lower balljoint removal without a headache
AK_CRX
New Wagonist
Before anyone gives me crap, I will say that this is/was not my idea. It was something I found on Honda-tech a couple years ago. I couldn't find the post the last time I looked for it, so I thought I'd share this tip with the wagon people who may not have seen this. I figured since I had to do it to my wagon yesterday I'd shoot a few pics to illustrate.
There are two common ways of doing this, neither way is good. The first way is with your grampa's pickle fork in which you jamb a big clumsy fork into the joint and pry/hammer untill it wedges itself in to the point of breaking the bond. This usually if not always tears the boot creating more cost and work. The second way is what I went by for years and years. It consists of turning the steering wheel all the way to one side, and beating the tip of the LCA (lower control arm) to death with a 5 lbs hammer. This is actually an accepted method, to prove it, look at the lower control arm, there is a "nub" on either side of it for pounding on. The shock and vibration cause the ball joint to pop right out. Problem is you never know if it will be the first wack or the 100th wack that creates the right shock to make it pop out.
Then there's the EASY/SAFE way to do it. Once the cotter pin/castle nut are remove place a jack under the LCA and jack it up untill it the suspension will not compress anymore. If it starts to lift the car off the jackstand, let it down untill the car is again sturdy on the jackstand.
Then place a 3/8 drive craftsman ratchet handle inbetween the LCA and the spnidle. Like this...
At this point, with the ratchet firmly wedged into its place, lower the jack as quickly as possible. The springs natrual rebound as the jack comes down will do the job for you. As the suspension returns to its original position it will try squeezing down on the ratchet handle, and it will force the joint apart. If you have lowered your suspension this might not do it all on its own... sometimes it's necessary to donkey kick the top of your brake rotor (wear boots). Like this...
One kick is all it took for mine, super easy, like magic. I couldn't believe it worked the first time I tried it.
Hope this helps some of you, It's helped me a ton.
There are two common ways of doing this, neither way is good. The first way is with your grampa's pickle fork in which you jamb a big clumsy fork into the joint and pry/hammer untill it wedges itself in to the point of breaking the bond. This usually if not always tears the boot creating more cost and work. The second way is what I went by for years and years. It consists of turning the steering wheel all the way to one side, and beating the tip of the LCA (lower control arm) to death with a 5 lbs hammer. This is actually an accepted method, to prove it, look at the lower control arm, there is a "nub" on either side of it for pounding on. The shock and vibration cause the ball joint to pop right out. Problem is you never know if it will be the first wack or the 100th wack that creates the right shock to make it pop out.
Then there's the EASY/SAFE way to do it. Once the cotter pin/castle nut are remove place a jack under the LCA and jack it up untill it the suspension will not compress anymore. If it starts to lift the car off the jackstand, let it down untill the car is again sturdy on the jackstand.
Then place a 3/8 drive craftsman ratchet handle inbetween the LCA and the spnidle. Like this...
At this point, with the ratchet firmly wedged into its place, lower the jack as quickly as possible. The springs natrual rebound as the jack comes down will do the job for you. As the suspension returns to its original position it will try squeezing down on the ratchet handle, and it will force the joint apart. If you have lowered your suspension this might not do it all on its own... sometimes it's necessary to donkey kick the top of your brake rotor (wear boots). Like this...
One kick is all it took for mine, super easy, like magic. I couldn't believe it worked the first time I tried it.
Hope this helps some of you, It's helped me a ton.
Comments
Somehow I managed to slightly crossthread my balljoint once. Tried to chase the threads but the ballljoint just spun. After jacking the LCA up into the balljoint to put pressure on it and lifting the whole car :oops: I figured out the c--clamp deal. Might help some of you if you happen to scrape flat a couple of threads when you step on your LCA's to remove your knuckles for some backyard repairs.
I'm all ears...
Dave
He showed me that after I had him replace my lower ball joint having bent the threads using my Honda ball joint tool. (The small clamp style.) If you don't get it on there perfectly that's what happens.
Advance auto will loan out a tool for a refundable deposit of $20 (EDIT looks like its up to $30 now). It's a 2/3 Jaw puller (as in it can be converted to either 2 jaw or 3 jaw).
Here
I rented it years ago to pull a steering wheel and a pulley from something, and never returned it. The jaws have 2 different ends on them and can be switched around. I used the ends with the wide, flat hooks, and they fit perfectly onto the top edge of the LCA. Line up the center bolt onto the ball joint stud, and tighten it down with a 13mm (1/2") socket. it takes only a few turns and almost no effort at all. Both sides came right off with no trouble.