Lower ball joint Super Stuck
 

I'm upgrading the original suspension in my '69 RR with drum brakes. The lower ball joint on the front drivers side is seriously stuck; i mean seriously stuck!

I rented both the pickle fork and a clamp bolt press from Autozone. I've hit the bolt so hard so many times that the top part has mushroomed and I don't know if it will push back through the hole when I eventually get it unstuck. The clamp press only mushrooms and deforms the top of the bolt more.

I have placed a jack underneath the control arm to raise the ball joint to its normal riding height and have hit and hit and hit. Just don't get it why it won't even budge a tiny bit. And whats worse is this is my first ball joint! I haven't even attempted to go after the upper ball joint yet, or even given any more thought to the passenger side.

What a nightmare this has become. I'm trying not to loose it but I spent 4 hours today trying to "work the lower ball joint free.

Any help? I have a 1500 degree heat gun I could try to heat up the bolt with for some time and then whack away? I'm replacing the entire piece so I don't care about the bolt or the piece, just want it off!

Found this, good pictures much like the piece I made. Piece of pipe, big bolt, nut and washer. http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/sepa...er-133140.html

I would heat it up with a map gas torch and hit the crap out of it with the BFH.

The secret is to use the biggest hammer you have 5 lbs minimum & a pickle fork You can't do it now..BUT If you screw the nut on and support the car by the frame It will put pressure on the ball joint to separate. DO NOT DO IT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE NUT ON !!!!! things will fly.

I have found that taking a hammer and smacking the hell out of the, whats the word for it, the piece that the tapered bolt goes into, works. Perhaps an application of heat on that, cold on the bolt, and violent hammering would work. If you can get your hands on some dry ice it could possibly cool the bolt enough to make it shrink. I have seen liquid nitrogen to fee the swing pins in an F-111 I believe it was.

Well well well... Thank you all for your posts.

Later in the evening I got back out there and smacked the living daylights out of the pickle fork with a 3 lb sledge hammer while wedged on the lower ball joint and "poof" it came off! I nearly cried with joy afterward :)


Any suggestions now to tackle the upper ball joint? I'm thinking of removing the entire control arm and then taking it to a mechanic or machine shop to have it pressed out.

The top ball joint requires a special socket to un-screw the ball joint. It is not pressed in.

Thanks Bremereric.

Any details on where I can pick up the special socket? Oreilly's, Autozone? Does it have a specific name?

inri you sound as if maybe you need a factory shop manual. You can download a 69 here: I believe covers Dart/ Charger, but most of the Charger stuff is same as RR

http://www.abodyjoe.com/pictures/Mis...e%20manual.pdf

I know this sounds like unending work, but if you have not or have not planned to, there is no way in 'ell that I'd consider tearing things down as you have without also replacing the strut rod bushings, the lower arm bushings, and of course the upper arm bushings. This can get to be work, but I would highly recommend you stick with it.

You can buy some of these tools on ebag, but you can also make some of them for the bushings out of pipe fittings and then use FINE thread threaded rod as a puller to install them. If you have access to a press, all the better.

Take it to a machine shop/Mechanic for the upper ball joint You need a big impact, the big socket 3/4 drive & a torch to heat it.

You can buy the socket at Mancini racing and it is four sided just like the top of the ball joint.

http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/chucker54_2263_52706848

There are two sizes.

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/frsuto.html

inri, You Sir have just earned yourself a nonrefundable, nontransferable ATTABOY!

i got both of my sockets at the local auto parts store.
use them rarely

Thanks for the link to the E-Manual!

LOL!!!!:laugh:

Stinks that after I got the a arm off and had the bushings (2 of them and upper ball joing) removed and then pressed in and then I put the a arm back in and then put the lower ball joint on I realized that the grease fitting on the bottom of the lower ball bearing wouldn't go on. I removed the lower ball joint and saw that the hole where the grease fitting goes on the bottom was not threaded. Same thing for the passenger side lower ball joint. :doh::yikes:

Called Summit and informed them of this. They're going to check their inventory of the parts they have in stock and mail two new ones to me if they are threaded.

I keep finding myself getting jammed up when I'm trying to fix one issue. Maybe I'm experiencing beginners luck?!

me of tones et fr auto zone have the same issue. i usually just force teh zerk fitting into the hole annd tighten it down.

i have never had a threaded grease fitting either, you just run the fitting into the hole it will self tap just don't over tighten it once it's seated your good it wont back out.

Gorts,

The grease fitting itself is threaded, its the darn lower ball joints that aren't. The hole is there but I have tried and tried to press the grease fitting in while screwing it to try and thread the lower ball joint hole so it will fit secure. I haven't had any luck at this.

I'm gonna see if Autozone or Oreilly's has the lower ball joints in stock and take a peak at the bottom of them...

The ball joints arent treaded the zerk cuts its own threads. Also napa has those upper balljoint sockets in there tool book. There are 2 different sizes and they are 3/4 " drive and you will need it. They come out hard if rusted, soak them down for a day it helps

The Zerk fitting is self tapping. DO NOT over tighten them, they are easy to strip

And using your 3 lb hammer does not cut it 5 LB minimum 10 lb works better !!! All of the ball joints and tie rods are self tapping by the zerk fitting NO THREADS