press, take the A-frame to your local shop & they'll swap out your ball joints for a few bucks.

[67chevemall]

Well the tool is toast! Bent right in two........$35 down the drain.
The bottom ball joint is in there Big Time.

Back to the drawing board. Maybe try the fork on the top ball joint.

Or the bottom c arm U bolts.....................................................


Arrr

[oldgold70c10]

No heat or BFH needed... just get a 1/2" dia. bolt about 2-1/2" long w/nut, some washers, and a deep socket and you can pop the spindle off in a few minutes with a wrench.

[Rod]

Ball Joint press...cheap ones available at a Harbour Freight or TSC in states or a Princess Auto in Canada

[67chevemall]

Well the spreader tool is no good. The lower ball joint is in there like a kant tell ya..............................................................


I am open to ideas as I hate smashing a 67 with a sledge but this s



Going to try the control arm tm

[vegaschevy]

Originally Posted by Rod

Ball Joint press...cheap ones available at a Harbour Freight or TSC in states or a Princess Auto in Canada

BINGO!!! this thing works like a charm... presses in and out!!! rent for free at most auto places. Auto zone was half the price deposit wise compared to checker/kragen

[Mr-Jack]

i think you need to upgrade your BFH to a BIGGER BFH...i've never seen someone have that much trouble...i would have already busted out the mapgas torch. first suggestion was to just drop it from the xmember (already suggested) but now sounds like you gotta replace it cause it's toast...just take it and the spindle to a shop and get them to pop it out with a pneumatic press dude. i would have lost my mind after about 5 minutes of messing with it HAHAHA

[67chevemall]

Ya mind is gone........Nothing on the truck is damaged....yet.

The tool just bend right in half and the washers protected everything.

I can't see how I would get that press above in between the ball joints.

I have a tonn of penitrating oil on the Ubolts control arm so we shale see tn if they
want to play nice.

[Mr-Jack]

the best thing i found for penetrating stuck bolts and such is actually a product called sea foam Deep Creep...it's meant as a carb/choke cleaner but i found it works better than just about any penetrant i've ever used....probably would eat up the rubber or cause it to eventually dry-rot, but no issues if you're replacing the ball joint

[67chevemall]

Ya I'm trying to get the spring out, drill the holes and pop in the bag without replaceing the ball joints.....sounds easy doesn't it...lol

[Mr-Jack]

at this point, i would say it's more advisable to replace the joints...well it is a 40+ year old truck, and if they are stock arms, you can bet they've probably only ever been replaced a handful of times if that...some people don't do routine or preventative maintenace on their vehicles...most people drive em til something breaks and then fix it good enough to get it back on the road.

have you tried taking the bolts out the a-arm that connect to the xmember and smacking the spindle with the bfh while relieving pressure off the back side of the arm...it might pop doing that...just be careful doing it...i had to do that on my 2001 GMC when i put the stock springs back in a couple of years ago and it popped out.

[lolife99]

We need some pics of your set up.
You have to have spring pressure on the lower a-arm while hitting the side of the spindle with a really big hammer.
If you have a jack under the a-arm holding it up,... the ball joint is not going to pop.
Loosen the castle nut enough to create a space between it and the spindle.
Place your floor jack under the a-arm, but not touching it.
Use a big hammer.
I have a 16lb. sledge hammer with the handle cut down to about a foot long.
Turn the wheel one way (left or right) and strike the balljoint area of the spindle.
Turn the wheels the other way and strike the opposite side of the spindle.

Unless you have some "torched" springs that have no spring pressure left,... the balljoint should pop loose.
You can also wedge a Pickle fork in, to create pressure on the balljoint.

Please post up some pics if you can.

[67chevemall]

Ya I'll get a pic tonight. The springs are cut down one coil but not loose so they have a little spring in there. I was using a cut down 8lbs sledge, fork in the bottom and the $35 speader tool.

Castle nut is like you say and so is the jack.

Maybe a bigger fn hammer is all I need...

[Mr-Jack]

Originally Posted by 67chevemall

Maybe a bigger fn hammer is all I need...

either nut up and quit hitting it like a girl...J/K bro...the reason mine popped by removing the xmember bolts is cause i would smack it with the jack at differant heights, but i also wasn't running cut springs, and when mine popped, you knew it...it didn't barely come off, you heard the pop and saw the spring move pretty good. (yes i had the correct spindle for the spring) just moving the jack up and down created differant preasure areound the joint so when i hit it in the sweet spot, it popped right off...i never use a pickle fork...well not after the first time anyhow...tore the boot and never used one again!

[67chevemall]

There is a big flat piece of metal that comes off the spindle...I was putting the
fork between it and the control arm so the boots are fine.

I'll take a few pics and try a bigger hammer tonight.

[crakarjax]

Don't they make pickle fork attachments for impact hammers? I saw my bro use one and it popped the joint in about 5 seconds.

[Mr-Jack]

i don't know if this will help, but if you still can't get it off with all this suggested, put the tire back on it and crank the tire back and forth...i'm not sure how safe this is, but maybe try lowering the truck back to the ground and adding some weight then lifting it...idk...without seeing what you're having a problem with at the moment i'm drawing a blank...maybe cause i've been up for a few too many hours.

good luck and post up that pick so we can see this monster joint you have

[67chevemall]

Originally Posted by crakarjax

Don't they make pickle fork attachments for impact hammers? I saw my bro use one and it popped the joint in about 5 seconds.

Funny you say that I had never used my air hammer so I unpackaged it last night and was checking out the two bits it came with but are too small.
The fork kit isn't mine or I would weld the fork to the bit...

[OhOneWS6]

With the truck on stands, Loosen the castle nut so there is a little space, Turn the wheel all the way to one side or the other. Put your jack under the brake disc and jack it up to compress the spring. This will put some downward pressure on the lower control arm. Hit the spindle with a BFH around the ball joint boss. That tool you ordered is for removing the ball joint from the control arm, not breaking the ball joint from the spindle.

[67chevemall]

Originally Posted by OhOneWS6

With the truck on stands, Loosen the castle nut so there is a little space, Turn the wheel all the way to one side or the other. Put your jack under the brake disc and jack it up to compress the spring. This will put some downward pressure on the lower control arm. Hit the spindle with a BFH around the ball joint boss. That tool you ordered is for removing the ball joint from the control arm, not breaking the ball joint from the spindle.

Thanks I'll try that!

[OhOneWS6]

Originally Posted by 67chevemall

Thanks I'll try that!

Just be sure you have the jack under the rotor and not on the edge of the control arm. Jack it up a little at a time and hit the spindle a few good licks. if it doesn't pop, jack it up a little more to add a little more pressure.

I can't believe you are having that much trouble with it. Good luck. Be very careful. Those springs have been known to cause severe injuries.

[67chevemall]

Thanks man....I know it is getting nutty! I have a big chain around the spring and arm so I should be safe.

I have drums up front....may have to put a couple lugs back on ?

[kxnomore]

I have always had good results just putting a jack under the spring cup, jacking up the A arm slightly, and removing the lower A arm U bolts. Then lower the jack and the A arm drops right down and the spring falls out.
Then you can just take the A arms with the spindle still attached to a machine shop and let them separate the ball joints with the mongo press.
Good luck!

[OhOneWS6]

Originally Posted by 67chevemall

Thanks man....I know it is getting nutty! I have a big chain around the spring and arm so I should be safe.

I have drums up front....may have to put a couple lugs back on ?

Probably a good idea. Turn them backwards so the flat side is against the drum.

[72gmcworker]

Originally Posted by crakarjax

Don't they make pickle fork attachments for impact hammers? I saw my bro use one and it popped the joint in about 5 seconds.

I got one of them.....it's like a hot knife through butter for releasing the ball joints...saves the BFH


I can not believe the ball joint is refusing to release itself from the spindle
wow
Sounds like it is literally welded to the spindle
maybe check for a spot of weld on both sides

or it was glued

Good luck