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Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud #2445561
02/03/18 11:47 AM
02/03/18 11:47 AM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,403
WASHINGTON, PA
1
11secaarcuda Offline OP
top fuel
11secaarcuda  Offline OP
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WASHINGTON, PA
What is the best way to separate the lower ball joint from the control arm without damaging the rubber seal? I don't want to use a pickle type separator. Everything is clean and painted and detailed and I don't want to scratch anything up. I need to get this separated so I can change the lower control arm bushings. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.


67 Dart GT 340 4 speed
70 AAR Cuda 408 6 barrel
96 Indy Ram original owner
2011 Hemi Durango
Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2445570
02/03/18 11:59 AM
02/03/18 11:59 AM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,549
Rittman Ohio
fourgearsavoy Offline
I Live Here
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Rittman Ohio
You can buy a tool to separate the joint without hurting it from harbor freight.
hope this link works
How to Remove a Ball Joint Safely - Harbor Freight Ball Joint ...
Video for ball joint toolâ–¶ 6:46
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcCfWmrVQfM

Gus beer


64 Plymouth Savoy
493 Indy EZ's by Nick at Compu-Flow
5-Speed Richmond faceplate Liberty box
Dana 60
Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2445583
02/03/18 12:39 PM
02/03/18 12:39 PM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 25,050
Texas
GoodysGotaCuda Offline
5.7L Hemi, 6spd
GoodysGotaCuda  Offline
5.7L Hemi, 6spd

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Posts: 25,050
Texas
HF tool is great. Load it up and some light hammer taps.


1972 Barracuda - 5.7L Hemi, T56 Magnum 6spd - https://www.facebook.com/GoodysGotaHemi
2020 RAM 1500
[img]https://i.imgur.com/v9yezP9.jpg[/img]
Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2445645
02/03/18 02:35 PM
02/03/18 02:35 PM
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 667
Los Osos, Ca
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CKessel Offline
mopar
CKessel  Offline
mopar
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Posts: 667
Los Osos, Ca
I've backed off the bj nut a couple of turns then used two ball peen hammers, one held with the ball end against the spindle and the other whacking the first, with the arm hanging down and the bar not backed off so the spring load helps to pop it loose. Trade places on the spindle while whacking with the hammers. I have used the pullers too which are awesome but sometimes you can't fit them in.


Carl Kessel
Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2445657
02/03/18 02:58 PM
02/03/18 02:58 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,042
Slidell, La.
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doctor_mopar Offline
super stock
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Slidell, La.
I have also unbolted the balljoint from the spindle, then you can remove the control arm with the balljoint still attached. Just an alternative.


------------------------ It doesn't matter what you do.........As long as you look good doing it !
Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2445679
02/03/18 03:57 PM
02/03/18 03:57 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,050
Niles , Ohio
T
therocks Offline
oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
therocks  Offline
oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
T

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,050
Niles , Ohio
Hammers always wok for me.Even at the shop i used them and did probally thousands.Just leave the nut on a few threads.Only had to use my fork a few times in 40 years.Rocky


Chrysler Firepower
Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: therocks] #2445771
02/03/18 06:34 PM
02/03/18 06:34 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 553
DE
Ply72rr Offline
mopar
Ply72rr  Offline
mopar

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Posts: 553
DE
I usually Use an air hammer with a flat faced hammer bit on the side of the eye the ball joint taper goes through. It seems to work as well as the ball peen hammers mentioned above and gets into tight places where swinging a hammer is difficult.

Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: Ply72rr] #2445812
02/03/18 07:26 PM
02/03/18 07:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,618
Rio Linda, CA
John_Kunkel Offline
Too Many Posts
John_Kunkel  Offline
Too Many Posts

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Rio Linda, CA
iagree Air hammer works the best and easier to aim.


The INTERNET, the MISinformation superhighway
Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2445844
02/03/18 08:31 PM
02/03/18 08:31 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
Supercuda Offline
About to go away
Supercuda  Offline
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up yours
Everything is clean and painted and detailed and I don't want to scratch anything up.

Gotta love Moparts answers.

Beat on it with a hammer.

No, beat on it with an AIR hammer.

let's put a steam roller on it.

Maybe some C4.

How about we just torch it and call it a day.


They say there are no such thing as a stupid question.
They say there is always the exception that proves the rule.
Don't be the exception.
Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2445901
02/03/18 10:05 PM
02/03/18 10:05 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 499
Brownstown, PA
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FJR doc Offline
mopar
FJR doc  Offline
mopar
F

Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 499
Brownstown, PA
I've had great success with the Harbor Freight ball joint separator on my Mopar and AMC front suspension work. I highly recommend it.

https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle.html?CatPath=All%2BProducts%252F%252F%252F%252FAutomotive%2B%2526%2BMotorcycle%2F%2F%2F%2FSuspension&RequestData=CA_CategoryExpand


Follow my Duster 340 restoration progress on FABO http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=225784

Kevin
Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2445953
02/03/18 11:58 PM
02/03/18 11:58 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,050
Niles , Ohio
T
therocks Offline
oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
therocks  Offline
oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
T

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,050
Niles , Ohio
Well using a hammer was done for decades and still is.Not everyone has a show car and worried about hitting a arm with a hammer or air hammer.Rocky


Chrysler Firepower
Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2445979
02/04/18 12:38 AM
02/04/18 12:38 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,016
Polson, MT
DoctorDiff Offline
master
DoctorDiff  Offline
master

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Posts: 8,016
Polson, MT
I don't know of a cleaner method to separate a tapered stud than the 2-hammer method. Use a heavy hammer to brace the back side of the housing and the largest hammer you can to smack the opposite side.

Using a light hammer needlessly beats things up.

The special tool usually requires a hammer blow, also.

Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: DoctorDiff] #2446146
02/04/18 12:30 PM
02/04/18 12:30 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,239
north of coder
moparx Offline
"Butt Crack Bob"
moparx  Offline
"Butt Crack Bob"

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Posts: 19,239
north of coder
and just SOMETIMES, you WILL damage the paint because there is NO WAY to prevent that from happening when disassembling certain components no matter HOW CAREFUL you try to be. it's the nature of the beast [as some would say].
beer

Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: moparx] #2446189
02/04/18 01:44 PM
02/04/18 01:44 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
Supercuda Offline
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Supercuda  Offline
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up yours
Originally Posted By moparx
and just SOMETIMES, you WILL damage the paint because there is NO WAY to prevent that from happening when disassembling certain components no matter HOW CAREFUL you try to be. it's the nature of the beast [as some would say].
beer



As the Doc said

I have also unbolted the balljoint from the spindle, then you can remove the control arm with the balljoint still attached. Just an alternative.


They say there are no such thing as a stupid question.
They say there is always the exception that proves the rule.
Don't be the exception.
Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2446698
02/05/18 04:02 AM
02/05/18 04:02 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,486
Freeport IL USA
poorboy Offline
I Live Here
poorboy  Offline
I Live Here

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Freeport IL USA
I'd probably have to repaint the lower control arm after I replaced the bushings anyway. Use the hammer, replace the bushings, and repaint before assembly, as required.

Unbolting the spindles will require removing the brake drum or the caliper and rotors, which may all be painted as well. At the very least you will be repainting the spindle bolts and nuts. More stuff to scratch up.

All this fancy paint is a pain in the azz, my suspension stuff that would get painted would have been painted with a spray bomb, its pretty easy to touch up. Gene

Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2446943
02/05/18 05:03 PM
02/05/18 05:03 PM
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Posts: 1,142
Tucson, AZ
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cruzin Offline
super stock
cruzin  Offline
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Tucson, AZ
Perhaps you can find something here that may help.

http://www.manciniracing.com/frsuto.html

Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: cruzin] #2447139
02/05/18 11:02 PM
02/05/18 11:02 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,664
IN
A
ahy Offline
master
ahy  Offline
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A

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Posts: 7,664
IN
I like and use the Mancini front end tool for this joint. I got the kit. And yes... when everything is in place and tensioned up a carefully placed hammer blow helps break it loose. Just leave the nut on loose to catch it when it goes.

Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: 11secaarcuda] #2447202
02/06/18 12:41 AM
02/06/18 12:41 AM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 198
Stinnett, Tx
R
rumblebee4232 Offline
member
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 198
Stinnett, Tx
I use two 2lb sledge hammers hold one against one side control arm and smack the other side with the second hammer after you loosen the nut.. usually pops right loose and doesn't damage the boot..

Re: Separating lower control arm from ball joint stud [Re: rumblebee4232] #2447291
02/06/18 09:02 AM
02/06/18 09:02 AM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,403
WASHINGTON, PA
1
11secaarcuda Offline OP
top fuel
11secaarcuda  Offline OP
top fuel
1

Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,403
WASHINGTON, PA
Thanks guys for all the suggestions. I'll get either the Harbor Freight tool, or the tools from Mancini


67 Dart GT 340 4 speed
70 AAR Cuda 408 6 barrel
96 Indy Ram original owner
2011 Hemi Durango






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