I'm changing the original upper/lower ball joints on my '84 F150.

Everything was going okay until I tried to press out the upper ball. I have a ball joint remover/installer from Autozone but even with a 2 1/2 foot long breaker bar I could not move the ball joint assy...!!!

Do I need to use a propane torch on the joint maybe? Is there some other trick to use?

Paul

 

yes, some heat is good. Not sure that propane would put out enough heat though for what you're doing. Propane burns cooler than oxy/acetilene. I could be wrong, but someone here will correct me if I am.

 

You don't need the press in/out tool- it doesn't work so well anyway unless you can vise the spindle and you'll have to heat it maybe.

I did my ball joints in my '82 last winter in the driveway. Get the spindle off the truck, and use a large brass or steel drift, hit the ball joint solid with that and the biggest damn hammer you can swing. The ball joint will be out in no time. Same for the other ball joint, which you will hit out by putting the drift through the first ball joint's hole to get at the second one.

To put them back in, I used a 1-foot long round brass drift about 1" diameter- get the ball joint started, then use the drift in a circular motion around the bottom diameter of the ball joint, to drive the ball joint home completely.

Remember the large C-clip on the bottom joint.

An old-timer showed me that method, you build a skill at it and you won't need special tools as much. You can put races in rotors and rear axles using the same method- I've done dozens of them.

The ball joint is so tough that using a brass drift you really can't hurt it. I did not even have to use heat. After you drive home the first one or two, you'll be a pro at it.

 

I just used a piece of 1' long, 1" wide, 1/8" wall square tube, a vise, and a 3# sledge hammer. They were the orignal 1985 balljoints, complete with 17 years of PA salt and rust.

the only time I've had to use heat was on a 2wd.

 

Thanks for the input..... I ended up using a little heat from my propane torch then just hauled on the breaker bar and "C" clamp tool. This time, with a loud bang, the ball joints broke loose and I was home and dry.

I noticed some pitting on the outer taper bearings so I changed both the inner/outer wheel bearings while everything was apart.

Thanks, again for the encouragement!!!!!
Paul

 

no problem.. glad you got it fixed.

 

I started the other side tonight - thought I was an expert on ball joints replacement (yeh right...) but I can't separate the 2 tapered joints. I don't think the lower is a problem because the retaining nut was turning with the ball joint stem. I had to partially cut that nut off. Anyway, I'm finished for tonight - maybe some inspiration will come to me overnight.

Paul

 

I can't stress enough that you need a good pickle fork. I got a drop forged one at sears, I pounded on it with a 2# sledge for a long time, and barely made dents on the fork itself (the one I got from the autoparts store had the fork spred apart after I pounded on it). if you get the fork wedged in between the knuckle and the axle, it should keep the ball joint shank from turning. An impact wrench helps too. You'll need a good impact universal, probably the best thing I ever bought for my impact gun.

 

Mine took a large ammount of cursing, although, I was only using basic hand tools, did not have the ctype press thing. a hydrolic jack for the bottom one, and a 4foot prybar for the top one to help em back in(along with a large ammount of cursing and hammering). It took me several hours to change out the right lower ball joint. Oh and just hammering with a punch to get them out, I ground a wide punch out of some 1" steel round stock we had around. A 4lb hammer helps, along with jacking on the bumper to lower the ibeam for more swing

 

Brute force and BIG hammer fixed my problem...!!!

My cheapo pickle fork also splayed open