Dreading these ball joints ***Update, Help!***

[GranCuda1970]

If your dreading the ball joints and bushings, buy em drop em off at a local mechanic shop should be cheap and most shops could do it.

[NCtrueconservative]

alright, quick question. I got the drivers side lower ball joint installed, not much problem.  I now have my socket for the UBJ on my impact gun and the ball joint is spinning, and I can probably see 3/8 of the threads up top now.  My question is, the things seems to be spinning a lot to not be moving that much, and I don't see the rod with the threads for the castle nut on the ball joint spinning.  Does it just pull up through the upper control arm as you get the ball joint out?  Just seems to me the thing ought to be coming out of there as much as its spinning, yet the ball joint has only came up a bit

[GranCuda1970]

It should just unscrew out of there I am not sure though I pulled my control arms off dropped them, the bushings, and the ball joint off at a local shop they installed everything for me and painted them. was not that spendy either.

[NCtrueconservative]

I guess they are coming out, I just dont see the threaded rod moving...but the ball joint itself is coming up a little bit.  The boots on the thing are flat and pancaked out- looks like it will be hard to get them to come through the hole in the upper control arm. Should I just cut them off?

[GranCuda1970]

Once it is all the way uncrewed just give it a whack with the rubber mallot it will pop up.

[NCtrueconservative]

alright...guess Ill go back down there and try some more on the impact gun. Just wanna be careful and not damage the inside of the UCA

[Grec]

If I'm understanding your position... yeah... it should just unscrew and pull out from the top of the upper control arm. It just screws down into the UCA with pretty shallow threads.

P.S. The upper housing would be able to spin independently of the post with the castle nut it it was still secured.

[Grec]

The boot won't fit through the hole in UCA. When assembling, you put the upper joint into the UCA and then press the boot on from the bottom.

[GranCuda1970]

The boot might be boogered stuck to the ball joint pry it off with a flathead. It may be holding the joint down hopefully it did not strip the threads.

[NCtrueconservative]

I can see 1 maybe 2 threads from the top. The ball joint just spins when i turn it with a breaker bar or impact, but it isn't coming up anymore. Ive heated and everything and now it just seems to spin without moving vertical

[footin70rt]

Do you have the grease boot off of the ball joint? Some boots have a wire spring to hold the boot to the joint after it's installed. The upper ball joint will not come out with the boot on it.

[NCtrueconservative]

Yes, the boot is off. The ball joint just spins but the post stays....it is stuck in the spindle arm and ain't budging one bit. Ive tried to knock it out with my fork after heating and it just does not move. My luck, the threads are probably stripped inside the UCA allowing the ball to just spin around on its post without pulling it  up. Knew this would happen

[Bullitt-]

It may help to use a tool to get the ball joint out of the spindle.. I got a kit from Advanced Auto on their loan-a-tool program

[brads70]

You do have the nut off the ball joint right? And hammered it out of the taper?

[NCtrueconservative]

The nut is off the ball joint but the post is still in the spindle arm. Would it help if I unbolted the lower ball joint or no?