Lower ball joint

[noschevys]

I am trying to remove the lower ball joint on a 71 challenger, so I can replace the grease boot and refinish the steering knuckle.  Everything is apart, but I just can't seem to seperate the ball joint from the LCA.  I tried the pickle fork with a BFH but no luck.  Any ideas?  I saw that there is a tool to unthread the ball joint, but only the upper ball joint is threaded in.  Do they make a special ball joint press for real stubborn ones?

[GoodysGotaCuda]

They do make a special tool. If you have an air compressor, an air chisel with a pickle fork end will make hitting one with a hammer look like a joke. Usually makes short work. You can also attempt to heat the spindle where the ball joint presses in, in an attempt to expand that steel some.

http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/frsuto.html

[Chryco Psycho]

I am having a similar issue , the nut is frozen on the ball joint but it is loose in the LCA & I don`t have air to uise an impact on it
 Yours is easier to solve soak it with penetrating oil , just use the BFH on the end of the LCA it will come apart

[Supercuda]

Chryco, I have found two techniques to have some success where the ball joint stud is spinning in the spindle hole; the first is to compress the spindle against the ball joint, with a monster pair of channel locks, and a burly friend. This will often get that seized nut removed. The second is a little more violent, and a little more desperate: hammer a pickle fork into the space between the ball joint and the spindle, and then try to turn the nut off. Good luck, and you might wind up splitting the nut. As for the original problem of the stubborn removal, it is just a matter of rust penetrant, patience, and lots of brute force. They do make tools for pressing studs out of their attachment points, but this also presents some problems. Sometimes, the parts do not want to come apart, and you will break the tool.

[coupman35]

 :canada:Hey Chryco Psycho the best way to fix your problem is but a jack under the ball joint ,that will get all the weith off the car on the ball joint it will jam it so you can undo the nut.,If you cane ad heat to the nut it will help also .Good luck.

And noschevys the best way for you is use a hammer and hit the end off the LCA if it still wont go use a big bar and push down on it at the same time you are hittng it whit the hammer you dont need any special tool for that .

[Chryco Psycho]

I have tried to jam the joint with a pickle fork , it made no difference at all ,
I would jack up the car but the conrtol arm is sitting on the floor 

[femtnmax]

I just went thru this at the wrecking yard.  Removed the nut from the lower ball joint, but couldn't seperate it from the lower control arm.  I had to completely back off the torsion bar adjuster, then a couple wacks with a medium bfh and everything seperated clean and easy.

[noschevys]

Got it apart finally.  I used a gear puller with the hooks on the control arm and the threaded part with the pointed cup on the ball joint stud.  I just kept tightening the gear puller and finally it popped off with a real loud bang.  Now who makes quality OEM style ball joints?

[Bullitt-]

MOOG...   Check Rock Auto

Theres a sticky post here somewhere with all the part #s

[Bullitt-]

Here are the part numbers I came up with for an order with Rock Auto for everyones reference.
This "kit" includes idler and pitman arms, the UCA cam adjusters, and bumpers for $408.

ITEM                                                                    PRICE_CORE_QTY_ EXT PRICE

MOOG K7041   Idler Arm                                           $ 35.79 $ 0.00 1 $ 35.79
MOOG K7076   Pitman Arm                                        $ 51.79 $ 0.00 1 $ 51.79
MOOG ES319S Tie Rod End Adjusting Sleeve  (9/16")     $ 13.77 $ 0.00 2 $ 27.54
MOOG K783     Ball Joint                                           $ 38.79 $ 0.00 1 $ 38.79
MOOG K772     Ball Joint                                           $ 21.79 $ 0.00 2 $ 43.58
MOOG K5255   Stabilizer Bar Link                                $ 5.64 $ 0.00 2 $ 11.28
MOOG K408     Control Arm Bushing Kit                        $ 23.99 $ 0.00 1 $ 23.99
MOOG ES401L  Tie Rod End (9/16")                            $ 15.40 $ 0.00 2 $ 30.80
MOOG K791     Control Arm Bushing                            $ 10.56 $ 0.00 2 $ 21.12
MOOG K781     Ball Joint                                           $ 38.79 $ 0.00 1 $ 38.79
MOOG K7016A Strut Rod Bushing Kit                            $ 12.98 $ 0.00 1 $ 12.98
MOOG K5241   Stabilizer Bar Bushing Kit                       $ 5.79 $ 0.00 1 $ 5.79
MOOG ES401R Tie Rod End  (9/16")                             $ 15.40 $ 0.00 2 $ 30.80
MOOG K8243A Cam Bolt Kit                                        $ 13.75 $ 0.00 1 $ 13.75
MOOG K3180 Control Arm Bumper                                $ 5.94 $ 0.00 2 $ 11.88
MOOG K7293 Control Arm Bumper                                 $ 4.70 $ 0.00 2 $ 9.40