Ball joint tool?

[Matt Weiser]

A while ago I spotted a tool that allows you to separate the front ball joints without using a pickle fork. It's sort of a vice-like thing that you place between the tips of the ball joint studs, behind the spindle, you crank on it to make it expand, and it separates the joints. Anybody know what I'm talking about and where to get it?

Reason I ask is that the rubber cover on one of my NEW Global West ball joints has split open . I want to fix it before the bj gets damaged, and without having to replace the bj itself.

Thx!

 

[TurboJim]

The way to seperate any tapered seat joint is vibration.

Ball joint 101:

Jack up vehicle by frame.

Loosen but do not remove nuts holding to knuckle. Get the nuts to where you will be able to remove them by hand. Turn the wheel so you have a clear "shot" at where the ball joint stud goes thru the knuckle. With a 32ox ball pein, give a few good shots. The pressure opf the spring trying to push down against the upper joint on its stop will be the pressure you need. Once they have both popped, jack up the CONTROL ARM, to take the heat off the nuts. Remove them by hand and lift off knuckle and set aside. Do your ball joints and reassemble in reverse order.

This method also works for tie rods. If you need more than 2 or 3 shots with a hammer to seperate a tie rod, yer a wimp or dont know how to swing a hammer

ON a tie rod however, you can remove the castellated nut, whack the knuckle where the tie rod goes thru, a few times (I say a few for you girly men...) and it should be free.

As a matter of fact, newer GM cars, if you use a pickle fork you will DESTROY the tie rod/ball joint....

HTH

 

[Matt Weiser]

Thx for the tip, Jim. I'll give your method a try.