l75eya Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Can't seem to get that sucker out. Does I really have to remove the control arm and bring it to a shop to get the balljoint out of it, or does somebody know a trick? Gonna look through the FSM and my Haynes, I would have done that first before asking, but the car is all torn apart now and so..i'm looking for a (hoping for a) SWIFT solution. Woosh! haha thanks ahead of time Car is a FWD Loyale btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimd Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Just did the daughters. Found these. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=43167 http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=34485 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Thanks Jim! This thing is starting to piss me off, it just WILL NOT pop out from the control arm. Every post I've seen talks about how it's such a P.I.T.A to get it loose from the knuckle, that was a bit difficult, but that's out already. I just can't get the stud to pop out of the control arm. Thanks for those links though, there is some good advice in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKghandi Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 i went to the local parts store and rented a balljoint puller... before i did that i spent 5 long angry hours trying to get it out. torches, hammers, logs, sacrificing chickens, and alot of pb blaster mine wasnt even rusted, after i got the tool it still took alot of effort and 3 guys to get that magical "pop!" have fun! if you have the income to take it to a shop....DO IT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Okay so there's nothing I'm missing though, right? It's just stuck more than a ...well....it's stuck? Like I said, it's already out of the steering knuckle, the stud is still going thru the control arm and through everything I've done so far (Pickle fork, torches, hammer, and chickens) judging by the hole for the castellated nut...it doesn't look like I've gotten it to move up through the control arm at *all*. Tie rods are done. Those were easy. Ball joint is PISSING ME OFF lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 maybe put the arm back on, put the top back in the knuckle and try; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Gonna head out to autozone and see if they have a suitable puller I can grab. HOPEFULLY that works. If not I'll try out what I saw in the youtube video, I hate to put the knuckle all back together before I've gotten it out, but we'll see. Thanks for the help guys, mucho appreciate. wish me luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractor pole Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I used a tie rod end puller, it was small enough to fit around the control arm and a couple good turns later it was out! good luck Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subruise Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 when dealing with stuck control arm bjs i hammer my picklefork like a wedge and not only does it pop out, but you get to mangle and destroy the offending part in the process. .03 (adjusted for inflation) RV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 I used a tie rod end puller, it was small enough to fit around the control arm and a couple good turns later it was out! good luck Ben See that's the issue I'm having with the ball joint press tool I borrowed from a buddy (The big rump roast clamp style) All of the spacers don't sit flush on the control arm, and only one of them (the largest) rises up high enough to give the ball joint some clearance to move upward. The issue is that the stud (and the joint itself in that respect) is at a slight angle and it's causing me a ton of issues. Maybe I'll take a look at a tie rod end puller and RV; I was putting everything I had into hammering the pickle fork in there, and it didn't do a damn thing the rubber boot is ...gone. That's all I accomplished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubies Subie Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I went to harbor freight and bought one of these for about $8.00, I tightened it down, gave it a good smack with a 3 lb hammer, and it popped right out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott in Bellingham Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 give the cast arm a good smack with a hammer on the side it will shock the hole and deform it for a moment and the tapered shaft will fall out, works sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted June 15, 2012 Author Share Posted June 15, 2012 Got it out! I let my anger get the best of the hammer and the pickle fork and after some very agressive swinging, it finally popped out. So today I got the tie rod and tie rod end installed on the passanger side, and the ball joint. I was having trouble with the strut, probably because I have some crappy cheap spring compressor, and I don't have a vice, so it was very difficult to get good leverage on the whole thing. Because it's already removed from the car, I think I'm just going to take the strut assembly to a garage tomorrow and see if they'll remove the spring for me and switch it over to the new shock, and then i'll do the same for the driver's side when I'm at that point. Was hoping to not have to go to a shop for any part of the job, but having the right tool is what it's all about, and I just don't. =\ Oh well. More fun tomorrow! Thanks for the tips/ideas/links Any future search references, pickle fork seems to be the best way to get the ball joint out. It may seem like it's not working but you gotta make sure you wedge it from various angles. Hammer the pickle fork on one side, wrangle it around a bit, then remove it and hammer it back in on the opposite side, then from the front. Gotta work that fork, yo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subruise Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 fork ya:headbang: told ya, and its SOOO satisfying to beat the crap out of something that has been fighting you so hard. the fact that it works is a nice bonus:clap: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Any future search references, pickle fork seems to be the best way to get the ball joint out. It may seem like it's not working but you gotta make sure you wedge it from various angles. : Glad you got it. Pickle fork is the tool for the job. I only use the puller if I'm trying to save the balljoint. If it's done, hammer away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted June 16, 2012 Author Share Posted June 16, 2012 fork ya:headbang: told ya, and its SOOO satisfying to beat the crap out of something that has been fighting you so hard. the fact that it works is a nice bonus:clap: Yea, thanks for that encouragement. I decided to give it one more go with the fork and I put the momentum of getting very pissed off behind my hammer swings and it popped. :cool: Go figure that on the other side of the car the ball joint came right out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosen Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 is it possible to remove the ball joint fromt he control arm without a pickle fork. I removed it fromt he knuckle already easily, but i have just been banging up on the castle nut to try and get it to pop out of the control arm? is that possible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted June 17, 2012 Author Share Posted June 17, 2012 is it possible to remove the ball joint fromt he control arm without a pickle fork. I removed it fromt he knuckle already easily, but i have just been banging up on the castle nut to try and get it to pop out of the control arm? is that possible? Not likely...especially if it's as stuck as the one was on my passanger side. The only way I can think of that working is if you prop something very solid underneath the ballstud and then hammer the control arm downward. If you bang on the castle nut, it's just going to strip out. If you need pickle forks, I recommend http://www.ebay.com/itm/Grip-On-Tools-5-pc-Pickle-Fork-Kit-21318-/330744485186?hash=item4d01e85542&item=330744485186&pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools&vxp=mtr They are cheaply priced, but they're above quality for the price. I had no complaints while using them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbeerd Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 put some anti sieze on it when you reassemble everything, should help a bit for next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikaleda Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 (edited) is it possible to remove the ball joint from the control arm without a pickle fork. I removed it fromt he knuckle already easily, but i have just been banging up on the castle nut to try and get it to pop out of the control arm? is that possible? if you leave the ball joint in the knuckle you can beat on the side of the lower control arm and if your lucky it will come out i have done this to get good used ones out before. Edited June 18, 2012 by mikaleda oops pressed wrong button lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89Ru Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 if you leave the ball joint in the knuckle you can beat on the side of the lower control arm that can work but if not, try a bull pin if you want to save the ball joint boot. insert the pin between the control arm and the pinch joint and hammer away 1-5/16" X 12" Standard Bull Pin klein-3259 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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