That front lower arm ball joint - #%&!
 

Hi folks its been a while but im here this sunday afternoon waiting for amazon to deliver ball joint pullers and a solid pitchfork but chances are it will be dark by the time it comes so another day ticks by but at least its no longer blizzards and gales....

Scenario is Nigel failed MOT on outer balljoint lower arm os, yes its pretty loose and really annoying fact is its the arm i replaced for last mot which was also a tormentor to change and i swore never again yet here we are lol.

This time i bought the parts from Rimmers as the cheaper ebay arm just hasnt lasted so lesson learned and sorry dmgrs i needed delivery fast and rimmer bro was the best option parts are here waiting to go on. However the ball joint will not separate from subframe, its only been on a year and ive snapped my pitchfork which was a cheapo with a screw in handle but has done the job twice before.

Would like to try the dropping technique but dont have the right platform to drop onto and the spring pivot method is not working perhaps as i took the bush off first. Im not sure the balljoint puller i ordered will be big enough so have my eye on the us pro hgv 12 ton separator but by the time ive bought that the cost is mounting and i cant get my hands on it till wed at earliest!

So, any members in the lincs area interested in helping it could be a paying job no problem especially if you have a decent puller for the job. At the least refit the new arm and bush and worst get the old arm off the sub frame as well! I need to get mot certified by end of week, any takers? :bowdown:

I had this grief a while back even though the arm had only been on just over 12 months. I just used a forked ball joint splitter as the arm was U/S anyway , and just brayed at it until it popped out.

I just snapped the forked splitter i used the last two times to do this job, think the cheapo rust has rust welded to the subframe with love from China. Shortly after posting Amazon delivered a replacement forked splitter. Its a laser short one with nice thick solid handle, top seller apparently. It will hammer into the joint thats ruined anyway then get the jack under it just to bend it. Tried both sides but the ball joint just will not pop and this is day 3 of trying.

In an amazon order last night looking at tools i could get delivered for today i also got the item immediately below despite warnings the threads on it would likely shred. I made it fit by doing up the 22mm bolt leaving about 1/4" gap popping room and then hacksawed off the protruding thread that was just a little to much for the puller to fit onto but at the point of stripping the threads using my foot to put tension on, still no joy so looking at ordering the more expensive hgv one with a hydraulic ram included which needs to do it or im #%4£!


Autojack BJS19 Ball Joint Splitter Separator Rod End Puller Remover19mm
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1



US Pro Heavy Duty Hydraulic & Manual Ball Joint Splitter - 12 Ton Remover Breaker
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...DLSICX54&psc=1

At this stage would much prefer for a miracle worker mobile mechanic to call round with his trusty heavy duty ball joint puller and he might as well finish the job to for cash. At the stage where i wish had booked it in somewhere now. Oh lord, on monday i ask for miracles and if not possible maybe a little charity ha.

This is the one that finally did the job for me; coming up to 3 years ago :eek: :}.

Have a read of this:

https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s...d.php?t=290819

You are not alone - Good Luck.

Are you certain it is the arm balljoint that has failed? The hub clamp can wear and give the same amount of play.

Haha what a rabbit hole to fall down thanks :D

So worst case sub frame is coming off and we slide in varying degrees from that point to various brute force and puller tactics.

After reading all that with relation to ball joint splitting im now most unexpectedly wondering what the freezing point of vinegar is given its -2 out there tonight its probably to cold for that now.

absolutely certain its the arms outer ball joint into the hub and not the hub hole. Once split i was able to move that ball up and down in the socket of the arm its that loose.


Even if it was worn the arm has to be replaced now as the attempts to seperate so far have split the gaitor

Hi John.
How far is Dave Lincs from maybe he could help ? could be worth dropping him a PM

https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...=newpm&u=29017

When I've had a problem with separating the inner balljoint before, I heated the area around it with a blow torch then quenched the balljoint shaft with freezing rust loosener spray, all with the weight of the car on the shaft and belted the subframe with a lump hammer.

Sometimes you just have to get heavy with them. :}