Ive seen pickle forks for 20 bucks.....a good investment.

If the ball joint will come out of the spindle without a pickle fork, something is VERY wrong!!

 

If your replacing the ball joints, just take a 5 lb sledge and give the bolt sticking through the spindle a wack, it will come right out. doin't do this if you are planing on keeping the ball joints/tie rod ends, it could dammage them.

- Jason

 

Get a nut that will fit the ball joint spindle and thread it on but not quite flush. Then wack the think hard. The ball joint will pop down. Don't use the original castellated nut because you will bung up the nut when you wack it. Keeping the new nut slightly higher than the threaded spindle will save the spindle threads.

Good luck....they will come off

 

Some auto parts houses (AutoZone) will loan a pickle fork. If you elect to try to drive it off with a hammer, you may be asking for trouble. Just my two pence worth.

 

Here is my pet method...it sounds unorthodox but I assure you it works. It really does....

What you need is "shock" not brute force....

Hit the "side" of the spindle where the tapered hole in the spindle is..Hit it hard with a 2 or 5 pound ball peen hammer or sledge. Hit it often but hit it solidly and hard. It it from all sides as best you can. It will upset the press fit of the taper between the spindle and balljoint enough that they will literally fall apart before your amazed eyes! (and you'll feel so clever when it happens!) ::

The ball joint will just "pop" loose when it's ready..if it's not ready it won't. Keep hitting the side (hard!)

I don't reccomend pickle forks or hitting a nut threaded on the balljoint stud . I've done both and they do work but the consequences are severe if you have a problem. Like, maybe deforming the stud with the nut in place and "then" have the joint open up but having a trapped situation where the now free ball joint has a stuck nut preventing you from removing the loose assembly (been there,...done that). Pickle forks and bad news too, the tear up the spindle as well as the balljoint (been there,..done that too!). And you have to hit them so hard that if you just spent the time and effort hitting the side of the spindle in the area of the taper as I reccomend it would come loose anyway.

Try it and be patient!

Also, another tip...spread some graphite powder (purchased from the key and lock section of your local hardware store) on the taper of your new balljoint before re-assembly. You'll be very glad you did the next time you need to remove that balljoint!

Good luck! Let us know how it works! ::

 

How much trouble could it possibly cause if your going to throw it away anyway? I'll probly use a hammer, because you can't hardly give away 6 cyl parts. If someone thinks they will need some 6 cyl steering/suspention parts in about 6 months, though, go ahead and let me know.

 

A buddy of mines dad will take 2 big hammers and hit both sides at the same time. He claims most of them will fall apart one the first or second hit.

 

My Ford shop manual shows a threaded tool that fits between the top and bottom ball joint studs. As you turn the nut the tool expands and pops out one side or the other. You could make a simple tool along these lines (or use a scissor jack) to put pressure on the studs, then tap the spindle with a hammer and the stud should pop out. As for the new studs being too short, remember that the rubber boot will squish down as you tighten the stud. It might look like the stud is short but its just because the rubber boot is covering part of it.

 

Pickle Forks and BFH

 

I bought the tool for about $10 at Harbor Freight-don't know how long it will last when I finally get around to using it, but how many times should I actually have to use it? Autozone here has loaner tools that we use from time to time. You leave a deposit, and you get it back when you bring the tool back.

 

I recommend using the pickle fork and the hammer. I have used the pickle fork that I have, many times. It wasn't the most expensive tool to acquire, either. If you plan on re-using the parts, take special care to PAY ATTENTION to what you are doing. It sounds as though you are not re-using them, so it should be of little to no concern. It is easier to remove the component with the a-arm in the car, but I suppose it is possible in a vise or other device designed to hold the work. Place the device into the vise, wedge the pickle fork in between the spindle or a-arm and the ball-joint, and smack it hard with the hammer. Three or four solid smacks should separate the joint. If you install the pickle fork properly you do not have to worry about the tool damaging the work-piece. Do not angle the tool, or you will surely mar the surface.

Several people have mentioned using hammers and pounding on the sides of the spindle. That is a very good way to damage the spindle, and could turn costly in a hurry.

Using the right tools for the job oftentimes saves time and money, whether it be in replacement parts or ER visits. I have learned this the hard way.

 

Roadracer's technique really does work.