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Re: Upper ball joint removal - tricky or not?!

Posted: 13 Jun 2015, 18:49
by silverbullet
Use of a scissor splitter avoids all this sort of fiasco. The fork goes over the top of the upright and the jaw bears on the end of the thread (leave the nut on to save it leaping out and denting things)
Those drive-in fork types are antique sh1te.

Re: Upper ball joint removal - tricky or not?!

Posted: 13 Jun 2015, 18:51
by windy
Get 2 big hammers & knock each side of the upright (the bit where the taper goes through) simultaneously. Takes a bit of practise but never known that not to free the taper.

Re: Upper ball joint removal - tricky or not?!

Posted: 13 Jun 2015, 18:54
by silverbullet
Use something like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Professional-Sp ... B006B3PX98" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A quick google for "balljoint scissor tool" throws up loads of results, I see that JK sell the short-fork one, of course...

Re: Upper ball joint removal - tricky or not?!

Posted: 13 Jun 2015, 19:04
by chuggers72
Use of a scissor splitter avoids all this sort of fiasco. The fork goes over the top of the upright and the jaw bears on the end of the thread (leave the nut on to save it leaping out and denting things)
Those drive-in fork types are antique sh1te.

Bought this earlier from Machine Mart...

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/prod ... and/clarke" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

but ended up taking it back as the jaws were about 5mm too short.

I guess I need to locate a larger one....

Re: Upper ball joint removal - tricky or not?!

Posted: 13 Jun 2015, 19:25
by CovKid
The one I've got is a giant fork-ended cold chisel that you just whack with a friend's head. :lol:

Re: Upper ball joint removal - tricky or not?!

Posted: 13 Jun 2015, 19:39
by silverbullet
Suprised that one didnt fit. I have two of them (although one is an old Sykes Pickavant and might be a tad larger)

Re: Upper ball joint removal - tricky or not?!

Posted: 14 Jun 2015, 12:53
by chuggers72
splitter !!.jpg

So I got hold of larger splitter.....

This balljoint must be seriously seized - I was winding the bolt on the splitter with a scaffold pole! There was some serious load on so not surprised it gave up....

I'm thinking the only way forward to this is to get the knuckle off (was trying to avoid this!) and means I've also got to deal with the lower balljoint which I have been told is the more difficult of the two :(

Anyone have any more ideas or is it a knuckle off job.. :(

Re: Upper ball joint removal - tricky or not?!

Posted: 14 Jun 2015, 14:05
by silverbullet
Our usual trick on steering boxes (that have slow tapered splines) is to load it up with a splitter and then get the propane lamp onto the socket part.
No need to have it all glowing (this will do more harm than good) just get it warmed up and it should let go with a pop.
Well, more if a loud bang usually...

Re: Upper ball joint removal - tricky or not?!

Posted: 14 Jun 2015, 14:06
by silverbullet
PS winding stuff up with a scaff tube should have told you that something was wrong...

Re: Upper ball joint removal - tricky or not?!

Posted: 14 Jun 2015, 14:39
by chuggers72
silverbullet wrote:PS winding stuff up with a scaff tube should have told you that something was wrong...

I totally agree! It was a last resort as I had already tried heating it!

I think Ive exhausted all options and going to get the knuckle off and find a garage with a press!