I just recently purchaced a 90 subaru legacy wagon and it needs new lower ball joints. i tried to replace the drivers side and wound up cracking the steering knuckle. This is how it cracked: i took the bolt out, and then soaked the ball joint in penetrating oil. after that i heated it up with a propane torch and spread the ball joint housing where the bolt went it with an air hammer and a chisel bit. it was still stuck in so i tried to spread it some more and started a hairline crack in the knuckle. anywho, i have a used steering knuckle that i purchaced from a junk yard, but my other ball joint is in worse shape. i need to replace it soon and am wondering of what i can do to help avoid cracking the knuckle again and getting the ball joint out. any help is greatly appreciated!
Ryan
ball joint problem
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l33tmonkeyman
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if you pickle that area in penetrant every day for a week before you start, that will help things immensely.
cast parts don't take kindly to impact hammers and too much spreading, you really just have to take the compression off, not bend it up too much. You should be able to put a lot of pulling force on the balljoint by first loosening the taper (by prying and hitting the control arm with a hammer outside the taper) then re-installing the nut loosely. A crow bar can be employed to give pure prying power, if you don't care about the boot (and you don't)
it helps to get the sway bar and link out of the way, this comes off in minutes.
cast parts don't take kindly to impact hammers and too much spreading, you really just have to take the compression off, not bend it up too much. You should be able to put a lot of pulling force on the balljoint by first loosening the taper (by prying and hitting the control arm with a hammer outside the taper) then re-installing the nut loosely. A crow bar can be employed to give pure prying power, if you don't care about the boot (and you don't)
it helps to get the sway bar and link out of the way, this comes off in minutes.
That beer you are drinking cost more than my car
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evolutionmovement
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I did what Professor suggested recently while replacing my whole front end and I still ended up getting a new knuckle. I drilled out the pinch bolt OK, but the ball joint wouldn't move for anything. Broke two large screwdrivers trying to pry the pinch area out a little, too. $175 for a new knuckle (I was in a hurry and have no time for JYs), but they paint it a nice blue. The other side wasn't bad at all for some reason.
Steve
Steve
Midnight in a Perfect World on Amazon or order anywhere. The first book in a quartet chronicling the rise of a man from angry criminal to philanthropist. Midnight... is a distopic noirish novel featuring 'Duchess', a modified 1990 Subaru Legacy wagon.
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93forestpearl
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I've never had a problem getting the pich bolt out, but the first time I separated the ball joints from the knuckle, it was a PITA. I soaked them with penetrant, whacked on the control arm with a BFH, and eventually got them out by prying between the control arm and the knuckle with a six foot concrete bar. Now they come out like butter.
→Dan
piddster34 at h0tma1l d0t c0m
piddster34 at h0tma1l d0t c0m
if you are just taking things apart, then yes taking the taper out of the control arm is much easier, especially if the balljoint is old
just loosen the bolt, pry a bit between the control arm and knuckle, being careful not to rip the boot, then hit the control arm on the outside, where the taper fits through, with a hammer a couple times and it should release
of course if you are replacing the balljoint, both sides will have to be separated
its a good idea to inspect the taper on the control arm, some really trashed balljoints can frog it up due to vibration or loosening nut
just loosen the bolt, pry a bit between the control arm and knuckle, being careful not to rip the boot, then hit the control arm on the outside, where the taper fits through, with a hammer a couple times and it should release
of course if you are replacing the balljoint, both sides will have to be separated
its a good idea to inspect the taper on the control arm, some really trashed balljoints can frog it up due to vibration or loosening nut
That beer you are drinking cost more than my car
ball joint replace...
I just changed the axle out on my 93 and noticed the ball joint boot was pretty chewed up (passenger side) so decided to go ahead and order a new one (seems prudent for a car with 180K miles). The tapered bolt should now exit easily, but I will have to now loosen the bolt above that I guess actually holds the ball (pinch bolt?) and thought to ask what kind of a task will it take in order to extricate the ball. The bolt swings freely, but noticed some of the advice meant soaking with penetrating oil or the like. I just wondered if this was for the tapered bolt, or if it actually also applies to the ball end...thanks....
They didn't know what a control arm puller was, so I got some generic 2/3 jaw puller. Is that what you're talking about? I got it and then had to go to work, and my control arm which was supposed to be here today apparantly won't be here until monday.Busdriver wrote:Awww!!
I posted as soon as I saw the thread, sorry it wasn't sooner...
How'd you do that...
Did the puller work for you?
So like, with the puller, should I be pushing up on the bolt and pulling down on the control arm? I don't really understand what about it is tapered, and why it's not coming out of the control arm.
I figured it out. I had the wrong tool- I need one of these:
Now I just need to bum a ride to autozone.
Yeah, that's somewhat what my tool looked like, autozone had it as a ball bearing puller?
You have to push the ball downward, so use the tool on your picture on the right just the way it is portrayed.
You should have come by when you were here....
To see me get frustrated and then just getting the right tool...
You have to push the ball downward, so use the tool on your picture on the right just the way it is portrayed.
You should have come by when you were here....
To see me get frustrated and then just getting the right tool...
Stock 1991 Legacy L+ AWD 5MT wagon 191k+ mi
They didn't have that thing so I ended up with a pitman arm puller, which combined with a hammer and a prybar, popped it right out without hurting the boot on the ball joint. I also noticed that maybe I should throw on some new pads before I do the brake swap which still hasn't happened. Time to get in the zone at autozone. Or pepboys.Busdriver wrote:Yeah, that's somewhat what my tool looked like, autozone had it as a ball bearing puller?
You have to push the ball downward, so use the tool on your picture on the right just the way it is portrayed.
You should have come by when you were here....
To see me get frustrated and then just getting the right tool...
Yeah, sorry about not calling you when I was there. I hadn't seen my friend in awhile and we were pretty busy all weekend. I tend to be in the area pretty frequently, although the next time won't be until January.
Oh, bent vs not bent:
heh. oops. Everything else seems to be alright.