[geeteeohguy]

I've been using a short little 3 pound sledge to break ball joints loose for over 40 years. Hit the side of the knuckle and the taper fit lets go. Saves ball joints and torn boots. Tie rod ends, etc. as well. I never use a pickle fork, because I usually need to re-use the boot and part. Did this in industry on hundreds if not thousands of cars from 1979-2021 with zero knuckle failures. Zero.

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by geeteeohguy

I've been using a short little 3 pound sledge to break ball joints loose for over 40 years. Hit the side of the knuckle and the taper fit lets go. Saves ball joints and torn boots. Tie rod ends, etc. as well. I never use a pickle fork, because I usually need to re-use the boot and part. Did this in industry on hundreds if not thousands of cars from 1979-2021 with zero knuckle failures. Zero.

This mirrors my experience, over 50 years repairing other peoples cars. When time is money, you use the techniques that result in as few comebacks as possible, and get the job done most efficiently. Using a pickle fork only if you're replacing the joint with new parts, because it damages the grease retaining boot so that it can't be reused.

Once in a while you can't swing a hammer at the joint because how the car is engineered, but most times you can reach it. A 3 lb engineers hammer is my tool of choice, ball peen hammers just don't have enough heft to them.

Spindles are made of cast steel in all my encounters, I know this because you can't use mild steel welding rod to weld cast iron. I've welded steering knuckle arms after shortening them to quicken the steering on my dirt track race cars. I have no concerns of shocking a spindle to release the ball joints, or tie rod ends.

As already posted, heat will always help release any rusted/corroded piece of steel in automobiles, usually not required to split ball joints, or tie rod ends.

[Vid]

Just to follow up, the air hammer did the job beautifully. With just a 3-4 second shot from the new tool, both ball joints popped right out so easily I almost couldn’t believe it. It’s like they jumped in my lap and called me Daddy, haha. Pretty remarkable. Now that the upper control arms are in, today I finally get to install the new motor.



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[steve25]

Cheers!

[vicgto]

Originally Posted by Skip Fix

There is also a tool in the shop manuals I bought that is basically like a giant coupling nut and a bolt that fits between the upper and lower ball joints and as you unscrew it ti presses it out sometimes needing a slight ding with a hammer to uses the spring itself also. You leave the nut on until it pops.

Here is the tool that Skip Fix is talking about, I use a homemade version with a 6 inch long 1/2" pipe, then install a 1/2" X 3 inch long bolt with a nut into the pipe. Loosening the nut lengthens the assembly which presses out the ball joint stud. Like Skip Fix said leave the nut on.