Ball Joints ARGH!!!

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Dec 24, 2003 | 06:58 PM

Muldo

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Joined: Nov 2001

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From: Calgary Canada

Ball Joints ARGH!!!

Allrighty...I've looked and looked, searched all the forums, even the forums on other sites, and I'm still unsure.

1991 F-150 4x4

Bad ball joints.

I have a Ball joint press.

Do I have to hammer the knuckle off and THEN press out the ball joints? Or do I need to use the press to remove the knuckle as well. I'm leaning towards the former..

That being the case, I've been hammering and hammering, and the knuckle won't budge. I've been hitting the knuckle itself, and the upper ball joint. I've had penetrating oil on and everything. No luck. Pretty soon I'm going to have a nicely shaped mushroom head on my upper ball joint. (Good thing it's going to be replaced anyway.)

How the heck does this thing come apart? The Chilton CD's and Chilton manual make it sound like you could blow on the thing and it would come off, very very vauge.

Help me please! I've no wheels till this thing is fixed.

Mike in Calgary

Dec 24, 2003 | 07:47 PM

underDAWG

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Joined: Dec 2003

Posts: 140

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From: DE

I just replaced mine (1988 F150) last week. I used a pickle fork and a sledge hammer, only took two blows it popped right off. Oh yeah, before that I used a BFH, didn't do a thing.

Later,

Dec 25, 2003 | 10:35 AM

dbuck50

Tuned

Joined: Jun 2003

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Ball joint seperator (pickle fork) is the only way to get this apart...even then you need a big hammer to drive it in.

Dec 25, 2003 | 01:36 PM

BigNateK

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if you can get an air chisel with a pickle fork it works best

Dec 25, 2003 | 02:44 PM

FordPerf300

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From: CT

If you have access to a pickle fork it makes life easier, but, it can be done without one, I totally disassembled a D44 solid without the use of a pickle fork. You have to beat the snot out of where the ball joint passes through the "C" part that sticks off the axle, all around and it will break free.

Dec 25, 2003 | 03:20 PM

Muldo

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Joined: Nov 2001

Posts: 65

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From: Calgary Canada

Hmm... I guess I'll have to use a pickle fork. I've been beating the he** out of everything, knuckle, axle, all of it..no avail.

It's funny though, the manual says specifically no pickle fork. Something about damaging the ball joint and seal...But why would the manual assume you were not going to replace the ball joints? In what scenario would you separate the ball joints and not change them? Even if they were fine to begin with...

I dunno...

Anyway, pickle fork it is...

I should use the fork on the top ball joint and the whole knuckle will come off right? I don't need one fork per ball joint simultaneously?

By the way, thanks for the help...

Mike