The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums - View Single Post - Ball Joint Separator

AndyN01 · 7th December 2018, 11:05

Hi all,

I'm unhappy to say that my N/S front bottom wishbone ball joint has defeated me. Cue various swear words.......

I've got the bush off - the bolts were rather tight

and the bush is totally shot.

I've got the hub joint off and that isn't good.

I've got a nice, new wishbone and a new bush just waiting to go on but......

I can't release the "centre" ball joint

.

So far I've tried a "fork" type separator (Laser 5496) and a good deal of heat and a great deal of hammering and vast quantities of Plusgas to no avail.

I've tried putting the whole weight of the car on the end of the ball joint and "pinging" (read belting) the sub frame with no effect.

I've tried levering on the end of a scaffold pole. Nothing gives - except me.

If I hit the end of the ball joint it's "ringing" so I'm figuring it's well and truly solid/seized/corroded in.

I'm thinking of one of those claw type spliters for "commercial" vehicles rated at about a dozen tonnes - might they be man enough? Something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heavy-Hydra...joint+splitter

Before I shell out on getting one has anyone nearish to Tamworth got one I could borrow?

If I bust it I'll buy you a new one

.

Any other suggestions welcome.

Andy.

7th December 2018, 11:05	#1
AndyN01 This is my second home Toyota RAV4 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Tamworth Posts: 3,076 Thanks: 2,478 Thanked 1,579 Times in 968 Posts	Ball Joint Separator - Beg or Borrow Hi all, I'm unhappy to say that my N/S front bottom wishbone ball joint has defeated me. Cue various swear words....... I've got the bush off - the bolts were rather tight and the bush is totally shot. I've got the hub joint off and that isn't good. I've got a nice, new wishbone and a new bush just waiting to go on but...... I can't release the "centre" ball joint . So far I've tried a "fork" type separator (Laser 5496) and a good deal of heat and a great deal of hammering and vast quantities of Plusgas to no avail. I've tried putting the whole weight of the car on the end of the ball joint and "pinging" (read belting) the sub frame with no effect. I've tried levering on the end of a scaffold pole. Nothing gives - except me. If I hit the end of the ball joint it's "ringing" so I'm figuring it's well and truly solid/seized/corroded in. I'm thinking of one of those claw type spliters for "commercial" vehicles rated at about a dozen tonnes - might they be man enough? Something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heavy-Hydra...joint+splitter Before I shell out on getting one has anyone nearish to Tamworth got one I could borrow? If I bust it I'll buy you a new one . Any other suggestions welcome. Andy. Last edited by AndyN01; 7th December 2018 at 11:09..