jmmctighe Posted November 5, 2005 Share Posted November 5, 2005 So I finally decided to replace the left drive axle on my 95 legacy to cure the shaking issue on acceleration and decelleration. Also the CV started knocking on hard starts when taking a left turn. But dammit, I can't get the ball joint to separated from the steering knuckle. Everything else went smoothly but the ball joint seems stuck in the knuckle socket. I was using a prybar inserted into a pipe (total about 3.5 feet) and still couldn't get the damn thing unstuck. Soaked the sucker in Liquid Wrench and even standing on the thing (all 250lbs of me) didn't work. BTW, screw Haynes' "separating the pinch-bolt holes will allow the joint to be easily removed". HA! So close yet so far. Anyone have any advice how to get it out? I picked up a new one as I tried to pickle-fork the damn thing to replace it but still nothing. Wacked my hand in the process (two minutes for slashing). So now I have a battered balljoint and the old axle still in. Funny thing though, the shaking has lessened quite a bit so at least I'm hopful of that resolution. No noise from the front either. Hmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 drop the roll bar links and it will come down easier. That corrosion can be cured with lots of heat, but you may damage the bearings. A fork will not work unless it's bigger than the stub end of the ball joint that slips into knuckle. You can also spread the area by driving a old screwdriver into the slot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 You took the bolt all the way out right? soaked the area with penetrating oil. . . (BTW, PB Blaster works loads better than Liquid Wrench). . Hmmm, this is about the time I get pissed off and wail on the lower control arm (downward force just inside of the balljoint) and the thing pops out like nothing was holding it. . . Not that anything like that ever happened to me. . . No way, not a chance. Why are you asking that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 Like Gnuman says the bolt must come all the way out. That is the only reason I could see that the ball joint would not come out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmmctighe Posted November 6, 2005 Author Share Posted November 6, 2005 You took the bolt all the way out right? soaked the area with penetrating oil. . . (BTW, PB Blaster works loads better than Liquid Wrench). . Hmmm, this is about the time I get pissed off and wail on the lower control arm (downward force just inside of the balljoint) and the thing pops out like nothing was holding it. . . Not that anything like that ever happened to me. . . No way, not a chance. Why are you asking that? Yeah, I removed the sway bar link and the pinch bolt was all the way out. I took a large screwdriver and tried to pry open at the notch but it seemed that the metal on the knuckle seems to be scoring instead of separating a bit. I'll try again with some PB Blaster soaking overnight. I guess my only other option would be to detatch the control arm completely. -- John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 Yeah, I removed the sway bar link and the pinch bolt was all the way out. I took a large screwdriver and tried to pry open at the notch but it seemed that the metal on the knuckle seems to be scoring instead of separating a bit.I'll try again with some PB Blaster soaking overnight. I guess my only other option would be to detatch the control arm completely. -- John Do not go to that extreme. Not worth it. Heck, if you were not 3000 miles away, I would offer to come and help you with it. But the gas would kill me. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beezer Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 No great advice here, just keep with it. It took me 8 hrs or so to change the 2 ball joints on my car. My advice would be a bit of brute force and ignorance. Just when you think you can't pull, push, bang and curse any more it will pop out. When you get it out and put a new ball joint in I would put some anti-seize on the new one. Rust is not your friend, I sympathize with you, it's very frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 I didn't see where you said if it was jacked up, or on a lift, or on the ground. But I would jack it up is it is on the ground, or let the weight back on it if it is in the air, something may be in a bind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmmctighe Posted November 6, 2005 Author Share Posted November 6, 2005 I didn't see where you said if it was jacked up, or on a lift, or on the ground. But I would jack it up is it is on the ground, or let the weight back on it if it is in the air, something may be in a bind. It was up on jack stands but in reading other related posts it was suggested to lift the vehicle on the balljoint stem. I'll try that so at east I can get the control arm separated from the knuckle to get the axle on. From there I figure I can soak it in PB Blaster and have more room to work at it until it comes out. It's gonna have to wait until next weekend. I at least hope the weather is suitable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmmctighe Posted November 6, 2005 Author Share Posted November 6, 2005 Do not go to that extreme. Not worth it. Heck, if you were not 3000 miles away, I would offer to come and help you with it. But the gas would kill me. . . Heh, we could meet somewhere in Kansas. Once you cross the state line you'll see me 300 miles on the left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcav44 Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 So I finally decided to replace the left drive axle on my 95 legacy to cure the shaking issue on acceleration and decelleration. Also the CV started knocking on hard starts when taking a left turn. But dammit, I can't get the ball joint to separated from the steering knuckle. Everything else went smoothly but the ball joint seems stuck in the knuckle socket. I was using a prybar inserted into a pipe (total about 3.5 feet) and still couldn't get the damn thing unstuck. Soaked the sucker in Liquid Wrench and even standing on the thing (all 250lbs of me) didn't work. BTW, screw Haynes' "separating the pinch-bolt holes will allow the joint to be easily removed". HA! So close yet so far.Anyone have any advice how to get it out? I picked up a new one as I tried to pickle-fork the damn thing to replace it but still nothing. Wacked my hand in the process (two minutes for slashing). So now I have a battered balljoint and the old axle still in. Funny thing though, the shaking has lessened quite a bit so at least I'm hopful of that resolution. No noise from the front either. Hmmmm I had the same thing happen to me. I was using a short pry bar about 3' dang thing would not move. Went and got my digging iron about 5' BANG one shot came right off the knucle. good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Heh, we could meet somewhere in Kansas. Once you cross the state line you'll see me 300 miles on the left. I suspect your eyes are better than mine if you can see that far. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmmctighe Posted November 12, 2005 Author Share Posted November 12, 2005 Update: Oh yeah, this is real fun......so I fnally got the ball joint out of the knuckle and true to form it came out when I was close to giving up. Now the damn stud is stuck in the control arm. No amount of PB Blaster or hammering has been successful. So I cut-off the upper ball section thinking I could drill it. Nope, metal is way to hard once you drill past the stud into the lower part of the joint. So I yanked the control arm, soaked in PB and wailed the crap out of it. Now I have a flattened stud STILL in the arm. My only other option I think is to let it dry and take a torch to it to see if I can pursuade it out with heat. Other than that I think I'm looking at replacing the arm just for a freeking ball joint. Any other ideas? 1stsubaru has the arm for $150, more than I want to spend since I'm into this job for $130 (minus $40 core on the axle). Oh yeah, the axle came out no problem. Figures, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john in KY Posted November 12, 2005 Share Posted November 12, 2005 Take the control arm somewhere that has a press and have the joint pressed out. Much cheaper than replacing the entire assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted November 12, 2005 Share Posted November 12, 2005 I'm with John in KY, a trip to your local machine shop seems to be in order. has to be a lot cheaper than a new arm. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thingol Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 No great advice to add here, I just figured I would tell you I am currently feeling your pain, as I tried to replace a half-shaft today myself. I am having very similar problems, but with a twist! In my ignorance, after failing to separate the ball joint from the knuckle (pinch bolt all the way out, sway bar disconnected), decided to disconnect the ball joint from the lower control arm. Castle nut off, I pried down on the lower control arm. Well, mine was not stuck like yours, but as it came out it mauled all the threads on the bottom of the ball joint. So, not only do I have to replace it, I couldn't put the nut back on to wail on to get it to separate from the knuckle. Eventually, after trying many different things, I got a 1/4-20 die to thread onto the bolt (not cut new threads, it actually threaded on the old threads when nothing else would.....go figure). I then proceeded to try to pry it out of the steering knuckle with a 6’ digger bar…….and I bent the bar. Yup. A ~1” diameter iron digger bar. So, that was where I left it for tonight, I will try some more ignorance in the morning. As I said, no useful advice, but just take comfort in the fact that your woes are being replicated several hundred miles south of you right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmmctighe Posted November 13, 2005 Author Share Posted November 13, 2005 No great advice to add here, I just figured I would tell you I am currently feeling your pain, as I tried to replace a half-shaft today myself. I am having very similar problems, but with a twist! In my ignorance, after failing to separate the ball joint from the knuckle (pinch bolt all the way out, sway bar disconnected), decided to disconnect the ball joint from the lower control arm. Castle nut off, I pried down on the lower control arm. Well, mine was not stuck like yours, but as it came out it mauled all the threads on the bottom of the ball joint. So, not only do I have to replace it, I couldn't put the nut back on to wail on to get it to separate from the knuckle. Eventually, after trying many different things, I got a 1/4-20 die to thread onto the bolt (not cut new threads, it actually threaded on the old threads when nothing else would.....go figure). I then proceeded to try to pry it out of the steering knuckle with a 6’ digger bar…….and I bent the bar. Yup. A ~1” diameter iron digger bar. So, that was where I left it for tonight, I will try some more ignorance in the morning. As I said, no useful advice, but just take comfort in the fact that your woes are being replicated several hundred miles south of you right now. Glad to hear I'm not alone Seriously, You should spray it with PB Blaster and use a screwdrive or other flathead like tool to separate the slot where the pinch bolt was and keep working it with your bent digger. Eventually it will come off. OR you can disconnect the pivot bolt form the control arm (the bolt in the fron NOT the two larger ones in the back). I've read others in here that they've done this and it allows enough room to pull the hub out and slide the axle out of the hub and knuckle. Good luck, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rol1 Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 It's the bind. Put it up on jackstands and stick another jack under the lower control arm and jack it up a couple of inches and try to knock it off. Then jack it up another couple of inches and try again. Repeat. Next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmmctighe Posted November 14, 2005 Author Share Posted November 14, 2005 Update, Part Deux So I took the control arm to Boucher's Auto Machine Shop in Rowley, MA. $10 and 8-tons of pressure later the damn stud finally pops. Freeking thing. I don't think testosterone and a 3lb sledge could've done that. Get it home and an hour later I'm driving, still have the shimmy when accelerating at the same speeds. Maybe its the other axle, who knows. I'll do that one later when the CV goes. This time I'll let the ball joint soak in PBB overnight to avoid this whole fiasco. Live and learn. Thanks to all who spoke up and helped out, all of it good info and makes boards like this priceless. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoobyDood Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Ok... going through a similar thing myself right now.... ARG! i'll post the story (because holy hell, it's a good one) somewhere else. But! here is what i'm doing.. After pulling the ENTIRE strut assembly and knocking out the first ball joint (and cracking the cast steering knuckle in the process) my brother came up with an ingenious puller design. A piece of 3x3 square tube with two holes cut in it (with an O2/ace torch). One just large enough to fit around the ball joint housing and another to pass te bolt end through. Catching the castle nut on the outside and using it to wrench out the Ball joint. This, after much PB blaster torching and Bees wax. One shouldn't have to remove the strut assm. for such a tool to work and I'm wishing i'd thought of rapping on the lower control arm myself... but in my case i'm not even sure that would have worked.... I'll be happy to answer more but you should really find this story when i post it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hocrest Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 No help on the ball joint, that's the way they get in salt areas. But, if you go to change the other axle, you can get it out by removing the 2 strut bolts. The top bolt set's the camber, so be sure to mark the position of the bolt head before you turn it so you can reset it to the same position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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