Upper ball joint removal - tricky or not?!

[chuggers72]

Bit of advice please !

I'm lowering the ol' gal and on the final front n/s. I need to replace the upper ball joint as the boot is well past it. I've not had a go at it yet as I need to pick up a socket - it looks like one bolt and its off however Haynes talks about removing steering knuckles and pressing it out with a VW tool or on a bench!

Question is - how easy is it to remove - will a universal balljoint separator do it?

Cheers

[silverbullet]

The ol' Book of Lies strikes once again!
Top joint: two cap screws (8mm hex bit) and use a hinged balljoint separator.
The bottom balljoint is a bit trickier.

[chuckle-bus-tom]

Tops are easy. The two 8mm allen bolts will give you jip, but the new joints will have new bolts so unless they come undone on the first tug just hacksaw them off. I think it's a 20 or 22mm bolt on the bottom, and a ring spanner is best as it'll probably need hammering and then a splitter to pop it out of the wishbone. Simply putting it all back together with the new joints will pull it into position, and a check of bolt tightness after a five min drive is gooden.

Have fun!

[chuggers72]

Good work fellas - appreciate the good news on this that I dont have to get that knuckle off!
Cheers

[CovKid]

Just be VERY careful when fitting new balljoint that you line up bolt holes and above all make sure its pushed up squarely against wishbone or you may strip threads for allen bolts in balljoint. I encountered this problem and had to use a locking nut as additional security. Not an ideal scenario.

[chuggers72]

Cheers for the heads up Covkid - will watch out for that

[CovKid]

In essence, don't try to pull the joint against the wishbone using the allen bolts

Otherwise yes, easy enough job. Lowers are a WHOLE different ballgame....

[King Kenny]

I was going to ask the same question, I have to change mine as the boot has split. I too read the book and thought it was a big job. Not so afraid now.
Thanks guys, Kenny.

[slowcoach]

The tops I found easy. The bottoms were not in the least bit easy. Big hammer to get out, shop press to get new one in, once the knuckles are off

[slowcoach]

Nice video for top balljoint removal-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKjy2oLmM2g

Hes actually got quite a few interesting ones also

[CovKid]

He's an 80/90 member

He also demonstrates the smoothest way to remove and press out wishbone bushes. I do it exactly the same way.

[chuggers72]

Good vid.

Is there any reason why you cant 'persuade' the ball joint out with a hammer from below if replacing it?

[CovKid]

You possibly may not shift it. Thats why they came up with balljoint splitters. You can sometimes pop them out with a clout around the 'eye' of the joint but other times they won't budge - depends how long they've been on there. Its a taper/friction fit.

Theres also not much room to swing a hammer.

[chuggers72]

Looks like I'm nipping down Machine Mart this 'arvo then !

[chuggers72]

balljoint2.jpg

So I might will own the 'Balljoint from Hell'

Its well and truly seized in place - its had a a bucketful full of Plusgas, tried using a splitter fork, and tried heating up the knuckle but no joy.
I think i may have lifted a couple of mm with the fork but not sure.

Also bought a splitter tool from Machine Mart but the jaws are 5mm or so too short.

Aside from buying a pro clamp/press set to do this - anyone got any alternative ideas to get the b**gger out?